Strong job market, stubborn inflation: Charting South Florida's economy as a new year begins

The data is strong but confidence is fragile as the economy — or at least how voters feel about it — is at its familiar place as the most important issue as an election year gets underway.

The post-pandemic recovery has been incredibly kind to Florida's economic statistics. The state's gross domestic product, measuring Florida's economic output, grew by a 6.1% annual rate in the third quarter, easily out-pacing the national GDP growing at 4.9%. While Florida's economy is a fraction of the nation's, it has grown at a faster rate for almost three years straight.

Still, Florida's 6.1% growth rate was not the fastest among large states. Texas' 7.1% GDP change was tops.