Graceada Partners Research: Inland West Economy Outpaces Southeast in Income Growth

A new study by Graceada Partners analyzes the Inland West's economy as a unified entity of 47 million people, a measure that bypasses traditional state lines. The research, based on 21 years of federal data, indicates this region matches or leads the historically high-growth Southeast in population, income, output, and employment gains.

The study highlights that the Inland West's economy, with a population larger than any single state, is often overlooked in regional data due to its division by state borders. When viewed as a whole, its economic performance demonstrates competitiveness with, and in some metrics surpasses, the Southeast, a region previously recognized for its robust economic expansion.

Graceada Partners' analysis focuses on key economic indicators including personal income, gross domestic product (GDP), and employment trends. The findings suggest that the Inland West region possesses significant economic potential that may have been obscured by conventional data collection methods. This insight could influence future investment strategies and regional policy decisions.

The research utilizes data from federal agencies such as the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This broader, unified economic perspective is expected to offer a new viewpoint on the U.S. regional economy, aiding in the identification of growth areas that might otherwise be underrepresented.