Something interesting is happening in Warren County that connects directly to the strategy we’ve been building at EDC.
At our Annual Luncheon last week, the theme was Talent. Innovation. Place. Building Communities Where Talent Thrives.
The discussion centered on an idea that is becoming increasingly important to economic development: people don’t always move somewhere because a company recruited them. Increasingly, talented and entrepreneurial people choose a place first, then bring or create economic activity there.
We’re seeing examples of that here.
A number of younger people who have recently chosen to make this region home didn’t come because a traditional employer recruited them. They came here and established businesses themselves.
The numbers give us reason to look more closely.
Warren County had 5,459 nonemployer businesses in 2023, compared with 2,164 traditional employer establishments. Its average commute is only 21.5 minutes, compared with 25.5 minutes in Saratoga County and 26.9 in Washington County.
And about 9.4% of Warren County workers primarily work from home, compared with 8.0% in Washington County. Saratoga, at 17.3%, shows just how significant this location-flexible workforce can become.
That raises a bigger question:
What if attracting the person increasingly comes before attracting the economic activity?
It’s also why EDC’s strategy connects the Experiential, Community Services and Productive Economies.
People experience this region. Some decide they want to live here. Housing, childcare, broadband, downtowns and quality of place help make that possible. Entrepreneurship and connectivity can then allow them to build something here.
The traditional model was:
Attract a company – create jobs – attract workers.
The emerging model may increasingly include:
Create a place people choose – connect and support them – let them bring or create economic activity.
We’re beginning to dig deeper into the data to see how much of this is actually happening in Warren County.
Maybe economic development isn’t only about bringing jobs to people.
Maybe it’s increasingly about creating a place where people want to come and build what’s next.