RERI News

2024 Southwest Florida Economic Almanac Series

October 04, 2024 / RERI Research Team / Tags: Reports, SWFL Almanac

The Regional Economic Research Institute is pleased to announce the publication of the 2024 Southwest Florida Economic Almanac Series. The series represents a comprehensive collection of over 30 databases in a one document, allowing for an easy and thorough access to information pertaining all Southwest Florida’s counties – specifically Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee Counties. Topics covered include agriculture, charitable giving, demographics, employment, finance, education, the environment, government spending, health, housing, income and poverty statistics, and real estate.

Issue Brief: Southwest Florida Business Applications

October 04, 2024 / RERI Research Team

Business applications are an important leading indicator for gauging the health of a regional economy. They offer insight into entrepreneurial activity and business creation, both of which contribute to local job opportunities. However, obtaining relevant data on business applications at the regional level can be challenging due to data limitations. The U.S. Census Bureau provides information through its Business Formation Statistics (BFS), but county-level data from the BFS is only available annually and is released with a six-month lag. For instance, business applications data for 2023 was only released in June 2024.

Industry Diversification Project: Third Quarter 2024 Report

September 24, 2024 / RERI Research Team / Tag: Industry Diversification Project

The RERI has published the Industry Diversification Report for the third quarter of 2024. The goal of the IDI is to measure industry diversification and, by extension, that of the workforce, in each of Florida’s 24 workforce regions, the state of Florida, and the remaining 49 states. The index measure is computed quarterly, soon after the release of workforce data from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. It spans from 0 to 10, with 0 signifying no diversification (or an economy characterized by a single industry), and 10 signifying perfect diversification (no concentration).

2024 Educational and Workforce Outcomes Report

September 11, 2024 / RERI Research Team / Tag: Reports

The Regional Economic Research Institute is pleased to announce the 2024 Southwest Florida Educational and Workforce Outcome Report. The 116-page report is the result of a collaborative effort between the Regional Economic Research Institute and the FutureMakers Coalition, and provides up-to-date information on education and workforce indicators for the five-county region.

Regional Economic Indicators: September 2024 Report

September 03, 2024 / RERI Research Team

The RERI has published Regional Economic Indicators for September 2024. The monthly publication represents a collection and analysis of economic indicators including airport passenger activity, taxable sales, tourist tax revenues, labor force, employment, real estate, and consumer sentiment for the Southwest Florida workforce region.

SWFL Real Estate: Third Quarter 2024 Report

September 03, 2024 / RERI Research Team

The residential market continued to level off during Q2 2024, as evidenced by the latest data available. Single-family home sales in the region have plateaued over the past quarters and remain below their 2022 apex, with declines primarily concentrated across the coastal counties. Single-family and condominium real median prices in the region also continued to fall, with declines observed in most Southwest Florida counties.

Regional Economic Indicators: August 2024 Report

August 05, 2024 / RERI Research Team

The RERI has published Regional Economic Indicators for August 2024. The monthly publication represents a collection and analysis of economic indicators including airport passenger activity, taxable sales, tourist tax revenues, labor force, employment, real estate, and consumer sentiment for the Southwest Florida workforce region.

Issue Brief: Automation in Southwest Florida

August 05, 2024 / RERI Research Team

With rapid advances in technology, workforce shortages, and industry seeking ways to cut costs and improve efficiencies, automation in the workforce is in the forefront of labor market conversations. Understanding the risk of automation across occupations and industries can help us identify which occupational groups may have a greater need for upskilling or reskilling. Likewise, predicting which geographies automation may be a higher risk in can better position workers, employers and local economies to thrive with these changes.