Florida is suffering through its highest unemployment rate in 13 years, but one local county seems immune to it.

For the past year, Walton County has consistently led the state in the lowest unemployment rates, and business leaders credit the low numbers to location and hard work.

State employment officials say job fairs have become popular events for many unemployed Floridians.

Since May 2007, Florida businesses have cut nearly 75,000 jobs, but Walton County has not seen many losses. Many say it's because of the strong tourism industry.

Mary Lou Reed of the Workforce Development Board said, "Our location. Who can resist coming to this area for our beautiful, beautiful beaches? Here in this area too you will find the Tourist Development Council, the Workforce Development Board and the business community really do work with the Chamber of Commerce to try to provide the most positive climate for our business to excel."

That doesn't mean Walton County businesses are not losing jobs.

In May 2008, Walton County had an unemployment rate of 3.3 percent, one point higher than 2007's May figure, but Walton County has had the lowest unemployment rate in the state 19 times, over the past 24 months.

By comparison, Okaloosa County has a 3.8 percent rate, up from 2.6 percent in May of 2007, and Bay County had a rate of 4.5 percent up from 3.1 percent in 2007.

If you find yourself looking for a job here in the panhandle, there is help just ahead.

"One of our job fairs is just coming up. It's the Panhandle Job Fair. It's grown to be one of the biggest job fairs that employers rely on to get really good help."

The Panhandle Job Fair will be held at the Okaloosa County Fairgrounds, September 18th. Reed suggests you start working on your resume now and stop by one of their locations for some tips.