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Community Information and Demographics
Strategically located on Florida?s Gulf Coast, is St. Petersburg, the State?s fourth largest city. It is also the gateway to Florida?s High Tech Corridor and the hub of one of the most progressive regions for business in the United States. Founded in 1888 and incorporated in 1892, the ?Sunshine City? has a long tradition of thoughtful planning, outstanding infrastructure, rich cultural amenities and cooperative government. This tradition is what makes business owners flock here and residents beam with pride. St. Petersburg, roughly 58 square miles and surrounded by sparkling blue water on three sides, has 244 miles of exquisite shoreline. With an average temperature of 73.7† and 361 days of sunshine a year, thereís no question about why this is the ìSunshine Cityî. This sub-tropical paradise is also home to a diverse and resilient industry base and strong, supportive job market.
St. Petersburg
Source: 2004 Claritas
St. Petersburgís major industries, marine science, manufacturing, financial services, information technology, and medical technology have all found the City an inviting and invigorating business address. The vibrant Tampa Bay area is home to over 2.3 million people, making it the largest metropolitan area in Florida and the 13th largest in the United States. The regionís gross metropolitan product, almost $80 billion, has grown by 97.1% since 1990 making it the 25th largest economy in the United States. All this activity makes St. Petersburg part of the second largest and wealthiest market in the Southeast, a favorite of commerce and of those in pursuit of the highest possible quality of life. Poised to become the nationís next major market, the Tampa Bay area was ranked the #1 Best Place for Business and Careers in Florida by Forbes magazine and the Milken Institute (#17 in the United States), the #1 Mega-Market of the Year by Southern Business and Development Magazine and the #19 Hottest City for Manufacturing Expansion and Relocation by Expansion Management Magazine.
The Cityís superb transportation, telecommunication and utility infrastructure allows business to be conducted efficiently and quickly. In fact, nearly half of all U.S. freight destinations are within a dayís drive of St. Petersburg. The City is within minutes of three international airports, two deepwater ports (that together handle almost half of all seaborne commerce in the state), rail lines, an extensive network of easily accessible interstates, expressways and major highways and has its own Free Trade Zone (FTZ#193).
St. Petersburg Business Stats
Source: US Census Bureau: US Census 2000; DP-3
St. Petersburg is one of the easiest and most inexpensive places to conduct your business and a place where you can take advantage of the hottest labor market in the U.S. The Cityís greatest attribute is without a doubt, its workforce With over 1.2 million people, the regionís workforce pool is highly productive. St. Petersburg is part of the #1 metro area in the U.S. for job growth, with a job growth rate two times the national average and was named #1 market in the Southeast for job announcements by Southern Business & Development magazine. In addition to this, the County has the highest workforce to population ratio in the region (51.32%) and Florida is a right-to-work state by constitutional provision.
There is a wealth of educational opportunities in the Tampa Bay area. There are currently over 110,000 people enrolled in higher education facilities ranging from on-site vocational training centers of the Pinellas County Technology Education Center to the University of South Florida, a level one research university. This students population provides the area with a highly trained workforce that can accommodate a wide range of employer needs. The students also can provide a flexible supply of part-time labor. There are two worker training programs that are available for qualified companies. Click on the links to learn more about them: Quick Response Training Program & Incumbent Worker Training Program .
Workforce Stats
Compiled by the City of St. Petersburg Economic Development Department
MSA Mean Annual Wage For Selected Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: 2000
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Return to the City of St. Petersburg home page City of St. Petersburg Economic Development Department P.O. Box 2842 St. Petersburg, FL 33731-2842 800.874.9026 727.893.7100 |
