Monday, January 14, 2013

"Prosperity 2012!" Humboldt moves forward.

Humboldt County’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is moving forward. The community engagement process of this update is called “Prosperity 2012” and has had over 450 community members involved in the process of figuring out how Humboldt County should financially grow from 2013 to 2018. Today was one of the last public meetings before it goes before the Board of Supervisors.

Just some general observations:

Of all the northern region counties, Humboldt County has the youngest Median age at 37. The next lowest is Del Norte at 39. All other counties are over 40. Curry County in Oregon’s median age is 54!

Projections for Humboldt County K-12 grades are projected to climb each year to 2021.
Humboldt’s “Knowledge Based Industry” in the form of “Management & Innovative Services” is the fastest growing Industry and unlike other rural areas in northern California it pays well averaging 43,940 per year, 47% higher than the region.

In the North Counties region, Humboldt County population of 25 years old under have over a 90% high school graduation rate, the highest in the region.

Out of the 8 identified Regional Industry cluster, Management and Innovation Services, Niche Manufacturing, Investment Support Services, Forest Products, Diversified Health Care, Building and Systems Construction, Specialty Food, Flower and Beverages and Tourism, Humboldt county wages lead in average wage in 6 categories. But get this, in the second most jobs category, Tourism, Humboldt Counties average pay is $13,685 a year, compared to $29,794 for the rest of the region! Less than ½ the pay!

In the six different average wage category’s for industry, Humboldt is over 29% higher than the regional counties!

There are many great recommendations that hopefully will be implemented in the future. Check out the Targets of Opportunity 2012!.


Anonymous said...

$44K is lousy pay for knowledge-based industry, but for Humboldt, yes, it's good pay.

Anonymous said...

What about the Buffet Industry Cluster? Have we all just abandoned it? Richard may be the lone holdout.

samoasoftball said...

The buffett cluster was hard hit when Hometown left! We need a new replacement for that one!

rosey said...

Richard, could you please explain to me what exactly is Management & Innovative Services? Perhaps you can give me an example of some of the local businesses that would fit in that category.

samoasoftball said...

Computer software workers.

Anonymous said...

What an innovative name for computer software workers.

Anonymous said...

Anyone that has lived and worked outside of Humboldt knows that they pay here is way low, due to a simple supply/demand issue, but housing is almost comparable to urban areas. That makes this area a bad deal for most people really unless you are retired and/or on some sort of supplemental housing. Let's not forget, of course, the dope growers that infest this area like locusts and the parasites that knowingly rent to them.