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Employment Numbers
Labor force
Jan 2012 = 81,774
Jan 2013 = 82,246
Feb 2012 = 82,134
Feb 2013 = 83,440
Mar 2012 = 82,491
Mar 2013 = 83,514
Employment
Jan 2012 = 72,900
Jan 2013 = 74,822
Feb 2012 = 74,159
Feb 2013 = 75,756
Mar 2012 = 74,572
Mar 2013 = 76,500 Employment by Sector
Goods Producing
Jan 2012 = 12,000
Jan 2013 = 14,500
Feb 2012 = 13,600
Feb 2013 = 14,400
Mar 2012 = 13,900
Mar 2013 = 14,500
Service Providing
Jan 2012 = 47,200
Jan 2013 = 46,300
Feb 2012 = 45,600
Feb 2013 = 46,500
Mar 2012 = 45,800
Mar 2013 = 46,700
Business Counseling Appointments
SCORE & MI-SBTDC
Feb 2012 = 39
Feb 2013 = 48
Mar 2012 = 33
Mar 2013 = 44
Home Sales
Feb 2012 = 117
Feb 2013 = 130
Mar 2012 = 165
Mar 2013 = 172
Average Sale Price Feb 2012 = $73,129
Feb 2013 = $79,782
Mar 2012 = $73,381
Mar 2013 = $94,618 Airport Traffic
Takeoffs & Landings
Feb 2012 = 2,649
Feb 2013 = 1,534
Mar 2012 = 3,184
Mar 2013 = 2,464
Airport Cargo in lbs.
Feb 2012 = 4
Feb 2013 = 653
Mar 2012 = 3
Mar 2013 = 5,230
Commercial Passengers
Feb 2012 = 2,850
Feb 2013 = 2,784
Mar 2012 = 3,266
Mar 2013 = 3,514
MI Works! Employment Stats
Job Orders
Feb 2012 = 29
Feb 2013 = 105
Mar 2012 = 46
Mar 2013 = 97
Job Seekers
Feb 2012 = 9,169
Feb 2013 = 7,674
Mar 2012 = 10,946
Mar 2013 = 7,986
Employers seeking employees
Feb 2012 = 28
Feb 2013 = 64
Mar 2012 = 25
Mar 2013 = 19
Statistics provided by:
The Department of Energy, Labor, & Economic Growth; Local Municipalities, The Michigan Association of Realtors, the Muskegon County Airport, Muskegon Area First, the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Works! Muskegon/Oceana and the Small Business Technology & Development Center.
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Check out County's latest HOT JOBS!
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Community gathers to talk "branding"
More than 60 community members gathered to discuss Muskegon's story and whether or not the community should undergo a re-branding
process. The event took place at Watermark 920 in downtown Muskegon.
Attendees were asked to come up with a
list of attributes they like in cities they have visited around the country.
Items like the breweries of Fort Collins, the streetscapes of Chicago, the waterfront in Milwaukee, and more were all results of this collective brainstorming.
When asked why you live in Muskegon County, nearly 55% of those in attendance responded that it's because of the recreational opportunities, lakes, beaches, rivers etc. When asked what could be done to improve the community's image, more than 50% said that increasing the vibrancy of our downtowns would help. Participants were then polled to help identify whether or not Muskegon could benefit from a perceptions research study or branding initiative.
The Department of Environmental Quality has offered to contribute $12,000 to a perceptions research study that would be conducted by a third party organization. The selected company would then survey Muskegon County residents, area visitors, those who have never been to Muskegon and cities most similar to Muskegon to gather data about how the community is perceived. This data could then be used to help the county develop an inclusive brand.
The forum was organized by the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission with support from organizations including the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, Muskegon Area First, the Muskegon County Convention and Visitors Bureau and other interested parties. The purpose of the gathering was to find out if the community thinks that proceeding with a perceptions research study would be beneficial.
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Housing market looking up...
 According to first quarter housing data, the market is clearly improving and sales are on the rise.
While 2012 boasted the strongest industry numbers in four years, 2013 is looking to top these numbers if current sales trends continue.
172 homes were sold in Muskegon County last month. This is the largest number of sales for the month of March since the recession. The number of pending sales during the month of March was more than double March of 2012.
Another noticeable figure is the number of homes sold costing more than $300,000. During the month of March, eight homes in Muskegon County sold for over $300,000. This is more than any other month in the past five years!
Local Realtor, Dan Vollink said, "While unit sales for first quarter 2013 remain consistent with first quarter 2012, the most noticeable increase is the average sale price, which increased by 11%, and the median sale price which rose 29%." Vollink added that Muskegon County historically shows single digit growth in these areas and that these double digit increases are unusual.
 This spring, the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce produced their second annual Home, Garden + Remodeling Show which also showed signs of an improving market. This show, held in March at The Lakes Mall, showed an increase both in vendor participation and attendance. This year, the number of show vendors increased by 36% and the number of booths increased by 18%.
Community leadership groups have been pushing a "live where you work" message for more than two years now with a group called Realtors Promoting Muskegon (RPM). Specific marketing efforts have been targeting executive and technology workers. Click here for more information on RPM.
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Businesses invest in Muskegon!
What is historically a slow time for business expansion and grand opening celebrations has not been the case for the first quarter of 2013.
Since the beginning of the year, The Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce has assisted nearly 10 small business members in celebrating a new business opening, a second location or relocation due to expansion. These members hail from all sectors of the industry including retail, public and professional services.
Celebrations to date include a business expansion at Lakeshore Federal Credit Union, Frontier Communication's addition of a retail center, Christian Care's new nursing center and memory care unit, renovations at Lake Woods Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, the new law offices of Adam Zuwerink, O'Reilly Auto Parts on Apple Avenue, Consumer's Energy's new Norton Shores Headquarters, and others.
During the past month the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce and Muskegon Area First offices have received calls from at least a dozen other companies expanding and relocating in the area. The Muskegon manufacturing industry is also currently undergoing numerous expansions with 22 manufacturers undergoing expansions totaling more than $42 million in the past six months!
If your business is expanding or relocating in the area we want to know about it! Please send relocation and expansion news to marketreport@muskegon.org. Need help with expansion or relocation plans? Contact Muskegon Area First at 231-722-3751.
For more information on this topic, save the date for the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce's June Business for Breakfast on economic and business growth - June 21, 2013 from 7:30 - 9:30 am at the Holiday Inn Muskegon Harbor.
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