8/8/2019 Economic Demo Profile Summary

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Economic and dEmographic profilE - KEy findings

This Economic and Demographic Proflesought to understand patterns o changein terms o demographic characteristics,socioeconomic well-being, employment,income, and economic structure. Throughthe course o this analysis, several keytrends were exposed clariying GwinnettCountys current realities compared to theAtlanta region, Georgia, and the U.S.

dEmographic TrEnds

Gwinnetts population growthshows no sign o slowing down.

Domestic migration is the top driver opopulation change in Gwinnett. House-holds moving between Gwinnett andadjacent Barrow and DeKalb countiesaccount or the largest proportion oout-migrants and inmigrants, respec-tively.

New residents continue to predom-inantly locate in unincorporatedGwinnett. For the past 15 years, theproportion o residents living withinthe Countys 15 municipalities hasremained relatively consistent at about22 percent. The County government willcontinue to be largely responsible ormeeting the needs o Gwinnetts grow-ing population.

Gwinnett is diversiying, raciallyand ethnically. While minorities ac-counted or 10.6 percent o the Countyspopulation in 1990, they account or42.9 percent today. In act, over 75percent o Gwinnetts growth since1990 has been comprised o minorities.Diversity is an important strength o

economically competitive communities.Leveraging this diversity or GwinnettCountys beneft will be a key issue orlocal leaders.

Among Atlanta metro counties, thedisparity between in-migrant andoutmigrant incomes is the greatestin Gwinnett. Between 2003 and 2004,the County experienced the great-est loss in per capita adjusted gross

income o any county in the Atlantametro area.

Poverty rates are on the rise. In2003, the Countys poverty rate was 8.2percent, up 2.8 percent over fve years.Similarly, children are more likely thanadults to live in poverty in Gwinnett.Child poverty rates at the metro, state,and national levels all declined whileGwinnetts rate climbed 3 percent inthe same time period.

Economic TrEnds

Job growth has been strong andCounty wages are above thoseo the MSA and the nation. WhileGwinnetts average annual wagegrowth has suered since 2001, its3rd quarter 2005 average annualwage o $41,239 still led those o theAtlanta MSA ($37,371) and the nation($38,798).

Economic, as well as racial andethnic lines, are increasinglydividing the haves and the have

nots in Gwinnett County. The pro-portion o minorities living in GwinnettCounty has increased since 2001 whilethe Countys real per capita incomehas declined. Gwinnetts poverty ratehas also increased, with minoritiesdisproportionately aected.

Certain workers are having di-fculty fnding employment anddropping out o the labor orce,despite robust job growth. Since1990, unemployment rates have risen

and labor orce participation rates havedeclined. At the same time, Gwinnettsjob growth has increased aster thanthe metro area, state, and nation. Thisindicates that (1) more workers aredropping out o the labor orce and (2)more workers are having greater di-fculty fnding employment, despite newjob creation.

Average wages and incomes arealling. Gwinnetts manuacturing sec-

tor was hit hard by the 2001 recessionand has been contracting since 1980.To an extent, high paying jobs are beingreplaced by lower-wage service indus-try jobs. Partially as a result, Gwinnettsreal per capita income and averageannual wages have decreased since2000 ater years o steady increases.Reversing these trends will be key toenhancing local wealth and increasingGwinnetts competitive fscal capacity.

Manuacturing jobs continue to be

lost in avor o service sector jobs.Between 1980 and 2000, Gwinnettsjob base grew more dependent onthe service sector. At the same time,manuacturing lost the economyslargest share o jobs. These high payingjobs are being lost to lower wage jobsin administrative and waste servicesand accommodation and ood services.Certain studies have shown, however,that manuacturing employees hired astemporary help are actually countedas components o the administrativeservices sector.

Employment concentrations inhighwage business sectors provideeconomic development opportuni-ties. Gwinnetts wholesale trade andinormation sectors are comparativelystronger than those o the state. Thesehigh wage sectors provide signifcantopportunity or strengthening and ur-ther diversiying Gwinnetts economy.

Gwinnetts entrepreneurial andsmall business dynamics are en-

couraging. Between 1990 and 2004,Gwinnett closed the gap between localand state entrepreneur average annualearnings growing rom $17,428 to$28,005. The County has higher propor-tions o entrepreneurs in construction,wholesale trade, proessional andtechnical services, and administrativeand waste services relative to nationalaverages.