Economy &
Infrastructure

Why is this important?

A diverse economy, with broad opportunities for employment and strong infrastructure, is a major factor in creating a healthy community.

What is the measure?

The indicators selected cover the following: retail sales, the diversity of business and industry in the county, employment/unemployment, income, tourism, land use, housing, infrastructure, transportation, and communication.

How are we doing?

Overall, the economy continues to be in transition. This is exhibited by growth in retail sales, tourism, services and health care. In recent years, mining and timber industries declined.

Government and tourism are the largest employers in the county, which is reflective of the large proportion of public lands and the spectacular natural beauty drawing visitors to the area. Cultural tourism, including the many artisans and three professional regional theater companies, attracts large numbers of visitors from the Bay Area and central valley. Historic and agricultural tourism such as wine tasting, fruit and vegetable stands, and tree farms are also significant contributors to the economy.

We face economic challenges. As in all regions, housing our workforce continues to be expensive, as the prices escalate for housing and the inventory decreases. The rate of compensation for the workers is not increasing at the same rate as the cost of housing. A portion of the workforce tends to commute to other areas that offer higher wages to balance the costs for living in the foothills. Multi-dwelling units are very scarce with limited availability. Almost half of our population is 50 years of age or older. Thus, we face a challenge in filling entry level jobs—which are important for a vital and healthy economic outlook for the county.