2026 E-Insights Report

Section 1: Economic Outcomes

Economic outcomes reflect both the strength of a region鈥檚 economy and the extent to which that strength translates into broad-based opportunity. The indicators in this section examine the Tampa Bay region鈥檚 economic performance, focusing on productivity, income, industry composition, and the distribution of economic participation across residents. These indicators also measure how growth is distributed across the population.

Over the past decade, Tampa Bay has continued to expand its economic capacity and enjoy growth in gross regional product per capita. Rising personal income levels point to a region generating increasing economic value. The regional economy is supported by a diverse mix of industries, including finance and real estate, information, health care and social assistance, education, and hospitality-related sectors. Together, these industries shape the structure of employment opportunities and the types of earnings available across the region.

However, economic growth does not translate uniformly into shared outcomes. Measures of income inequality and cost-of-living adjustment indicate that gains in income and production are experienced differently across households. While rising productivity expands increases the region鈥檚 overall capacity economic output, variations in purchasing power and income distribution influence how residents experience economic growth in practice. Differences in wages and cost of living mean that residents experience those gains unequally.

Indicators examining labor participation, employment, and poverty across population groups further highlight differences in access to economic opportunity. Gaps in labor force participation, unemployment, transportation access, and digital connectivity underscore the importance of structural conditions that affect who is able to fully engage in the regional economy. Show that not all residents share the same access to jobs and economic opportunity. These disparities do not diminish the region鈥檚 economic progress, but they provide critical context for understanding how economic outcomes are distributed.

Taken together, these indicators present a picture of a growing and diversifying regional economy whose long-term strength depends not only on continued expansion, but on the extent to which economic participation and opportunity are broadly accessible. Evaluating economic outcomes through both growth and distribution offers a more complete view of the region鈥檚 economic performance and its capacity to support sustained prosperity.

Key Insights

Overall Takeaway

The Tampa Bay region continues to demonstrate economic growth and diversification, but rising costs and uneven distribution shape how this growth is experienced across households.

Highlights

  • Sustained economic growth: Gross Regional Product per capita and per capita personal income show continued expansion, reflecting rising productivity and a broadening economic base.

  • Growth differences between industry sectors: Growth in sectors such as health care, information, finance, and professional services supports higher-value economic activity, while hospitality and food services remain important employment anchors.

  • Rising costs offset gains: Regional price parity and housing cost indicators show that increases in income are partially offset by higher living costs, affecting purchasing power.

  • Uneven outcomes: Income inequality measures indicate that economic gains are not evenly shared, reinforcing differences in how residents experience growth.

  • Equity context: Gaps in labor participation, unemployment, transportation access, and digital connectivity highlight differences in access to economic opportunity across population groups.