Economy: The Coast - Our Nation's Economic Engine
Fifty-eight percent of our nation's gross domestic product, or GDP, is generated in the coastal watershed counties along the oceans and Great Lakes. Given the concentration of economic production, population, and infrastructure along the coast, we must work to maintain the integrity of those natural resources that make these areas highly-desirable to visit, live, and work.
- $8.3 trillion
-
Contribution to GDP of the coastal watershed counties, over half of U.S. GDP in 2010.
- 66 million
-
Total number of jobs in the coastal watershed counties of the U.S. in 2010.
Source: BLS, 2011
- $3.4 trillion
-
Wages paid out to employees working at establishments in the coastal watershed counties in 2010.
Source: BLS, 2011
- 2
-
Global GDP rank (behind the U.S.) of the coastal watershed counties, if considered an individual country.
Source: BLS, 2011; World Bank, 2011
Download Coastal Economy Interactive Map and Data (1.18mb)
Source: BLS, 2011; NOAA stics.noaa.gov estimates of BEA GDP, 2011; BEA, 2011; Government Development Bank of Puerto Rico, 2010
Note: Data for American Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are available for 2002 to 2009 and are only reflected in the U.S. totals for these years.
About this Topic
This topic presents data on gross domestic product (GDP), employment, and wages for the combined coastal watershed county area of the nation and each state for the years 1990 through 2010. These data show that GDP of the coastal area of the U.S. in 2010 was 8.3 trillion dollars, and accounted for over half of the U.S. GDP. Coastal area employment rose from about 58.3 million people in 1990 to over 66 million people in 2010. Wages grew from 1.5 trillion to 3.4 trillion dollars (not accounting for inflation). In 2010 California ranked first in coastal watershed county GDP (1.7 trillion dollars), first in employment (1.4 million people), and first in wages (7.1 billion dollars). There are three Case Studies for this topic: The Ocean Economy - Dependent on a Healthy Coastal Ecosystem, Non-Market Value of the Coast - Benefits Regularly Taken for Granted, and A Closed Beach Affects Local Economies.
Closer Look
Relevant Links
NOAA's Spatial trends in Coastal Socioeconomics (STICS)
http://stics.noaa.gov/
NOAA's Economics: National Ocean Watch (ENOW)
http://www.csc.noaa.gov/enow/explorer/
National Ocean Economics Program
http://www.oceaneconomics.org/
