Florida leads nation in number of self-employed jobs

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Florida created the most jobs with people working for themselves of any state in the nation, and positions in real estate and rentals led the way.

The state added more than 63,000 new self-employed jobs from 2012 to 2013, according to figures released Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

That represents close to a quarter of the 270,000 new self-employed jobs created nationwide during that period.

Florida had more than 1.8 million self-employed workers. Professional services jobs led the way in pure numbers in both Florida and the nation, but real estate and rental jobs were tops in total receipts earned.

The job sector with the smallest number of self-employed workers in Florida was mining.

Nationwide, it was utilities.