Happy Holidays From the BMC: Regional Facts & Figures
(DECEMBER 23, 1997 - Baltimore) -- If you're looking for new material for your end-of-year stories, consider using these facts about the Baltimore region in the 1990s.
On an average day in the 1990s, the Baltimore region added 52 people to its population.
- Natural increase, i.e. the difference between births and deaths, accounted for a daily gain of 39 people.
- Net migration, or the movement of people into and out of the region, accounted for the other 13 people.
The region was also adding new households at the rate of 30 per day, distributed as follows:
- Baltimore County gained 11 households per day
- Anne Arundel County gained 7.5 households per day
- Howard County gained 7 households per day
- Harford County gained 6 households per day
- Carroll County gained 3 households per day
- Baltimore City lost an average of 4.5 households per day
The region was adding new housing units at an even faster rate than the gain in households. On an average working day, construction permits were taken out for 49 new dwelling units, 40 of them for single family homes and 9 for apartments or other multi-family units.
- Baltimore County added 14.5 units per work day
- Anne Arundel County added 13 units per work day
- Harford County added almost 8 units per work day
- Howard County added about 7.5 units per work day
- Carroll County added more than 4.5 units per work day
- Baltimore City added an average of 4 new units every 3 working days
The school age population mushroomed in the 1990s, with a gain of 83,000 students in K-12 schools, both public and private, over the last six years.
- If we were to allow for an average of 1,000 pupils per school (elementary schools might be smaller, high schools usually larger), the region gained the equivalent of one new school every 18 working days.
Since the end of the 1990-92 recession, the region has been adding new jobs at the rate of almost 59 each working day.
- Baltimore County gained 29 jobs per work day
- Anne Arundel County gained 20 jobs per work day
- Howard County gained 17 jobs per work day
- Carroll County gained 6 jobs per work day
- Harford County gained 6 jobs per work day
- Baltimore City lost about 21 jobs per work day (NB: Job loss in Baltimore City leveled off in 1996.)
After peaking at 7.6 percent in 1992, the regional unemployment rate has declined steadily, reaching 5.4 percent at the end of 1996.
The Baltimore region generated more than $21.3 billion in retail sales in 1995. We spent $5.14 billion at automobile dealers.
Greater Baltimore households spent an average of $63.31 per day on items ranging from groceries and gasoline to shoes and stereo systems. Some of the largest amounts in average daily spending were:
Greater Baltimore households spent an average of $63.31 per day on items ranging from groceries and gasoline to shoes and stereo systems. Some of the largest amounts in average daily spending were:
- $11.97 per day at food stores, or an average weekly grocery bill of $84 per household
- $7.45 per day at general merchandise stores
- $6.38 per day at restaurants and other eating and drinking establishments
The above facts and figures were developed from the 1998 edition of Regional Economic Indicators, which is published periodically by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council. While these specific statistics are not found in the publication, they serve as examples of the kinds of information that can be extrapolated.
More than 80 percent of workers in the region drive to work alone.
More than half the region's workers live and work in the same jurisdiction.
Baltimore County is a major destination for commuters.
- More than one-fourth of Baltimore City work trips are destined for Baltimore County.
- More than one-fifth of work trips originating in Carroll and Harford Counties are bound for Baltimore County.
These facts are taken from Baltimore Regional Household Travel Survey: Findings, a publication of BMC's Transportation Division.
Regional Economic Indicators, Baltimore Regional Household Travel Survey: Findings and other BMC publications are available for purchase through the Regional Information Center. Check out BMC's website to discover other resources to help you with your stories.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 17 December 2008 10:23