CIVIC QUALITY

Civic quality measures the affordability of a region, the health and safety of its citizens, and the recreational opportunities that impact its quality of life.

This year’s update reveals a decline in a ordability. Tampa Bay residents are spending 54% of their income on housing and transportation alone. Tampa Bay ranks in the bottom quartile for all three indicators connected with a ordability.

We saw a modest increase in the volume of mental health providers and physicians, but both are still in the lowest quartile. The data shows that increased demand for services is partially being addressed by increasing numbers of providers, but competitive communities are increasing access faster, and making it easier for residents to receive help. For example, Portland has more than 3.7 times the amount of Mental Health Providers per 10,000 Residents, and almost 1.5 times as many Primary Care Physicians per 10,000 Residents.

Tampa Bay continues to perform very well in Air Quality (3rd place) and has a lower crime rate than most comparison communities. It should be noted that the Regional Competitiveness Report has had to update the crime statistics indicator and analysis based on available data. The 2023 Report utilizes a crime index, where values are relative to the U.S. average (which is set at 100). Tampa Bay scores 90 on the Total Crime Index, meaning it has a better than average rate. Anything over 100 would be above average crime.

Crime Indicators in the 2023 Regional Competitiveness Report utilize data from a new source (an index) and should not be compared to previous issues, which measured crime per 100k residents.

The new Total Crime indicator is composed of both personal crime and property crime. The Violent Crime indicator is composed only of personal crime.

THIS CHART PRESENTS THE QUINTILE (five equal groups) rankings of each indicator for each comparison community in an “at a glance” fashion. While readers are discouraged from using this tool to assume an overall score, deeper shades indicate the community holds a more competitive position relative to the comparison markets.

Tampa Bay is competitive in Economic Vitality indicators such as business start rates, home sales price growth, and advanced industry GRP growth rate. This shows that we are developing and attracting important business sectors that correlate with better pay and increased innovation. From a housing perspective, while increases were once a positive indicator; the rapid acceleration of home prices has caused a ordability concerns.

This year, we also see strengths in the Outcomes section, with competitive net migration and unemployment rates. Population growth has likely contributed to gross regional product increases.

As with previous years, opportunities for growth and improvement are clustered in the Talent and Civic Quality indicators. While many Tampa Bay values improved from last year, other communities have advanced as well.

We continue to trail the competitive set in educational attainment and workforce participation rates. And while the university-led innovation indicators show relative strength compared to the private industry measures, innovation in Tampa Bay has room to improve.

In terms of Infrastructure, Tampa Bay finds itself in the lower area of the ranking tables in most indicators, with improvements needed in public transportation options, ridership, and safety for cyclists and pedestrians. Airline passengers and walkability hit mid-tier.

In sum, this suggests that Tampa Bay continues to attract new residents, but e orts must continue to assess the relationship between driver and outcome indicators to propel improvements to the quality of life for residents and economic growth for the region.

As with earlier issues of the Regional Competitiveness Report, we look forward to helping convene and activate around this data. Collaborative strategies will create a more competitive and prosperous Tampa Bay, and we all have a role to play.

16-24 Year Olds Neither Employed norin School

Production per 10,000 Residents Degree Production per 10,000 Residents

Degree Production per 10,000 Residents

School Graduation Rate

School Graduation Rate Economically Disadvantaged

& 4-Year Olds Enrolled in School Educational Attainment Rate: AA/AS+ Educational Attainment Rate: BA/BS+ Educational Attainment Rate: Graduate/Professional

Year Old Educational Attainment Rate: BA/BS+ Labor Force Participation Rate: Age 25-64 Cultural/Recreational Establishments per 10,000 Residents Mental Health Providers per 10,000 Residents ordability: Costsas Percentageof Income per 10,000 Residents

Crime Index

Crime Rate Index Share of Children in Foster Care Unemployment Rate NetMigrationPopulationAge 25-34 In-Migration Rate Gross Regional Product (GRP) Growth Rate Per Capita Gross Regional Product (GRP) Financial Instability Rate: ALICE+Poverty Poverty Rate Youth Poverty Rate Full-Time Worker Poverty Rate