New Jersey Pinelands Commission: Long-Term Economic Monitoring Program 2007 Annual Report

This report provides results of an ongoing economic monitoring program that tracks economic conditions in the Pinelands region. This report presents demographic data and describes key trends in the areas of population, real estate, economic growth, and municipal finance. Several core variables are continually monitored in each of these areas every year. A smaller number of supplemental variables are also examined but change from year to year. The basic unit of analysis is determined by the data. Municipal level data is available in most cases and county level data is utilized when municipal data is not available. The general analytical approach involves comparing economic trends (from 1980 onward) of the Pinelands municipalities to other regions outside of the Pinelands (i.e., Non-Pinelands, Southern New Jersey, and the State). In addition to ongoing data collection and analysis, special studies represent the second major component of the economic monitoring program. Monitoring in the municipal finance category indicates a continuation of previous trends. Because the overall trends tracked by the Long-Term Economic Monitoring Program can mask the conditions of individual municipalities, the program's second special study focuses on characterizing and identifying municipalities that are experiencing poor health.Purpose: To provide the annual report of the Long-Term Economic Monitoring Program of New Jersey Pinelands Commission