From: James McCoy, President & CEO, Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce
Quality of life is a key determinant in the economic prosperity of a community. How “quality of life” is defined, however, can vary. Our community has been named to several “lists” recently, including wealthiest. Those monikers are not necessarily indicators of a strong economy and a forward-moving community that has benefits for all its residents. I am pleased to share with you Forsyth County’s most recent distinction, No. 2 on Forbes’ BEST PLACES TO GET AHEAD!
This is an important milestone for Forsyth County because the two determinants are increases in the affluence and also job growth. In other words, our community is experiencing a rising tide not just for the wealthy who use Forsyth County as a bedroom but also for those who want to live, work and play right here in our own backyards.
This distinction was determined by compiling income and job data from the U.S. Census and Department of Labor Statistics.
Forbes.com looked at every county in the U.S., starting with data from the year 2000, and ranked where median income was rising the most quickly. They limited the list to counties where the median income was at least $75,000 in order to highlight places where people are well-off and getting ahead, as opposed to counties that went from low income to average income. They then went back to 2000 to look at job growth data.
What they found was the places that experienced prolonged income and job booms since 2000 are often satellite economies of larger cities. Within a metropolitan area, the central city is typically the driving force of the economy. But as suburban counties develop, they often turn into secondary economic centers with their own industry and jobs which is the case of our community.
I hope you will join me in celebrating this important distinction. It further emphasizes that the direction that you have pointed our Chamber and, therefore, community in by calling for initiatives that balance the tax digest by increasing commercial and industrial job growth is the right one. And, more importantly, we are succeeding.
