The City of Tracy has released findings of its 2003 labor market survey and has benchmarked these results with findings from its 1999 study. The results show increases in several major areas, including the types of workers, level within their occupation, as well as household income and level of education attained.

Labor Market Survey Graphs (Comparison of 1999 and 2003)

Age of Tracy's Labor Force Annual Salary Before Taxes Total Household Income Highest Level of Education Attained Level of Occupation Commute Pattern by County

Highlights:

Over the past four years, there have been some significant changes in the makeup of Tracy's workforce, primarily driven from new residents who have moved from the Bay Area. Specifically, there's been an increase in the number of technology-based workers, representing 21 percent of respondents. This figure compares indirectly to the 18.4 percent who responded in 1999, which included not only technology, but general accounting and management occupations as well.

The City also saw significant increases in the level of occupation of our workforce. Middle managers now make up 29 percent of the workforce, compared to 21.3 percent who responded in 1999. Line managers, business owners and professional occupation holders also increased significantly, doubling or tripling the percentage from 1999.

Annual salaries grew, with 37.6 percent of respondents making $75,000 or more, compared to 28.4 percent in 1999. Of that 37.6 percent, 15 percent of those respondents earned more than $100,000 a year. One category not surveyed in 1999, but of significance is household income. In 2003, 64.4 percent of respondents earned more than $75,000, 35 percent of which earned more than $100,000.

Workers with graduate degrees also increased significantly to 13.7 percent, up from 9.7 percent in 1999.

More than 2,000 households responded to the survey issued through the City's utility bill. Newer residents made up the majority of respondents, with nearly 55 percent having lived in Tracy five years or less.

Commute Related Data

• 81.8% of respondents work outside of Tracy, down from 94.5% in 1999.
• 90.2% of commuters use the Altamont Pass to get to work.
• 42% of respondents work in Alameda County; 35.3% work in the Tri-Valley (Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin); 23.5% work along the 880 corridor (Hayward, Union City, Fremont, San Lorenzo, San Leandro, Oakland).
• 21.8% work in Santa Clara County.
• 8.5% work in Contra Costa County.
• The number of people using ACE Rail increased from 3.8% to 5.4% in 2003; while the number of carpools decreased from 7.7% to 5.3% in 2003.
• The number of respondents that leave for work before 4 am through 6 am has increased to 43.1% from 36% in 1999, while the number that leave between 6 am and 8 am has decreased to 36% from 46.2% in 1999
• 86.2% would take a comparable job in Tracy; down from 89.1% in 1999. Of these, more than one-quarter would take less salary than they make currently to avoid the commute.

Demographic Data

• The age of the respondents is older in 2003 than in 1999.
  • 40.4% are 45 years or older, compared to 32.6% in 1999.
  • 24-34 age group is down from 30.8% in 1999 to 22.8% in 2003.
  • 64.9% of households have children, compared to 58.9% in 1999
    • 33% have children under 6 years of age; compared to 28.5% in 1999.
    • 37% have children between 6-12 years old; compared to 26.8% in 1999.
    • 30% have children between 13-18 years old; compared to 16.9% in 2003.