Orestimba Creek Feasibility Study - Stanislaus County

Economics Appendix – Draft Report - Orestimba Creek Feasibility Study, Stanislaus County, California – September 2012
The California Employment Development Department preliminary data for January, 2012
indicate a current labor force of 234,200 with 194,700 employed and an unemployment rate of
16.9% for the County of Stanislaus. December 2011 data indicate employment by industry; with
retail trade employing 8,600; professional and business services employing 6,400; durable goods
industry, 5,800; and non-durable goods, 5,800. State and Local government employed about 12%
of the civilian employed population.
Income:
Median Household Income for Stanislaus County has increased significantly over the past couple
of decades. In 1989 average income was $29,793, increasing by 35% to $40,101 in 1999. By
2008 the County’s median household income increased from $40,101 in 1999 to $50,359 or
26%. Comparatively, the State of California’s median household income is $61,021 in 2008
verses Stanislaus County’s $50,359. The City of Newman’s median household income grew
from $39,460 in the year 2000 to $49,554 in 2008. The 2000 Census reported the persons living
at or below the poverty level in Stanislaus County at 16.0 percent.
MEDIAN INCOME AND POVERTY STATUS, 2000 CENSUS
Income in 1999 below poverty level a/
Percent of population for whom
Median income
poverty status is determined
in 1999 dollars All Related children 65 years Percent of
County Households Families ages under 18 years and over families
Stanislaus 40,101 44,703 16.0 20.5 8.8 12.3
California $47,493 $53,025 14.2 19.0 8.1 10.6
Housing:
The estimated median house or condo value rose in the City of Newman from $107,700 in 2000
to $240,000 by 2008. The new house construction building permits shown in Table 4 indicate a
significant increase in construction beginning 2003 through 2007. It is presumed that much of
the construction was to accommodate families whose workers commuted to areas outside the
immediate area, who had purchased affordable housing in Newman.
The housing crisis that has befallen Newman appears to be similar to that of Merced, California.
In a recent news article in US News and World Report Merced was highlighted as follows:
The housing crisis that has rocked Merced, California was initially linked to rising
property values in relatively nearby metropolitan areas like San Francisco. As real
estate became increasingly unaffordable in the bigger cities, many would-be home
buyers started exploring options in smaller markets, such as Merced.
"A number of people said, 'Hey, I have got a couple of choices: I can get a 1,000-foot
condo in San Francisco, or I can move east and I can get myself a fairly significant
95