The Brief
- The Tampa Bay Partnership released its 2026 State of the Region report with metrics on affordability, infrastructure and jobs in comparison to other cities in the U.S.
- The report found the Tampa Bay region has made strides in some areas, like the workforce pipeline, but needs to improve in other areas, like affordability, to maintain its momentum.
- Several organizations, like United Way Suncoast and Forward Pinellas, are working on solutions to help make improvements.
TAMPA, Fla. – Tampa Bay’s report card is in, and the region’s workforce pipeline remains strong. But even after a year of progress, affording to live in the region remains a challenge.
What we know:
The Tampa Bay Partnership takes a snapshot of the region’s progress every year, and it recently released its 2026 State of the Region report. It found affordability is a mixed bag, making strides in some areas but not others.
“We also saw an improvement in the share of income spent on housing and transportation. Last year, that was 55 cents of every dollar earned, and that’s down to 53 cents of every dollar,” said Sarah Burgoyne, senior director of research and public policy with the Tampa Bay Partnership. “We just want to highlight that’s because incomes increased, not because people are spending less on housing or transportation.”…