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BOOK 99 PAGE 637 • The population is becoming more affluent. Per capita income in the county nearly doubled from $13,527.00 in 1984 to $26,798.00 in 1993. In addition, median incomes have risen for both families and households. In the years 1989 through 1995, the county had higher median family and median household incomes than that of the state. This meant the county's residents, on average, were wealthier than those in the state. Finally, poverty rates in the county are decreasing. According to the Census, the percentage of both persons and families with incomes below the poverty level decreased by approximately 25% during the 1979 to 1989 time period. • The average number of persons/household decreased from 2.43 in 1986 to 2.37 in 1995. This decrease is consistent with the first two conclusions, since older and more affluent Populations tend to have smaller households. • The portion of the population that is white is growing faster than the portion of the population that is of other races. Census data indicate that the percentage of the county's Population that identifies itself as white increased from 85.4 in 1980 to 90.0 in 1990. ECONOMIC CHANGES The county's total workforce increased from 34,191 in 1990 to 34,800 in 1994. That represented only a slight increase. The percentage of the county's residents who were in the workforce, however, decreased from 38% in 1990 to 35% in 1994. During this period, the county's average annual unemployment rate remained constant at 9.8% in 1990 and in 1995. The decrease in the percentage of county residents in the workforce can be attributed to several factors. It could indicate that the county's population is either growing older, beyond retirement age, or that the county has a large population that is below 18, and not yet working. According to census information, the county's population is getting older. Between the time of plan adoption and the present, the diversity of the county's employment base did not improve. Compared to 1990 statistics, the top three employment sectors (service, retail. trades,, and agriculture) still dominated the county's employment force by nearly a 2 to 1 margin in 1995. Consequently, the county's economy lacks balance and diversity. In the early 1990's, the county, as well as the state, was affected by the recession that gripped the nation. The county's largest manufacturer went into bankruptcy, pushing the county's average annual unemployment figures from 6.8% in 1988, to 12.5* in 1992. Florida's unemployment rate increased as well, although not as dramatically, from 5.0% in 1988 to 8.2% in 1992. Slowly, the county and the state have been able to recover from the 1990-1992 recession. In 1995, the county's annual unemployment rate aver d 9.8%; the state's, 5.5%. 8 NOVEMBER 5, 1996