|
Unlike most Florida
metropolitan areas
Okaloosa offers a prime working age
population.
|
Population Age Breakdown |
|
Under 18 |
24.8% |
|
Between 20 - 64 |
61.2% |
|
Over 64 |
14.0% |
|
Source: 2005 Census
Bureau |
Source: UWF Haas Center
US = United States, FL = Florida, FWB = Fort Walton Beach MSA, PC = Panama City,
PNS = Pensacola, TAL = Tallahassee
|
Okaloosa Employment |
|
2004 |
1st Qrtr |
2nd Qrtr |
3rd Qrtr |
4th Qrtr |
|
Labor Force |
90,822 |
95,803 |
97,403 |
92,937 |
|
Employment |
88,363 |
93,513 |
95,264 |
90,111 |
|
Unemployment |
2,459 |
2,290 |
2,139 |
2,826 |
|
Unemployment Rate |
2.71% |
2.39% |
2.20% |
3.04% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005 |
1st Qrtr |
2nd Qrtr |
3rd Qrtr |
4th Qrtr |
|
Labor Force |
88,718 |
98,436 |
100,064 |
96,632 |
|
Employment |
85,454 |
95,510 |
97,134 |
94,061 |
|
Unemployment |
3,264 |
2,926 |
2,930 |
2,571 |
|
Unemployment Rate |
3.68% |
2.97% |
2.9% |
2.7% |
|
|
|
2006 |
1st Qrtr |
2nd Qrtr |
3rd Qrtr |
4th Qrtr |
|
Labor Force |
96,741 |
100,820 |
102,852 |
99,179 |
|
Employment |
94,327 |
98,515 |
100,186 |
96,879 |
|
Unemployment |
2,414 |
2,305 |
2,666 |
2,301 |
|
Unemployment Rate |
2.5% |
2.3% |
2.6% |
2.3% |
|
2007 |
1st Qrtr |
2nd Qrtr |
3rd Qrtr |
4th Qrtr |
|
Labor Force |
98,595 |
101,186 |
TBD |
TBD |
|
Employment |
96,038 |
98,651 |
TBD |
TBD |
|
Unemployment |
2,557 |
2,535 |
TBD |
TBD |
|
Unemployment Rate |
2.6% |
2.5% |
TBD |
TBD |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Source: UWF Haas Center |
The community's labor
force is supplemented by the spouses and dependents
of the active duty
military
personnel and civilians, and the retired or separated military
personnel from Eglin
Air Force Base and Hurlburt
Field. The large military
presence also contributes to the great diversity of
technology-based firms.
350 local technology-based
firms contract with the local military bases.
The EDC is committed to growing
its technology industries and as a result
created
TeCMEN.
TeCMEN is a collaborative network of high-technology
manufacturing and engineering service companies working
together to gain access to larger projects by partnering
and teaming. Assisting in this commitment
are
Okaloosa's learning institutions that offer associate,
undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees, as well as certification
programs and technology-transfer services.
The defense contracting in
Okaloosa County creates the foundation for growth and
expansion in high-technology segments of the economy.
Local defense contractors have increased hiring in response to
the increased military spending since September 11, 2001.
Many are obtaining new contracts each year requiring hundreds
of new employees.
In 2002 the EDC contracted a
study
reflecting Okaloosa County as a technology hub with 156
technology-based businesses per 100,000 population.
Okaloosa County is the leading
technology center in Northwest Florida
and continues to experience
unprecedented growth.
With the military
being the #1 contributor in Okaloosa's economy the EDC
maintains a leading edge through the
Defense Support
Initiative Committee in order to ensure the retention and
continual growth of the Department of Defense in Okaloosa
County.
Growth management planning is also an objective of the DSI
in preparation for the BRAC realignment personnel.
Click here to view an
occupational wage table providing a sampling of the most
requested wage rates for Okaloosa County; the Ft. Walton Beach/Crestview/Destin MSA.
You may contact the EDC for a more comprehensive list or a
specific occupation.
|
Civilian Employed Population 16 Years and Over |
|
OCCUPATION |
76,840 |
Percentage |
|
Management, professional, and related occupations |
26,365 |
34.31% |
|
Service occupations |
16,166 |
21.04% |
|
Sales and office occupations |
18,622 |
24.23% |
|
Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations |
247 |
0.32% |
|
Construction, extraction, maintenance and repair
occupations |
10,581 |
13.77% |
|
Production, transportation, and material moving
occupations |
4,859 |
6.32% |
|
Source: 2005 Census Bureau |
|
INDUSTRY |
76,840 |
Percentage |
|
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining |
155 |
0.20% |
|
Construction |
7,846 |
10.21% |
|
Manufacturing |
3,097 |
4.03% |
|
Wholesale trade |
823 |
1.07% |
|
Retail trade |
10,497 |
13.66% |
|
Transportation and warehousing, and utilities |
2,814 |
3.66% |
|
Information |
1,202 |
1.56% |
|
Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and
leasing |
5,401 |
7.03% |
|
Professional, scientific, and management, and
administrative and waste management services |
10,200 |
13.27% |
|
Educational services, and health care, and social
assistance |
12,128 |
15.78% |
|
Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation,
and food services |
9,708 |
12.63% |
|
Other services, except public administration |
3,664 |
4.77% |
|
Public administration |
9,305 |
12.11% |
|
Source: 2005 Census Bureau |
| HOUSEHOLD
INCOME AND BENEFITS |
|
(In 2005 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars) |
|
Total households |
72,402 |
Percentage |
|
Less than $10,000 |
4,526 |
6.25% |
|
$10,000 to $14,999 |
3,266 |
4.51% |
|
$15,000 to $24,999 |
6,767 |
9.35% |
|
$25,000 to $34,999 |
8,082 |
11.16% |
|
$35,000 to $49,999 |
12,879 |
17.79% |
|
$50,000 to $74,999 |
15,912 |
21.98% |
|
$75,000 to $99,999 |
8,665 |
11.97% |
|
$100,000 to $149,999 |
8,387 |
11.58% |
|
$150,000 to $199,999 |
2,277 |
3.14% |
|
$200,000 or more |
1,641 |
2.27% |
|
Median household income (dollars) |
50,899 |
|
|
Mean household income (dollars) |
63,870 |
|
|
Source: 2005 Census Bureau |
|
TRAVEL TIME TO WORK |
|
Less than 10 minutes |
17.50% |
|
10 to 14 minutes |
17.70% |
|
15 to 19 minutes |
18.00% |
|
20 to 24 minutes |
12.90% |
|
25 to 29 minutes |
4.80% |
|
30 to 34 minutes |
15.60% |
|
35 to 44 minutes |
4.80% |
|
45 to 59 minutes |
5.30% |
|
60 or more minutes |
3.40% |
|
Mean travel time to work (minutes) |
21.2 |
|
Source: 2005 Census Bureau |
Other factors that contribute to Okaloosa
County's great workforce include:
- Little or no union membership activity.
- A constitutional right-to-work provision that requires
a public referendum rather than a legislative vote to change
it.
A
listing of Okaloosa County businesses
may be
viewed on the EDC
membership page.
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