Housing, whether owned or rented, is expensive. There has been significant non-residential construction providing improved opportunities for employment growth. While many of these positions are high-paying professional and technical jobs, many more are in areas such as retail which do not pay wages commensurate with the cost of living. Nonetheless, unemployment remains the lowest in the state. Business growth has been most significant in the Services industry, as well as Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate, and Retail, while other industries have seen moderate growth.
Small businesses account for nine of every ten business operations in the County.
Despite the rosy picture, Marin faces significant challenges if it is to remain competitive and an attractive place to live and work. The discrepancy between the mean wage and cost housing puts home ownership out of reach for many, even with two or three incomes. Consequently, many people working in Marin must live elsewhere. This has several secondary effects, the most notable being traffic. The increased demand on the transportation network could ultimately impact the ability to attract businesses to the County.