Florida State Profile

Florida’s business tax climate rates among best in US; high Medicaid costs lead to forecasted budget deficit in 2010, despite tax hikes and spending cuts; Floridians are increasingly optimistic about economic conditions over next five years.

• State job growth fell 4.8% in August 2009 from a year ago; national job growth fell 4.4%.
• State unemployment averaged 10.7% in August 2009; the national average was 9.7%
• Personal income fell 3.7% to $699 billion in Q2 2009 from a year ago.
• Tax revenue fell 12.0% in Q2 2009 from the previous year.
• Exports fell 11.8% to $26.3 billion in the first seven months of 2009 from a year ago.
• Venture capital investment in FL was $65.1 million in Q2 2009, up from $28.6 million a year ago.