NEW: Portland Gets Back Jobs Lost to Recession

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Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Joanna Evoniuk, GoLocalPDX Contributor

The Portland-metro area has gained back jobs lost during the recession, but median household incomes are still below pre-recession levels, according to a study released by the Portland Business Alliance. 

Over 84,000 jobs were added in the Portland-metro between 2010 and August 2014, a job growth above the national average, according to the study. Productivity also grew in the area, ranking Portland-metro third in the nation for Gross Metropolitan Product (GMP) growth between 2009 and 2014. 

“This report shows that jobs are back, and that is great news,” Sandra McDonough, president and CEO of the Portland Business Alliance, said in a media statement. “However, lagging wages continue to impact families. We need to make sure we keep a focus on growing and retaining quality jobs that can support families, especially those critically important middle-income jobs.”

Median household incomes were $4,408 below pre-recession levels, according to the report.

The per capita income was 4.6 percent below metro averages and earners in the top 30 percent were up to 14 percent under national averages. However, earners in the bottom 20 percent made 10 to 30 percent above national averages. 

The report is part of a series of studies by the Business Alliance studying how the Portland-metro area compares economically with the rest of the country. 

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