RERI News

Regional Economic Indicators: April 2025 Report

April 07, 2025 / RERI Research Team

The RERI has published Regional Economic Indicators for April 2025. The monthly publication represents a collection and analysis of economic indicators including airport passenger activity, taxable sales, tourist tax revenues, labor force, employment, real estate, and consumer sentiment for the Southwest Florida workforce region.

Issue Brief: Southwest Florida Migration Demographics

April 03, 2025 / RERI Research Team

Southwest Florida has long been a desirable place to live due to its warm climate, coastal lifestyle, and economic opportunities. The region has experienced recent population shifts, driven by both retirees seeking a comfortable place to settle and working-age individuals moving away in search of employment and affordable living. We can observe notable differences in the demographics of those moving into the region, compared to those moving out of the region. These differences can be categorized by movement of residents from various states, age groups, income levels, residential status, and educational backgrounds. These migration trends are relevant because of their implications on our local economy, labor force, and housing demand.

Industry Diversification Project: First Quarter 2025 Report

March 26, 2025 / RERI Research Team / Tag: Industry Diversification Project

The RERI has published the Industry Diversification Report for the first quarter of 2025. The goal of the IDI is to measure industry diversification and, by extension, that of the workforce, in each of Florida’s 24 workforce regions, the state of Florida, and the remaining 49 states. The index measure is computed quarterly, soon after the release of workforce data from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. It spans from 0 to 10, with 0 signifying no diversification (or an economy characterized by a single industry), and 10 signifying perfect diversification (no concentration).

Regional Economic Indicators: March 2025 Report

March 03, 2025 / RERI Research Team

The RERI has published Regional Economic Indicators for March 2025. The monthly publication represents a collection and analysis of economic indicators including airport passenger activity, taxable sales, tourist tax revenues, labor force, employment, real estate, and consumer sentiment for the Southwest Florida workforce region.

Issue Brief: Holiday Shopping Trends in Southwest Florida

February 28, 2025 / RERI Research Team

The holiday shopping season is a critical period for retailers and local economies, often serving as a barometer for overall economic health and consumer confidence. Regions like Southwest Florida can be more prone to the effect of this season, as the area caters to snowbirds and other seasonal residents from across the world. Understanding the trends and patterns of previous years becomes valuable for businesses, policymakers, and consumers alike.

SWFL Real Estate: First Quarter 2025 Report

February 27, 2025 / RERI Research Team

The residential market in Southwest Florida continued to experience notable shifts during Q4 2024, reflecting ongoing adjustments in the post-pandemic and post-hurricane housing landscape, as evidenced by the latest data available. Single-family home sales in the region have come down over the past quarters and remain below their 2022 apex, with declines primarily concentrated in Collier and Lee counties. Single-family and condominium real median prices in the region also continued to fall, with declines observed across all Southwest Florida counties. The percentage of total housing units that were actively listed rose year-over-year in all counties.

Southwest Florida Employer Skills Gap Report 2024

February 03, 2025 / RERI Research Team

In September 2022, FGCU in partnership with FutureMakers Coalition at Collaboratory received $23 million from the U.S Department of Commerce's Good Jobs Challenge grant. This funding led to the creation of The Southwest Florida Equitable Jobs Pipeline (EJP), a regional initiative that aims to train local job seekers in employer-demanded skills and ultimately place these job seekers into gainful jobs in the region within four key sectors: Healthcare, PK-12 Education, Manufacturing and Logistics. 

Regional Economic Indicators: February 2025 Report

February 03, 2025 / RERI Research Team

The RERI has published Regional Economic Indicators for February 2025. The monthly publication represents a collection and analysis of economic indicators including airport passenger activity, taxable sales, tourist tax revenues, labor force, employment, real estate, and consumer sentiment for the Southwest Florida workforce region.