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Economic Development Council Quarterly Report 
First Quarter, 2008 Cost Of Living 
Among the 311 urban areas that have participated in the first quarter of 2008 ACCRA Cost of Living Index, the after-tax cost for a professional/managerial standard of living ranged from more than twice the national average in New York (Manhattan) NY to almost 20 percent below the national average in Joplin, MO.   The ACCRA Cost of Living Index is published quarterly by C2ER - The Council for Community and Economic Research.
The Ten Most and Least Expensive Urban Areas in the ACCRA Cost of Living Index (COLI)
  First Quarter 2008
National Average for 311 Urban Areas = 100        Bradenton Area = 100
 
Most Expensive Least Expensive
           
Ranking Urban Areas COLI Index Ranking Urban Areas COLI
Index
1     New York (Manhattan), NY 218.8 1    Joplin, MO 82.2
2     San Francisco, CA 173.6 2    Pryor Creek, OK 83.2
3     Honolulu, HI 165.3 3    Palestine-Anderson County, TX 83.5
4     New York (Queens), NY 155.7 4    Douglas, GA 83.5
5     San Jose, CA 154.3 5    Harlingen, TX 83.5
6     Orange County, CA 153.7 6    Lubbock, TX 85.9
7     Stamford, CT 153.5 7    Dyersburg, TN 86.0
8     Nassau County, NY 152.7 8    Brownsville, TX 86.0
9     Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA 150.3 9    Morristow, TN 86.1
10     Oakland, CA 150.1 10    Mason City, IA 86.2
The ACCRA Cost of Living Index measures regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services, excluding taxes and non-consumer expenditures, for professional and managerial households in the top income quintile.  It is based on more than 50,000 prices covering almost 60 different items for which prices are collected quarterly by chambers of commerce, economic development organizations or university applied economic centers in each participating urban area.  Small differences should not be interpreted as a showing a measurable difference.  The composite index is based on six components – housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, health care and miscellaneous goods and services.
Each quarter, C2ER collects more than 50,000 prices from communities across the US for the COLI.  This quarter C2ER features the communities with the most and least expensive groceries as measured by the grocery number.  C2ER collects data on 26 separate items to represent the grocery component of the index.
The Five Most and Least expensive Places for Groceries by Index Number
in the ACCRA Cost of Living Index (COLI)  First Quarter 2008
Average for 311 Urban Areas = 100
Most Expensive                             Least Expensive  
 
Ranking Urban Areas Index Ranking Urban Areas Index
1    Honolulu, HI 164.0 1    San Marcos, TX 80.0
2    Kodiak, AK 148.5 2    Victoria, TX 80.2
3    Anchorage, AK 142.7 3    Waco, TX 80.4
4    New York (Queens), NY 141.1 4    Dyersburg, TN 80.5
5    New York (Manhattan), NY 141.0 5    Corpus Christi, TX 80.6
The average ACCRA cost of living index for the Bradenton area for the first quarter 2008 was 100 which is equal to the national average.  In a comparison of ten national markets, Newark/Elizabeth, NJ was highest with an index of 129.0.   The index for housing in the Bradenton area (103.3) is higher than the national average of 100.  Please note that this information is not based on the average price of a house in Manatee County.  The Index measures the differences in a specific house that has four bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2,400 square feet, on an 8,000 square foot lot and is new construction. (Figure A)
Figure A
The following chart indicates prices in various markets around the state of Florida for the first quarter in 2008 (Figure B).  In a comparison of ten regions in Florida, the Bradenton area ranked sixth in the composite index.  The highest of the ten regions was Fort Lauderdale, with an index of 123.9 and the lowest, St. Pete/Clearwater with an index of 95.1.
Figure B
Figure B
Note:  Figure B indicates prices in sample categories.  The entire cost of living survey prices items in almost 60 different categories.
Employment & Business Activity
Business Activity:  Taxable sales and sales tax collected in Manatee County both showed a decrease of 6.2% and 6.78% respectively over the same period in 2007. (Figure C)  
Figure C                                           
The category of tourism showed an increase over the same period in 2007.  However, the categories of non-consumer durables, consumer durables and auto-related all showed a decrease over the same period in 2007 (Figure D).  All categories showed a lower % change than for the state of FL over the same time period.
Figure D
Labor:   Manatee County’s average monthly unemployment rate for the 1st quarter of 2008 was 4.9%.  This is lower than the same period in 2007.  Manatee’s unemployment rate is slightly higher than the United States at 4.6%.  There was a decrease in the labor force of 5,091 or 3.3% over the same period in the previous year.  Employment decreased by 7,681 or 5.1 % over the same period in 2007.(Figure F).   
Figure F
The six-month unemployment trend in 2007-2008 for Manatee County has shown an increase in the unemployment rate over the same period in 2006-2007 for the months of October through March. (Figure G)
Figure G
MANATEE COUNTY SIX MONTH UNEMPLOYMENT TREND COMPARISON
Source:  Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation, Labor Market Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL * MANATEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
P.O. BOX 321 * 222 10th Street West * Bradenton, FL 34206-0321 * Phone: +1 (1-941) 748-3411 * E-mail: Info@manateeEDC.com