In an Associated Press story last week that documented the release of U.S. Census numbers for Pennsylvania and its cities and counties, Chris Briem, a regional economist at the University of Pittsburgh, was cautious not to get too down on Pittsburgh’s 8.6 percent population decrease since 2000.
Most of Western Pennsylvania, in fact, lost population, while the majority of Eastern PA, including Philadelphia (which reversed a 50-plus year trend of decline) gained population. Briem, however, insisted that the new numbers may not reflect recent improvements. On Tuesday, Pittsburgh got another close look at itself, and this one was decidedly more promising.
New jobs increased by 64 percent since 2009 and manufacturing activity has increased by 50 percent according to data released Tuesday by the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance Partnership, a coalition of more than 50 private and public sector economic development professionals in Southwestern PA.
That data counts 272 region economic development deals, or “wins,” in 2010, a 46 percent increase from the previous year and comprising investment and development projects totaling at least $1.5 billion in capital investment and 11,442 new jobs.
Energy was a major part of those wins, accounting for 77, or nearly twice as many in 2009. That total includes 32 companies involved in coal and natural gas extraction.
While the Census figures imply more people are still leaving the Greater Pittsburgh region, Site Selection magazine’s annual list of Top 10 Metros included Pittsburgh for the third consectuive year
“Our region’s five key industry sectors are balanced and offer a stability that is gaining investors’ confidence,” says Dennis Yablonsky, CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, in a news release. “Companies with existing presences in the region have been reinvesting in their operations, even during tough economic conditions.”
Other leading sectors included financial and business services (51 percent increase in wins), information and communications technology (up 68 percent), and healthcare/life sciences (up more than 50 percent).
Joe Petrucci is managing editor of Keystone Edge. Send feedback here.
Graphic provided by Allegheny Conference
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