Gather 'round the Grape

Napa Valley takes care of business! After enduring a downturn in the economy in the early 1980s, leaders in the business community, government, the Napa real estate industry, and financial sector came together to create strategies and opportunities that brought strength and sustainability to Napa County.

Statistical Success
Over the past 20 years the organization today known as the Napa Valley Economic Development Corporation (NVEDC) built a powerful collaboration that’s proven itself in the marketplace. According to a 2008 study by the Center for Economic Development at U.C. Chico, unemployment is lower than the state’s average and income for Napa Valley home owners and residents also rose faster than other comparable counties.

The extensive study credited Napa Valley’s “strong manufacturing and tourism economy” as a factor in the favorable report. In addition, researchers said that economic support was coming from the Bay Area as companies look toward the Napa Valley to relocate or expand their businesses. The rural feel of Napa County and its real estate options are attractive to employees looking to raise families in a more serene environment than the City offers.

Napa County Retains its Rural Appeal
According to the study, the influence of the Bay Area, with its traffic congestion and housing density has a significant spill-over effect in most locations within an hour’s drive. Not so with Napa County where the urban lifestyle is left far behind and open space, small communities and peace are prized commodities. Napa Valley home owners, only 60 minutes away from San Francisco, remain unfazed by the influence of its big city neighbor.

Grape growers and wine producers are the engine of Napa Valley’s economy. Now fine tuned and humming along, winemaking drives thousands of jobs in manufacturing and hospitality, Napa real estate, finance and education. The Napa Valley Vintners association points out that only 4 percent of wine produced in California comes from the Napa Valley. But, the region accounts for 27 percent of total wine sales in the state and, according to a 2005 analysis, brought $9.5 billion to Napa County.
Sustained Economic Health
The overall impact of economic health has touched each of Napa’s communities, making Napa home owners increasingly comfortable about their investment in Napa real estate. Unemployment has steadily decreased over the years, putting less pressure on social services and freeing up the county’s budget for other priorities. The Center for Economic Development predicted the trend toward increased employment opportunities and higher incomes will continue.

This economic stability and slow growth is exactly what the Napa Valley Economic Development Corporation wanted. Its mission has been to create an economic climate that supports and sustains balanced land use policies and preserves the agricultural nature of the county. Toward this goal, the NVEDC and the business and government entities that work collaborative with the group, has been tracking data and demographics over decades. This stewardship provides a foundation for Napa Valley home owners, residents and businesses to remain productive and confident about the future.

Napa Valley beyond Boundaries
Napa’s business community has experienced the power of collaboration. They reap the rewards of cooperation and cross-promotion. This one-for-all approach proves itself statistically for the Napa Valley. In 2006, an impressive 96 percent of Napa County’s available labor force was employed, a 12 percent increase from the previous year.

The NVEDC supports public-private partnerships that build a strong Napa Valley economy. When economic sectors can work across boundaries, it is easier to reach consensus that serves shared goals. In this way, Napa County has been able to retain and enliven its rural character while allowing limited industrial growth and expansion of the business sector. Families owning homes in the Napa Valley and participating in the plan to preserve the natural beauty of the county may anticipate continued economic stability amid a peaceful environment.