Extracted from: THE 2008 COLORADO COLLEGE STATE OF THE ROCKIES REPORT CARD
EMPLOYMENT TRENDS:
• Total growth in the employment sector of the Rockies, 1990-2000: 36% vs. 12% nationally.
• Almost 65% of jobs established in the Rockies, 1990-2000 were based upon regional competitive advantages.
• The Rockies holds a competitive advantage for almost all occupational categories reviewed except healthcare support.
• Rockies construction and extraction jobs had the strongest competitive advantage; computer and mathematical occupations came in second.
• Las Vegas, NV had the highest competitive advantage of any metropolitan Rockies' area.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING:
• Santa Fe, NM: only 20% of homes are considered affordable for a median income household.
• A Colorado minimum wage worker needs to labor a minimum of 3 jobs to pay for an average apartment.
• About 158,000 workers in the Rockies work at or below minimum wage.
• The Rockies states get fewer federal housing dollars than any other US region.
• Energy-efficient affordable housing often stabilizes communities and diminishes pressure on other public services.
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