Regional Economic Research Institute

Issue Brief: Building Permit Methodology

November 28, 2023 / RERI Research Team

Building permits are important leading economic indicators to track within a regional economy. They represent the initial stages of what will eventually become a new structure in the area. They help paint a picture of the real estate market while also measuring future demand for the construction industry.

Issue Brief: Florida Hospital System

November 28, 2023 / RERI Research Team

With the healthcare industry being one of the most important industries in the state of Florida, it is essential that the industry is aiming to function in the most efficient way. Hospital efficiencies affect a variety of different people in different ways. Community members want efficient hospitals so they can experience lower wait times and a greater quality of service. On the other side, those who work behind the scenes of hospitals want to lower the costs as much as possible while ensuring all their resources are being utilized. Efficiency levels affect both consumers and producers, making it an important topic to further research.

Issue Brief: Southwest Florida Prime Age Employment

November 07, 2023 / RERI Research Team

The prime age population represents the core a region’s workforce. This population is typically defined as the population between the ages of 25 and 54 years old, excluding younger age groups that are more likely to be in school (under 25 years old) as well as the older age groups that begin to prepare for retirement (over 54 years old). They represented approximately 49.0 percent of the total US population in 2021, but 63.7 percent of the total labor force. Among this subset of the population, the national prime age employment rate, defined as the share of adults between 25 and 54 years old that are employed, was 78.1 percent in 2021.