urban_encounter
01-26-2007, 10:21 PM
Jobs growing faster inland
In 15 years, California's inland jobs
jumped 45.9%, compared to 9.6% on coast.
By Dale Kasler - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Friday, January 26, 2007
Story appeared in BUSINESS section, Page D2
It's no secret that much of California's job growth has shifted to inland California. A new study released Thursday demonstrated just how profound the shift has been.
Inland California experienced a 45.9 percent growth in jobs from 1990 to 2005, according to the study by the California Budget Project. Coastal California's job growth was 9.6 percent.
Job growth in the two regions was roughly the same in absolute numbers: about 1.1 million inland vs. 950,000 on the coast. What's striking is the difference in percentage gains, said the budget project's director, Jean Ross.
All told, inland counties generated 54.4 percent of the state's new jobs even though they had barely 20 percent of the jobs in 1990.
"What stood out to us was ... it wasn't just warehousing and manufacturing," she said. "It was a whole range of industries where job growth was stronger inland. ... The diversity of job growth is very encouraging."
Placer and El Dorado have been two of the hottest inland counties for job growth, the study said. Jobs in Placer have increased 127.5 percent, while they've increased 71.1 percent in El Dorado.
Economists have been saying for years that the relatively low cost of living in the Central Valley was a magnet for coastal Californians. Ross said the new study shows that jobs have been migrating along with the population -- a welcome trend that helps cut down on commutes.
The Central Valley's population has been growing at a faster rate than the coast's. Fresno County's population, for instance, jumped 35 percent from 1990 to 2005, and Sacramento County's grew 33 percent. Los Angeles County, meanwhile, had a 15 percent population gain.
The relative affordability of the Central Valley has been a lure for companies like Galil Motion Control Inc., a tech company that moved to Rocklin from Mountain View in 2000.
The relocation was triggered in part by high housing costs and the frenzied Bay Area job market, both of which made it difficult to hire employees, said Lisa Wade, vice president for marketing and sales.
"We moved ... to escape the craziness," she said.
Remarkably, 25 of Galil's 35 employees moved along with the company, she said. And the company has found it has been able to recruit engineers without much difficulty, she said.
The report noted that while the coastal counties lost nearly one-third of their manufacturing jobs, factory employment grew by 19 percent inland. Much of the growth in manufacturing was in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Ross said the job growth illustrates the challenges facing inland counties as they try to cope with growing demands for roads, housing and schools.
"It's largely a positive story, (but) you're taxing a lot of systems," she said.
In 15 years, California's inland jobs
jumped 45.9%, compared to 9.6% on coast.
By Dale Kasler - Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:00 am PST Friday, January 26, 2007
Story appeared in BUSINESS section, Page D2
It's no secret that much of California's job growth has shifted to inland California. A new study released Thursday demonstrated just how profound the shift has been.
Inland California experienced a 45.9 percent growth in jobs from 1990 to 2005, according to the study by the California Budget Project. Coastal California's job growth was 9.6 percent.
Job growth in the two regions was roughly the same in absolute numbers: about 1.1 million inland vs. 950,000 on the coast. What's striking is the difference in percentage gains, said the budget project's director, Jean Ross.
All told, inland counties generated 54.4 percent of the state's new jobs even though they had barely 20 percent of the jobs in 1990.
"What stood out to us was ... it wasn't just warehousing and manufacturing," she said. "It was a whole range of industries where job growth was stronger inland. ... The diversity of job growth is very encouraging."
Placer and El Dorado have been two of the hottest inland counties for job growth, the study said. Jobs in Placer have increased 127.5 percent, while they've increased 71.1 percent in El Dorado.
Economists have been saying for years that the relatively low cost of living in the Central Valley was a magnet for coastal Californians. Ross said the new study shows that jobs have been migrating along with the population -- a welcome trend that helps cut down on commutes.
The Central Valley's population has been growing at a faster rate than the coast's. Fresno County's population, for instance, jumped 35 percent from 1990 to 2005, and Sacramento County's grew 33 percent. Los Angeles County, meanwhile, had a 15 percent population gain.
The relative affordability of the Central Valley has been a lure for companies like Galil Motion Control Inc., a tech company that moved to Rocklin from Mountain View in 2000.
The relocation was triggered in part by high housing costs and the frenzied Bay Area job market, both of which made it difficult to hire employees, said Lisa Wade, vice president for marketing and sales.
"We moved ... to escape the craziness," she said.
Remarkably, 25 of Galil's 35 employees moved along with the company, she said. And the company has found it has been able to recruit engineers without much difficulty, she said.
The report noted that while the coastal counties lost nearly one-third of their manufacturing jobs, factory employment grew by 19 percent inland. Much of the growth in manufacturing was in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Ross said the job growth illustrates the challenges facing inland counties as they try to cope with growing demands for roads, housing and schools.
"It's largely a positive story, (but) you're taxing a lot of systems," she said.
