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Software Is Eating The Information Sector Too
Software is part of the larger information sector, and it has been eating that sector as well.
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Thinking Tight and Loose
If you think of we live in a pretty laid back place, there is some interesting social science that backs up that observation. Washington is the third loosest state in the country, exceeded in looseness only by Oregon and California.
Software is Eating Washington’s Economy
We have little reason to believe that software will not continue to expand its domination of the economies of the state and Seattle area. The feast will continue.
West Coast Container Traffic
For decades, Puget Sound dominated West Coast shipping and the ports, and the ancillary activities of shipbuilding, dominated Seattle’s economy.
Will They Keep Showing Up?
We need to recognize that strong patterns of in-migration to Washington and the Seattle area have been the norm for 169 years. People come here for some combination of opportunity and lifestyle. The pertinent question is, what would make people stop coming here?
Movin’ To Washington
People with college educations make up a larger share of movers than in the total population. Nationally, about 32 percent of the population has a bachelor’s degree or higher, but nearly 70 percent of the people moving to King County have a college degree.
Movin’ On
The decline in interstate household mobility starting in 2007 had logical reasons, but as those reasons gradually went away, mobility did not recover. Americans just seem stuck.
Babies Part II: The Future of Seattle
The Census Bureau expects annual births to increase only slightly in the U.S. over the next 20 years. In contrast, OFM expects births in the state to increase by over 20 percent between now and 2040.
short takes
Recessions and Employment: Not So Simple
When economies start to grow again, those who lost their jobs get back to work, right? It’s not that simple.
The E-Commerce Bump
Internet commerce has been making steady inroads into retail trade, but got a major bump during the pandemic lockdown.
The Military Economy Of Washington
Washington State is home to a number of large military installations that employ tens of thousands of uniformed and civilian personnel, making it one of the largest concentrations of military activity in the country
The Tortoise Or The Hare?
Readers of two national daily newspapers would be forgiven for a little confusion on September 4, the day the Labor Department released its August jobs and unemployment estimates.
Employment Recovery Around the State
Many of the mid-sized and smaller cities that have, in the past, suffered from higher unemployment and a slower recovery than the Seattle area are seeing jobs recover faster.
Public Transit: Shrink-to-Fit
A combination of fewer commutes and fear of proximity to strangers has made transit one of the toughest problems to solve in the wake of the pandemic.
Personal Income Creeping Up
Overall, spending on durable goods is up 12 percent over February, and spending on non-durable goods is up 3 percent, while spending on services remains down 9 percent.
Is Housing Leading The Way?
The biggest hurdle the housing industry faced was the availability of labor. We now have the opportunity to reskill workers whose jobs won’t be returning.
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Babies! And The Future of Humanity
Not long ago, The Population Bomb predicted an imminent Malthusian catastrophe: soaring population would outstrip our ability to feed the world. Didn’t happen. In fact, we may now be facing the opposite problem: not enough younger people to look after the older people.
Carbon Footprints: Who’s Got the Big Feet?
Here in the Seattle area we like to think of ourselves as eco-conscious. Just how true is that? What is the carbon footprint of Seattle, and how does it compare to other places that we might think of as less enlightened?
Apartment Rents Dropping in Seattle
Median rents are falling for apartments inside the city of Seattle. And it’s not a new phenomenon growing out of fears of dense places and riding in elevators. The trend was underway before the pandemic hit, and shows up in other high priced markets.