SOUTHWEST FLORIDA INDUSTRY MIX COMPARED TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA

Southwest Florida has a higher percentage of employees in retail trade, accommodation and food services, construction, arts, entertainment, and recreation, real estate and rental and leasing, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, when compared to the State of Florida. Southwest Florida’s comparative advantage as a preferred location for tourism and retirement certainly helps to explain why the region differs from the state. The largest positive differentials between Southwest Florida and the state include construction (5.5 percent greater than the state of Florida), retail trade (3.4 percent), accommodation and food services (2.4 percent), agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (1.3 percent), and arts, entertainment, and recreation (1.0 percent).

The largest negative differentials between the region and the state include finance and insurance (2.3 percent below the state of Florida), professional and technical services (2.2 percent), manufacturing (2.0 percent), transportation and warehousing (1.8 percent), and wholesale trade (1.7 percent).

Table 2-1: Southwest Florida vs. State of Florida Employment

Industry

Retail Trade

2018 State of Florida Southwest Florida

14.78%

18.13%

Accommodation and Food Services Health Care and Social Assistance 13.02% 14.74%

15.45% 13.96%

Construction Administrative and Waste Services Professional and Technical Services Other Services, Except Public Administration Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Manufacturing Wholesale Trade 7.09% 8.99% 7.48% 3.66% 3.05% 2.46% 4.87% 4.53%

Finance and Insurance Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting Transportation and Warehousing Educational Services 5.01% 0.90% 3.60% 2.12%

Information Management of Companies and Enterprises Utilities 1.82% 1.41% 0.30%

Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction Unclassified

0.05% 0.12% Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Bureau of Labor Statistics

12.66% 7.31% 5.31% 4.20% 3.96% 3.02% 2.90% 2.84% 2.74% 2.23% 1.77% 1.22% 1.08% 0.79% 0.29% 0.08% 0.07% Difference

3.35% 2.43% -0.78% 5.58% -1.68% -2.17% 0.54% 0.92% 0.55% -1.97% -1.69% -2.27% 1.33% -1.83% -0.90% -0.74% -0.62% -0.02% 0.03% -0.06%