MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – Good news for local families: the unemployment rate in the CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion (CLM) region dropped to 4.4% in March, a half-percent improvement from February. Still, it’s slightly higher than this time last year when it was 4.0%.

FloridaCommerce released preliminary employment data showing that while the local labor force shrank a little, the number of people working grew. In total, 222,483 residents across Citrus, Levy, and Marion counties were employed in March – nearly 800 more than in February.

“In a job market of low overall unemployment, we are experiencing an increased number of employed residents. This has resulted in a drop in our unemployment,” said Rusty Skinner, CareerSource CLM’s CEO.

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Still, over 10,000 people remain out of work. “Our CareerSource CLM team is ready to help those looking for work and training for new careers,” Skinner said. He encouraged job seekers to visit CareerSource offices for help gaining skills for better opportunities.

Marion County’s jobless rate landed at 4.3% in March, a slight drop from February but still half a point higher than last year. Citrus County came in at 5.1%, and Levy County had the lowest rate at 4.1%.

Overall, the Ocala area continues to add jobs, especially in government, construction, financial services, and health care. Nonfarm employment in the Ocala metro area rose by 1,900 jobs over the year, with steady growth in several industries.

CareerSource CLM will release the April employment update on May 16.

For more information about the March job numbers, visit FloridaCommerce’s March 2025 Employment Data for the CLM region.

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