Employment, Income & Poverty

A.   OVERALL EMPLOYMENT TRENDS

The following discussion of employment trends in Mono County is excerpted from Eastern Sierra Region Projection Highlights (Alpine, Inyo, and Mono Counties) prepared by the California Employment Development Department (www.labormarkerinfo.edd.ca.gov).

Industry

Total employment, including Self-Employment, Unpaid Family Workers, Farm Employment and Nonfarm Wage and Salary Employment in the Eastern Sierra Region is expected to grow about 1.6% annually between 2004 and 2014. Employment is anticipated to increase by almost 2,800 total jobs to about 20,200 jobs in 2014. The projected growth rate for this three-County area is equal to the growth rate of California, which is about 1.6% annually.

Nonfarm Wage and Salary Employment, which accounts for 91% of total employment, is expected to grow 1.7% annually for the next ten years in the Eastern Sierra Region. Six out of ten new jobs are forecasted to occur in Government (800), Leisure and Hospitality (440), and Retail Trade (380).

Occupations

Occupational projections for the period 2004 to 2014 forecast:

• 2,740 new jobs from industry growth,
• 4,620 jobs openings from Net Replacements,
• A combined total of 7,360 job openings.

The top 50 occupations with the most job openings will generate 65% of all job openings in the Eastern Sierra Region during the 2004-2014 projections period, accounting for almost 4,800 total job openings. Of the top 50 occupations with the most job openings, 41 require work experience or on-the-job training. Food preparation and Office and Administrative Support account for 18 of the 50 occupations with the most job openings.

The 32 fastest growing occupations are all expected to grow at an annual rate of 1.6% or more. Of the 32 fastest growing jobs, 27 require work experience or on-the-job training. There are seven occupations in Construction scattered throughout the top 32 fastest growing occupations.

B.  EMPLOYMENT TRENDS UNINCORPORATED AREA

The Available ACS data for employment has a high margin of error (total estimated workforce is larger than the total unincorporated population), and while included in the following tables, data from the 2000 census or other sources was left in place as it is assumed to be of much higher accuracy.

Employment data for March, 2009 from the Employment Development Department and the 2011 ACS in parenthesis where applicable, show the following current employment by industry (not seasonally adjusted):

C.  MAJOR EMPLOYERS IN MONO COUNTY

The following list of major employers in Mono County was developed using the 2009 America's Labor Market Information System Employer Database (California Employment Development Department, www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov). Many of these employers are located in Mammoth Lakes, a significant commute from many areas of the county.

Source: U.S. Census 1990, SF3:P077; U.S. Census 2000, SF3:P49

D.  INCOME

The overall median household income in the unincorporated area based on the ACS 2008-2012 data was $61,868, up from $45,325 in 2000. The median household income varied significantly, however, throughout the county with the communities near Mammoth Lakes generally having higher overall income levels. The median household income based upon HCD income limits for Mono County in 2012 was $79,600.

Source ACS, 2007-2012

E.  POVERTY

The total number of persons with income below poverty level in the unincorporated area decreased from 563 in 1989 to 438 in 1999. During the same time period, the number of persons with income below poverty level decreased for all age groups, except 18-64 years old, which increased from 282 to 292 persons, and in all planning areas except June Lake, which increased from 30 to 39 persons and Long Valley/Wheeler Crest, which increased from 19 to 38 persons. ACS poverty data for Mono County has not yet been released from the 2008-2012 ACS data set.

Source: US Census 1990, 2000