Florida business owners among most optimistic for hiring in 2026

Florida business owners are showing strong confidence in their local economy, with new data revealing they're among the most optimistic in the country when it comes to hiring new employees.

A new LendingTree analysis shows 13% of business owners in the Sunshine State expect to add staff during the next several months. Only 10% are expecting to cut jobs.

Nationwide, three in four businesses expect their employee count to stay the same.

The health care and social assistance sector shows the most optimism for adding workers. The accommodation and food services sector is the least optimistic.

The data reveals a sharp political divide. The most optimistic states voted for President Trump in 2024, while most of the pessimistic states voted for Vice President Harris.

"Florida business owners are showing strong confidence in their local economy, and that optimism is translating into hiring plans. For workers, this could mean more opportunities in the months ahead, while for the state, it signals potential growth in the job market," said Matt Schulz, Chief Consumer Finance Analyst at LendingTree.

Experts say job seekers should leverage their networks and keep learning new skills to stay competitive in today's changing workplace.

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