Focus Areas and Survey

Expanding economic opportunity across the region means ensuring that individuals and communities have the tools, resources, and access to fully participate in the economy. PSRC has identified the following strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats for this focus area.

Strengths and Opportunities

• Workforce development programs effectively connect workers with training and jobs.
  The region has a strong network of workforce development partners that connect job seekers to training opportunities, apprenticeships, and jobs. Organizations and institutions such as the region’s Workforce Development Boards, community and technical colleges, labor organizations and others provide opportunities for residents to gain skills needed in the economy. 
• Economic development partners provide resources for entrepreneurs.
  Starting a business creates opportunities for individuals and families, and the region fosters a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Between 2023 and 2024, Washington state saw the highest increase in new-business applications nationwide. Many organizations in the area provide financial and technical support for small businesses, including programs designed to assist women- and minority-owned enterprises. 
• Continued investment in broadband infrastructure is expanding access to education, jobs, and services.
  The Washington State Broadband Office is working to close the “Digital Divide” in the state through $1.2 billion in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD) funding. The Office’s goal is for all state residents to have access to high-speed broadband by 2028. 

Weaknesses and Threats

• Lack of affordable childcare limits workforce participation for many families.
  Nearly half of Washington parents face difficulties in finding, affording, or keeping childcare, according to the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Mounting Costs of Child Care report (2022). Among parents with children under six, 27% cut their work hours, and 18% left their jobs entirely. These struggles cost the state's economy up to $6.5 billion annually in lost GDP. The Child Care Affordability dashboard highlights the financial strain on working adults. 
• Budget deficits in school districts threaten educational quality and economic outcomes.
  School districts across the region are struggling with budget deficits due to funding challenges, rising costs, and declining enrollment. In 2025, many districts in the central Puget Sound area are facing financial shortfalls. While new investments have been made in the latest state legislative session, budget issues continue to impact communities of all sizes, including cities like Bainbridge Island, Bellevue, Bothell, Bremerton, Edmonds, Marysville, Mercer Island, Monroe, Seattle, Shoreline, and Tacoma. 
• Some communities continue to face challenges participating in economic growth.
  Historical and systemic inequities continue to affect economic outcomes for the region’s Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities. Disparities persist in income, generational wealth, and business ownership, limiting benefits from regional economic growth. Explore PSRC’s Equity Tracker for more information.

Questions