Overview of Industries
In recent decades, Sonoma County has proven to be an ideal place for promoting industry growth, innovation and business development. Since the 1990’s, Sonoma County’s economy has been dynamically “churning,” producing a net gain of 5,500 firms from 1990 to 2003. During this time, ninety-two percent of firms were locally based and less than 10 years old, marking Sonoma County’s entrepreneurial spirit. Prospering clusters in the region included information technology, tech manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism and by 2003, health and wellness and professional and innovative services were growing clusters of opportunity in the region. Currently Sonoma County is home to 52,478 firms, employs nearly 161,940 workers, and has a gross metro product of 17.3 billion dollars.
This section highlights four key industries: tourism, wine, technology and creative professionals. All of which are benefiting from the region’s numerous advantages in workforce, natural resources, and access to global markets while contributing to the region’s job growth and economic vitality.
For the top sectors and employment opportunities in Sonoma County as of April 2011, see the table below
| Industry | Number Employed |
|---|---|
Trade, Transportation and Utilities |
31,400 |
Government |
27,800 |
Educational and Health Services |
24,900 |
Health Care and Social Assistance |
22,400 |
Professional and Business Services |
21,800 |
Retail Trade |
20,600 |
Leisure and Hospitality |
20,300 |
Manufacturing |
19,000 |
Health Care |
18,500 |
Accommodation and Food Service |
17,100 |
Food Services and Drinking Places |
13,700 |
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services |
12,000 |
Retail Trade |
11,000 |
