Unemployment hit 18-month low

Florida's unemployment rate is 10.8%, the lowest it has been since September 2009, and the first time since October 2009 that fewer than 1 million people are without jobs, according to the Agency for Workforce Innovation.

While the state's official rate is seasonally adjusted, the raw data show over-the-year improvement in the labor market. According to agency numbers, Florida's economy added roughly 47,000 jobs during the past year.

Additionally, first-time claims of unemployment benefits decreased by 22.3% in the month of April compared to last year. Year-to-date first-time claims are down 11.6% compared to 2010, the agency says.