Several weeks ago, the Morning Call ran an editorial about a Brookings Report about improving economic conditions in the Lehigh Valley. The report is called “An Economic Plan for the Commonwealth”.
I thought the report had several interesting facts about the Lehigh Valley role in driving economic prosperity.
1. The top six metropolitan areas in Pennsylvania constitute 68.4% of the population, but drive 80.5% of the state economic output.
2. The Lehigh Valley experienced job growth at 5.6% compared to the US average of 5.9% and the PA average of 3.3%.
3. The Lehigh Valley has a large concentration of industrial Gases, health care, and higher education. However, it has been widely reported the Lehigh Valley is suffering from “brain drain”, as graduates of our local universities and colleges leave the area for higher paying jobs.
4. The three principal cities in the Lehigh Valley, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, saw their combined tax base grow by .5%, while the surrounding township tax base grew about 52%.
Yes, the Lehigh Valley is important to the future of PA economic growth. This also means we need to understand the role that Forks Township plays in the state economic development.
I would submit we have a play a vital role in Northampton County growth. Forks Township has a median income over $65,000. Over 40% of our township has college degrees with 9.4% holding an associate degree, 22.6% holding a Bachelors degree, and 10% have a graduate degree.
If you have any ideas or comments about critical issues facing Forks Township, please share your ideas via our blog.
Get Involved – Every Voice Counts!
Sincerely,David Billings
d.billings@att.net
Source of data:
1. www.zipskinny.com
2. Brookings Report: “An Economic Plan for the Commonwealth”.
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