Baldwin County was recently rated by Forbes Magazine and Cognetics as one of the top 50 “small metro areas to start and grow a business”. Business growth has increased over 170% in six years, and many companies with multiple branch operations have found their facilities here to be the most profitable, productive, and efficient of any of their facilities. Baldwin County remains one of the top three fastest growing Alabama counties.

The cost of living is 60% of the national average according to Monster.com. EASI, Inc reports the Quality of Life index in Baldwin County is 178% of the national average of 100 and the EASI Cultural Index is 152 of the national average.

Foley, AL, at the intersection of Highways 59 & 98 and 10 miles north of the Gulf beaches, is the economic center of South Baldwin County. Within 500 mile radius (a day’s drive) of Foley, there are 49 million people. Per capita, the City of Foley leads the State of Alabama in Retail Sales and also accounts for more than 40% of Sales Tax Revenue in Baldwin County.

Land Area

Of the 67 counties in Alabama, Baldwin County is the largest. At 1,596.35 square miles, Baldwin County is larger than the State of Rhode Island and the largest county east of the Mississippi River.

Economic Development

The South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Committee is currently conducting Syncronist Interviews with local businesses in the area. The Committee, lead by Committee Chair Jerry Jackson, has conducted 50 interviews in 2007 and have set a goat of 40 more for 2008.

The completed interviews provided the following information:

• 56% of those businesses interviewed plan to expand
• 153 new jobs will result from expansion
• Representing nearly $63 million in new capitol investment

If you would like more information on the Economic Development Committee,
please contact Cindy Higginbotham at 251-943-5510.