1. Pleasant Hill Population Characteristics
Prepared by EDAB
for the City of Pleasant Hill
from 2000 Census data
APPENDIX A
1. This information is taken from the 2000 Census on the Census website. It could very well have changed since then, but it is the most comprehensive city-level data that we have.
We need to evaluate this information through the common sense of the Chamber, industry leaders, city officials and other local observers.
This data is useful to economic development in two ways. First, it gives an idea of the workforce characteristics of the city. In today’s economy, it is knowledge workers that are the key resource that industries are seeking.
Second, it profiles local consumers and provides experts with some of the data they need to analyze the type of retail that will work for the city.

2. Pleasant Hill is part of a five-city area with nearly 279,000 total population
1. This is a substantial population area, that could be drawn out even further. In choosing these cities, however, EDAB was attempting to define a natural, local, contiguous market region.

3. An older population…
The following graphs will present selected characteristics of Pleasant Hill’s population from two different perspectives: a) compared to the County, State and nation; and b) compared to Concord Lafayette and Walnut Creek.
Here we see that Pleasant Hill has a relatively mature population, even for Contra Costa County, and in contrast to the state as a whole.
This suggests more people in their peak earning years and fewer entry level workers.

4. But not unusual for the local region
In the immediate region, however, Pleasant Hill is ‘younger’ than Lafayette and Walnut Creek – together representing almost a third of the region.
However, Concord and Martinez represent over half the population of this region with average ages closer to the national average of 35.3 years.

5. Not as many young children…
Averages and medians can represent many different kinds of distributions. In this case, compared to what’s happening in the rest of the state and country, there are relatively few young children.
This may have implications for retail.

6. But again, not unusual for the local region
1. In the local region, however, 45% of the population (Lafayette, Martinez and Walnut Creek) have even fewer children under 5.

7. A heavier concentration of adults…
1. From the national retail perspective, Pleasant Hill has more adult buying power than normal.

8. Even in a region with an older population
1. Locally, only Walnut Creek has a higher concentration of adults.

9. Pleasant Hill has a slightly higher concentration of seniors than the nation…
Seniors are one of the fastest growing age groups in the country, and Pleasant Hill is slightly ahead of the curve.

10. But is characteristic of the region
Locally however, Lafayette and Walnut Creek have higher proportions of seniors.
Without significant changes in the migration pattern into or out of the region, the age distribution in these three cities – representing a little over a third of the region’s population -- suggests that the senior segment will continue to grow faster than in other parts of the country.
This represents a market opportunity and possibly a workforce issue.

11. Residents are highly educated…
1. Pleasant Hill’s population is very well educated. This is a very important factor in today’s economy.

12. In the upper half of a highly educated region
1. And we can see that Pleasant Hill is representative of a very highly educated region. The educational attainment of the region is a selling point for potential employers and an important point for a retail strategy.

13. High level of household income…
1. With more workers in the workforce, it is not surprising that there are high household incomes in Pleasant Hill – substantially higher than the nation or state.

14. In the upper quarter of a wealthy region
In fact, surprisingly enough, Pleasant Hill reports a higher household income than Walnut Creek.
Together, Lafayette and Pleasant Hill represent the top 21% of the region in reported median household income.

15. Many residents in management and professional occupations…
High household incomes also suggests employment in jobs that pay well. This chart indicates a much higher percentage of residents employed in management and professional occupations, and a lower percentage in service or production occupations.
The downward slope from left to right was created by placing Pleasant Hills’ largest categories to the left.

16. Reflecting a regional pattern
Here we see that residents of Pleasant Hill and Martinez have an occupational distribution similar to neighboring Lafayette and Walnut Creek, while Concord resembles the national profile.
The biggest occupational difference between Concord and the rest of the cities in the region seems to be in two areas -- Management, Professional and related and Services.

17. Many employed in professional, scientific and management industries as well as retail trade, finance, insurance and real estate…
While the previous two charts portrayed the types of jobs held by residents, the next two charts show the industries of their employers.
The chart represents the industries of the companies where residents are employed, but those companies may not necessarily be located in Pleasant Hill. We will look at Pleasant Hill companies when we look at the City’s economic base.
Among the largest industries on the left, Pleasant Hill residents tend to be employed in professional, scientific, management, retail and financial industries.
Most of these pay well and require high levels of education.

18. In a region generally strong in those areas
Looking at the neighboring cities indicates that the region itself has many residents employed in professional, scientific, management and financial industries.

19. Pleasant Hill is not lagging in entrepreneurial spirit…
1. Each of the five cities is above the national average and Pleasant Hill’s rate of 9.3% self employed is over 40% higher than the nation’s.

20. Summary Population Characteristics
Pleasant Hill, Concord, Lafayette, Martinez and Walnut Creek make up a contiguous market area of nearly 279,000 population.
Pleasant Hill residents are affluent, highly educated, entrepreneurial, professional and participating in the work force.
The City is in the upper half of the 5-city region as characterized by these attributes.