Hampton Roads work-force study: Slow growth, less poverty

Local wages are below the national average, but poverty has inched down.

More residents are receiving college degrees, but the region's population growth lags the nation's.

These were among the findings in a report, "Hampton Roads State of the Workforce: 2010," released Thursday by Opportunity Inc., a regional work force agency.

Hampton Roads has been "temporarily impaired by the recession, but it s economic foundation remains strong," said Christina Chmura, a Richmond economist who compiled the study.

Chmura, who unveiled the report at a meeting at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, said the region boasts several economic advantages, such as its large military population. But her study said local leaders should work to improve transportation, increase the size of the work force and expand connections among employers, educators and job seekers.

The report collected a trove of statistics in areas from education to employment. Among the numbers:

Poverty. The poverty rate in Hampton Roads fell slightly, from 11.6 percent in 1990 to 11.1 percent in 2008. The rates for cities varied widely, from 19.5 percent in Norfolk to 7 percent in Virginia Beach.

Demographics. The region's population is more diverse than that of the state or the nation - an asset for employers, said Chmura, president of Chmura Economics & Analytics. About 30 percent of residents are black, more than double the national average. Hampton Roads also has a lower average age - 35 - probably because of the high concentration of military personnel, she said.

Population growth. Hamp-ton Roads recorded 0.19 percent average annual growth in population from 2004 to 2008, compared with 0.94 percent for the nation and 1.04 percent for the state. "It doesn't seem to be a problem," Chmura said. "When there have been periods of growth, people have come to this region" to fill jobs.

Wages. Last year, the average annual wage locally was $39,179, compared with $47,538 in Virginia. That, Chmura said, reflects the mix of industries in the area and the relatively low average age and cost of living.

College degrees. The number of people receiving degrees from local public two- and four-year colleges grew nearly 30 percent from 1995 to 2007, to 11,650. "The real challenge there is can we keep them?" Chmura said.

Public schools. Chmura pointed to a handful of promising trends, including a decline in the student-teacher ratio and increases in the percentage of students passing Standards of Learning math tests. The dropout rate, however, has risen and, at 2.3 percent, exceeds Virginia's 1.8 percent average.

Industry. Like the nation, Hampton Roads has experienced employment growth in the services sector, in areas such as health care and business services. But Chmura said the local shipbuilding industry has been robust, thanks to defense contracts, recording average annual job growth of 1.3 percent in the past five years, compared with a national decline of 0.4 percent.

Philip Walzer, (757) 222-3864, phil.walzer@pilotonline.com