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By Palm Beach Business.com

DELRAY BEACH — Unemployment continues to drop statewide and in Palm Beach County, according to the May jobs report from Florida’s Agency for Workforce Innovation. The report was released Friday.

In fact, the number of unemployed in Florida dropped to 980,000, the lowest number reported since August 2009. The rate dropped slightly, to 10.6 percent from 10.8 percent a month earlier and 11.3 percent in May 2010.

Florida added 28,000 jobs during the month, the biggest increase of any state. However, the state is still down 832,000 jobs from its peak in 2006.

“This is a good sign for the labor market in Florida,” said Rebecca Rust, the chief economist for the agency.

In Palm Beach County, the jobless rate for May dropped to 10.2 percent from 10.3 percent in April and 11.0 percent in May 2010. The actual number of unemployed: 63,413 in May, compared to 62,923 in April and 67,875 a year prior.

In Broward County, the rate rose slightly, to 9.0 percent from 8.9 percent in April but down from the 9.5 percent posted in May 2010. The actual number of unemployed: 88,469 in May, compared with 87,852 in April and 93,349 a year ago.

The state statistics are adjusted for seasonal factors that influence the job market, while county numbers are not.

Sectors adding jobs include: leisure and hospitality, up 45,100 during the 12 months through May; private education and health services, up 24,500, driven by the health services side;  trade, transportation and utilities, up 10,500; professional and business services, up 6,600.

Sectors shedding jobs include: government, down 41,500 during the 12 months through May; construction, down 14,3000; information, down 4,700; financial services, down 1,300.