Citrus County's unemployment rate of 7.2 percent for April was the highest in Florida, tied with Putnam County.

Statewide, unemployment dropped to 5.6 percent. That's a slight decline from March. Florida added 24,500 jobs last month according to figures released Friday by the Department of Economic Opportunity.

Monroe County, which includes the Florida Keys, maintained the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 3.6 percent.

Citrus County's jobless rate was 7.5 percent in March.

The state unemployment rate remains higher than the national rate of 5.4 percent. There are approximately 542,000 unemployed Floridians.

Gov. Rick Scott announced the new unemployment rate at IRadimed, a medical products company in Orlando. The Central Florida area led the state in job creation in the last year, creating more than 47,000 private sector jobs. The Tampa Bay area was second, with 39,100 jobs added.

Scott has made job creation the main focus during his time in office.

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Local unemployment by county

April 2015, Tampa Bay area counties only.
(Preliminary, not seasonally adjusted)

RANK* COUNTY APRIL 2015 MARCH 2015
1
Citrus 7.2% 7.6%
7
Hernando 6.6% 7.0%
22 Polk 5.7% 6.1%
27 Pasco 5.6% 6.0%
47 Hillsborough 4.8% 5.1%
47 Pinellas 4.8% 5.1%
54 Manatee 4.7% 5.1%

* Out of 67 Florida counties.

Source: Florida Department of Economic Opportunity