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THE COUNTY ECONOMY
PLANNING ISSUE
New commercial buildings,
homes, day care centers, and
transportation improvements
will be needed to support the
more than 63,000 jobs
forecasted to be added to
Montgomery County over the
next 30 years.
Jobs of County Residents
Jobs in the County
County Businesses
Downtown and Main Street Areas
Office, Industrial, and
Brownfield Areas
Retail Commercial Areas
Tourism
Agriculture and Farm
Preservation
Employment Forecasts and
Economic Trends
Employment Forecasts and Economic Trends
Employment is projected to rebound from the cuts seen
over the last several years. However, some areas of the
county are better situated than others to have stronger
employment gains. Countywide, 63,243 jobs are projected
to be added to the county by 2040. Fast growing
employment areas, such as those along Route 422
(Douglass Township, 44.9% gain and Limerick Township,
30.1% gain) and areas of the county with a strong industrial
base, such as Franconia Township (35.1% gain by 2040),
are projected to have the biggest percent gains.
Numerically, Upper Merion and Horsham Townships are
projected to have the biggest employment gains by 2040
(5,051 and 6,451 jobs, respectively).
To better plan for workforce training and support programs,
the county’s Workforce Investment Board has studied the
industries which will grow or decline in the future. In the
short term, business services and healthcare are two areas
expected to grow. However, due to the expiration of
patents and industry consolidation, it is expected the
pharmaceutical industry will stagnate. Over the long term,
it is expected that the manufacturing industry will begin to
see slight increases. The healthcare industry is expected to
grow in the long term as well due to the nation’s healthcare
reform regulations which will boost demand, increase
healthcare investment and in turn increase hiring in the
healthcare industry.
In the near term, the county will likely see shifts in how
people work and how businesses and workforces are
organized. Technology is constantly changing the way
(and where) people work, exchange information, and sell
products. Individuals will delay retirement and remain in
the workforce, creating an increasingly older consumer
market. At the same time, delayed retirement and cuts in
jobs means that the number of jobs available in the short
term is low. Over the long term, however, retiring baby
boomers will provide new employment opportunities.
Opportunities in the health care field and in the arts are expected to
increase in the future.
TOTALS
2010 Employment
542,264
2015 Employment Forecast
548,136
2020 Employment Forecast
558,371
2025 Employment Forecast
575,496
2030 Employment Forecast
592,621
2035 Employment Forecast
601,597
2040 Employment Forecast
605,507
Change in Forecasted Employment, 2010-2040
63,243
Percent Change in Forecasted Employment, 2010-
2040
11.7%
FIGURE 109:
Montgomery County Employment Forecasts
Source: DVRPC
