Report: Snellville Wanes in Resident Growth, College Degrees

Market analysts recently released key data regarding the competitive profile of the city of Snellville, and the findings may be surprising.

Using data compiled from a number of sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Market Street Services looked at a variety of areas to help Snellville officials maximize potential for economic development.

Areas in the report include: population, race, education, workers, poverty and more.

Here is list of several of the key findings presented:

1. Despite growth in Gwinnett County, Snellville lost nearly 800 residents between 2005-2010. Most of those leaving the city were ages 35-44.
2. Snellville lags behind the county in racial diversity, but between 2000-2010, the city gained residents in all minority groups with more and more white residents leaving.
3. Snellville has a higher median income ($65,128) than that of Gwinnett County and the nation. However, the median income in Snellville is decreasing.
4. Some 30.1 percent of Snellville residents over the age of 25 have a bachelor's degree. (Fewer and fewer high school students are going to college.) This is lower than the county average, but higher than the state or the nation.
5. More than 94 percent of residents leave Snellville to go to work, and nearly 96 percent of Snellville’s workers commute from outside of Snellville.
6. From 2002-2007, Snellville experienced job growth of 17.5 percent, compared to that of Gwinnett with a 10.6 percent increase in jobs.
7. Nearly half of all jobs in Snellville are in retail and food services, where there has also been a significant amount of job losses.
8. Owning a home in Snellville is now affordable, with the median sales price hovering at $102,800. Between November 2010 and November 2011, there was a 14.5 percent decrease in sales prices.
9. Affordable rentals, however, are not easy to come by. The median rent is $908 after a 38 percent increase from 2000 to 2007-2009. This rent is higher than the county, state, and nation.
10. More than 64 percent of Snellville residents drive 30 minutes or more to work, and over 17 percent drive over an hour.

To read the entire report, click the attachment to this article.