Daytona Beach's jobless rate was 6.3% in August, up from 5.8% a year earlier and well above Volusia County's 5.2% and Florida's 4.6%. About 2,340 people were out of work.
Daytona Beach’s unemployment rate was 6.3% in August, up from 5.8% in August 2025. About 2,340 people in the city were out of work and looking for a job, roughly 180 more than a year earlier.
The figures are the preliminary August estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. They are not seasonally adjusted, so the fair comparison is with the same month a year earlier.
August at a glance
| Area | August 2026 | August 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| City of Daytona Beach | 6.3% | 5.8% |
| Ormond Beach | 4.9% | 4.6% |
| Port Orange | 4.7% | 4.4% |
| Volusia County | 5.2% | 4.9% |
| Florida | 4.6% | 4.3% |
All rates are not seasonally adjusted. Sources: BLS series for Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, Port Orange, Volusia County and Florida.
Every area on the list rose over the year, and Daytona Beach rose the most, by half a point. The city’s rate runs more than a point above the county’s. Ormond Beach, about seven miles north, and Port Orange, about seven miles south, both sit below the county figure.
The numbers behind the rate
In the city of Daytona Beach, according to the BLS:
- 37,287 people were in the labor force in August, up from 37,094 a year earlier.
- 34,951 people had jobs, up from 34,937.
- 2,336 people were unemployed, up from 2,157.
In other words, the labor force grew by 193 people, but almost all of that growth showed up as people looking for work, not people working.
In Volusia County:
- 267,024 people were in the labor force, up from 265,910.
- 13,960 people were unemployed, up from 12,953.
The labor force counts people who have a job or are looking for one. The unemployment rate is the share of the labor force without a job and looking for one.
The past year, month by month
The rate has not been back down to 5.8% since September 2025. It peaked at 6.9% in January. The monthly figures were:
| Month | Rate |
|---|---|
| August 2025 | 5.8% |
| September 2025 | 5.8% |
| October 2025 | not published |
| November 2025 | 6.8% |
| December 2025 | 6.3% |
| January 2026 | 6.9% |
| February 2026 | 6.6% |
| March 2026 | 6.0% |
| April 2026 | 6.5% |
| May 2026 | 6.5% |
| June 2026 | 6.7% |
| July 2026 | 6.7% |
| August 2026 | 6.3% (preliminary) |
There is no October 2025 figure. The BLS lists the month as “data unavailable due to the 2025 lapse in appropriations,” the federal government shutdown that fall.
What it means for you
- August was better than July. The rate fell from 6.7% to 6.3% over the month, though it remains above last year’s level.
- If you are looking for work, the state’s Employ Florida job board lists openings across Volusia County.
- The August numbers will change. The BLS marks the latest month as preliminary and revises it the following month. We will update this story when September’s figures are out.
- For the bigger picture on the city, see Daytona Beach by the numbers.
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