Harrison County job growth is forecast to accelerate during the next five years, according to a new study released today (Sept. 15) by the West Virginia University Bureau of Business and Economic Research .

The forecast calls for the county to generate job, income and population gains on average during the next five years, said George Hammond , associate director of the bureau in WVU s College of Business and Economics . It also calls for job growth to accelerate during the 2008-12 period.

Overall, job and per capita income growth are forecast to be close to rates expected for the state. Population gains are forecast to fall just short of the state rate and well below the national rate.

The expected growth in Harrison County reflects new investments in Charles Pointe and White Oaks, expansion in the aerospace sector and health care and the continued development of the biometrics sector of the county economy,Hammond said.

Over the past five years, average annual job growth in Harrison County was 0.6 percent, which equaled the state rate but was almost half the national rate (1.1 percent).

Population growth in the county was relatively slow from 2002-07, at 0.1 percent, which equaled the state rate but fell far below the national average. However, per capita income growth in the county averaged 4.4 percent per year from 2001-06, which exceeded both the state (3.9 percent) and national rates (3.7 percent).

In addition, the Harrison County unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in 2007, below the state and national rate of 4.6 percent.

The Harrison County outlook depends in part on the outlook for the national economy, which is expected to fall into a mild recession in 2008. If the national downturn turns out to be greater than expected, it will contribute to slower county growth. Further, skyrocketing oil prices have the potential to adversely impact the transportation sector, including aerospace.

Funding support for the forecast was provided by the Harrison County Development Authority .

The Harrison County Outlook is part of an ongoing effort by the Harrison County Economic Development Authority to expand the economic information and analysis available for the county,said David Cutlip, president of the Harrison County Development Authority board of directors.