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ABOUT WASILLA, ALASKA
Employment
Like population, employment has grown considerably faster in the
Mat-Su Borough than anywhere else in the state. Since most of the growth in the
Mat-Su labor force is tied to population growth, this is not surprising. During
the past decade, employment in the Mat-Su Borough grew at a rate of 5.8 percent
per year, nearly four times faster than the rest of the state. A full 67 percent
of this growth came from retail and services.
Services alone represent one quarter of all wage and salary
employment in the Borough. Most of the employment in the area provides services
to the local population and is not export-related activity. Health care has been
one of the fastest growing service industries, with business and social services
close behind.
Retail employment and sales followed a similar path of strong
growth. Retail got a big boost in 1999 with the opening of a new Fred Meyer
store, and more recently, the new Wal-Mart. The retail and services expansion
has meant that more of the dollars earned by Mat-Su residents remain in the
Borough instead of going to Anchorage or elsewhere.
Another major contributor to employment growth is the area’s
construction industry. Residential and commercial markets have kept this
industry busy, making it a significant contributor to job growth.
Other beneficiaries and close relatives of this industry have
been the finance, insurance, and real estate sectors. |
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2002 Labor Force
Source: State of
Alaska, Department of Labor, Research & Analysis
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Labor Force
Employment
Unemployment
Unemployment Rate |
32,417
29,465
2,408
7.8% |
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Unemployment
During the past three years, employment in the Mat-Su Borough
has increased dramatically. In fact, the 1998 unemployment rate of 6.9 percent
was a record low. Another positive development is the narrowing of the jobless
rates between the Mat-Su Borough and Anchorage. Prior to 1996, it was not
unusual for the Borough jobless rate to be more than twice as high as Anchorage.
Part of the explanation may be that the regional labor market is more integrated
than ever. The tight labor market of the past three years is another part of the
reason for this change. |
2003 Unemployment estimates – January through April
January February March April
Labor Force 34,971 35,470 34,187 34,300
Employment 31,265 31,652 30,914 31,270
Unemployment 3,706 3,818 3,273 3,030
Rate 10.5 10.8 9.6 8.0
2002 Unemployment estimates – January through July
January February March April
Labor Force 32,148 31,845 31,924 31,753
Employment 29,287 29,014 29,173 29,196
Unemployment 2,861 2,831 2,751 2,557
Rate 8.9 8.9 8.6 8.1
May June July
Labor Force 32,732 33,933 34,373
Employment 30,531 31,472 32,055
Unemployment 2,201 2,461 2,318
Rate 6.7 7.3 6.7
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Unemployment data is from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce
Development, Research and Analysis Section For additional information on the
population, employment, earnings and personal income trends for the
Matanuska-Susitna Borough go to the borough website at:
http://www.matsuborough.com/PDF/MSB_SonoranReport.pdf |
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WAGE AND INCOME
In 1999, the average annual wage in the Mat-Su was $26,893,
compared to $35,557 in Anchorage. The biggest reason for this differential is
that a much larger percentage of the Mat-Su industry mix is in lower paying
sectors such as services and retail, and not in the sectors of oil, government
and transportation. Some of this difference is attributed to the fact that many
residents work in the higher paying sectors in Anchorage and elsewhere in the
state.
Per Capita Income:
$ 21,105
Median Household Income: $ 51,221
Median Family Income: $ 56,939
Persons in Poverty:
6,419
Percent Below Poverty: 11.0%
Employment by Industry*:
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting,
Mining.................. 126
Construction.................................................... 1,318
Manufacturing
.................................................... 149
Wholesale
Trade................................................... 156
Retail Trade
................................................... 3,396
Transportation, Warehousing &
Utilities........................... 874
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental &
Leasing................. 312
Services
....................................................... 3,364
Other
.............................................................. 3
Government
..................................................... 3,140
* NOTE: State of Alaska Department of Labor is utilizing a
different Industry classification than was used previously. Figures from past years are not comparable with current data.
Income data is from the 2000 U.S. Census. Employment data by
industry is from State of Alaska Department of Labor, Research & Analysis
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