Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development
Northwest Florida Economy






Check out the latest studies from the Haas Center, including the Workforce Region Two Self-Sufficiency Study
and the Analysis of the Florida Film and Entertainment Industry.

EmploymentNorthwest Florida Employment
by Michael Scheibe, MBA
The unemployment rate for the Northwest Florida region in the first quarter of 2009 was 3.9 percent higher than it was in the first quarter of 2008. The unemployment rate identifies the percentage of people in the labor force that are seeking a job but do not have one. The labor force is the sum of those employed and unemployed, but it does not include the jobless who are not seeking employment such as full-time students and retirees.   More »


TourismFirst Quarter Bed Tax Numbers Indicate Tourism Slow-Down
by Melissa Neal, PhD
During first quarter 2009, Northwest Florida saw an 11.97 percent decrease in bed tax collections over the same time period in 2007. This is quite a significant downturn given that bed tax collections during the first quarter of 2008 were up 10.4 percent over the first quarter of 2007. Overall collections for the Northwest Florida region (at a 2 percent rate) were $2.5 million from January 2009-March 2009, down nearly $349,000 for the five county area.  More »



Real EstateNorthwest Florida Real Estate Activity
by David Kane, BS
The first quarter of 2009 began the year with no cause for celebration, but there were scattered signs of positive changes on the horizon. For the five-county NW Florida region, total home sales were down by an average of 16 percent compared to the first quarter of 2008. However, on a statewide basis this marks the third consecutive quarter that Florida has reported higher (than the corresponding quarter of the previous year) sales of existing homes. According to the Florida Association of Realtors survey of MLS sales data within the twenty Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA’s) that comprise the state, sales of existing single-family homes were up by 25 percent compared to last year. Sadly, for the three MSA’s that comprise the NW Florida region alone, sales of existing single-family homes declined by 6 percent. Over the same time period the median sales price of an existing single-family home declined by a statewide average of 30 percent, while having declined by only 11 percent in NW Florida.   More »



HousingHousing Affordability
by Anita Remesch, BS
In the first quarter of 2009, housing affordability increased due to decreases in mortgage interest rates and median home prices. The largest increase was felt in the Panama City MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) with a 19.0 percent increase in housing affordability. The Pensacola MSA increased 15.7 percent and the Fort Walton MSA increased 6.78 percent. On the national level, housing affordability increased 14.14 percent.
More »



Retail SalesNorthwest Florida Retail Sales
by Michael Scheibe, MBA
The Northwest Florida region’s taxable retail sales totaled nearly $3.9 billion in the fourth quarter of 2008, down 10.8 percent from the previous year. Despite the region as a whole being down 10.8 percent from the previous year, two counties gained. Gulf County’s and Calhoun County’s sales increased 8.7 percent and 7.8 percent, respectively. The largest percentage decline among the 16 counties was Liberty County at -17.3 percent. The retail sales in the region are measured according to data on taxable retail sales that is collected and distributed by the Florida Department of Revenue.  More »

 

  








Haas Center