Lincoln County Economy

Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County

Lincoln CountyLocal Economy

Economy Status in the Middle 2020s · January 2026

$3.0B

Total Personal Income

50,632

Population · 2023

27%

Blue Economy Jobs

52.5

Median Age

6.2%

Unemployment

Personal Income

A $3 Billion Economy

Total Personal Income · 2023

$3.0B

Up from $1.9B in 2003

Net Earnings

45%

Wages + proprietor income

Was 54% in 2003 ↓

Transfer Payments

31%

Social Security, Medicare, etc.

Was 23% in 2003 ↑ Oregon: 20%

Investment Income

24%

Dividends, interest, rent

Stable over two decades

Transfers + Investment

55%

Of all personal income

Oregon: 42% · Gap widening

Retiree Purchasing Power

$480M

Above U.S. average

15.8% "retiree effect"

Income Composition

Where Does the Money Come From?

45%

24%

31%

Net Earnings (wages + proprietor) 45%

Investment Income 24%

Transfer Payments 31%

vs Oregon · 2023

Lincoln County Net Earnings45%

Oregon Net Earnings58%

Lincoln County Transfers + Investment55%

Oregon Transfers + Investment42%

Median Household Income$61,314

Oregon Median Household Income$80,426

Net Earnings by Industry · 2021

Tourism & Marine Science Lead

Marine Sci + Health + Ed

$289M · maritime, healthcare, education (secondary, post-secondary)

26%

Travel & Tourism

$262M · liesure, hospitality

23%

Not Identified

$218M · small mfg, services

19%

Commercial Fishing

$183M · high value, consolidation

16%

Other Identified

$136M · paper, shipbuilding

12%

Timber

$30M

3%

Structural Change · 2003 → 2021

The Economy Has Transformed

Timber · Declining

↓ 83%

Share of TPI

6.2% (2003) → 1.1% (2023)

Tourism · Growing

↑ 22%

Share of TPI

8.0% (2003) → 9.8% (2023)

Marine Sci + Health · Surging

↑ 190%

Share of TPI

3.7% (2003) → 10.8% (2023)

Fishing · Consolidating

↓ 31%

Share of TPI

9.9% (2003) → 6.8% (2023)

More Resilient Economy

✓

Less susceptible to national cycles

Diversification absorbed timber loss

NOAA MOC-P Opened

2011

Anchor institution for Newport hub

HMSC · OCCC · OSU programs

Blue Economy Cluster

Newport: Oregon's Blue Economy Hub

Blue Economy Employment

27%

Of all county jobs · 2019

Oregon avg: 2.2%

Tourism & Recreation

85%

Of blue economy jobs

Dominant sector by far

Marine Businesses

~18%

Of all county establishments

Port of Newport is only deepwater port

SB 867 Passed - Maritime Task Force

2017

2023 - Ocean Resources & Blue Economy Report

2023 - Oregon Ocean Innovation Hub

2025 - Oregon Ocean Cluster

Oregon Blue Economy GDP

$3.1B

2019 · 1% of Oregon total GDP

Oregon ranks 22nd of 30 coastal states

Six NOAA ENOW Sectors

Tourism · Living Resources · Marine Transport · Ship Building · Marine Construction · Offshore Minerals

Demographics · 2023

An Aging, Retiree-Driven Population

Population

50,632

+14% since 2000

Oregon grew +24%

Median Age

52.5

Oldest county on Oregon Coast

Oregon: 40.1 · U.S.: 38.7

Age 65 and Over

31.1%

Nearly 1 in 3 residents

Oregon: 18.6%

Net In-Migration · 2010–20

+5,583

Mainly retirees from California

Natural Increase · 2010–20

−3,312

Deaths exceed births

All growth = in-migration

Under 18

16%

Shrinking youth cohort

Oregon: 20.2%

Labor Force · 2023

Wages Growing, but Gap Persists

Labor Force

Civilian Labor Force20,738

Local Unemployment Rate6.2%

Government Employment19.9%

Self-Employed12.1%

Residents Working Outside County46.6%

Wages vs Oregon

Lincoln County Average Wage$48,752

Oregon Average Wage$68,283

Wage Gap−$19,531

Childcare as % of Wages13.4%

Affordable Threshold7%

Housing · 2023

Second Homes, Workforce Squeezed Out

Total Housing Units

32,373

Only 22,829 occupied

Second Homes

~22%

Of all housing units

Oregon: 3.2%

Median Home Value

$387,700

County-wide · 2023

Newport now: ~$535–545K

Debt-to-Income Ratio

1.90

Persistently elevated

Oregon: 1.60

Assessed Value per Capita

$119,810

Reflects high-value second homes

Oregon: $60,913

Some Coastal Communities

~50%

Second homes

Infrastructure built for peak use

City-Level Income · 2023

Geography Matters — Wide Disparities

Yachats

$55,540 per capita · $71,200 median HH · 7.8% poverty

$55,540

Depoe Bay

$47,070 per capita · $62,900 median HH · 11.4% poverty

$47,070

Lincoln City

$39,649 per capita · $58,936 median HH · 14.3% poverty

$39,649

Newport

$37,268 per capita · $63,990 median HH · 15.3% poverty

$37,268

Siletz

$32,612 per capita · $58,300 median HH · 19.7% poverty

$32,612

Toledo

$25,217 per capita · $57,800 median HH · 21.6% poverty

$25,217

Economic Development Landscape

Threats & Advantages

⚠ Threats & Challenges

Labor supply, workforce housing & childcare — all critically constrained

Water & wastewater infrastructure at or near capacity

Commercial fishing consolidation accelerating

Second homes drive up prices, crowd out workforce housing

Marine science: federal budget & staffing uncertainty

Disaster risk perception affecting in-migration

Air travel restricted; rail & navigation limitations

◆ Comparative Advantages

Recent hospital & health services expansion

Low BPA electricity rates — major industrial advantage

Marine science cluster: NOAA MOC-P, HMSC, OCCC

Available commercial & industrial land (also challenge)

Highway 20: strong Newport–Corvallis–I-5 connection

Beach tourism, cuisine, quality of life

EDALC & SBDC leadership & active programs in place

Ten-Year Comparison · TRG 2014 Report vs EDALC 2026 Report

What Changed in a Decade

Indicator	2012	2023	Trend	Takeaway
Overall Economy
Total Personal Income	$1.68B	$3.0B	↑	Real growth; some reflects inflation
Net Earnings Share	50%	45%	↓	Declining since 2003 (was 54%)
Transfer Payments Share	27%	31%	↑⚠	Structural, not cyclical
Industry Sectors (% of Total Personal Income)
Marine Sci / Health / Ed	3.7%	10.8%	↑↑	Biggest growth story; NOAA effect
Travel & Tourism	8.0%	9.8%	↑	Consistent growth driver
Commercial Fishing	9.9%	6.8%	↓	Consolidation accelerating
Timber	6.2%	1.1%	↓↓	Long-run structural decline
2014 Predictions — Scorecard
Marine science cluster growth	Predicted	Confirmed	✓	3.7% → 10.8% of TPI
Retiree economy expanding	Predicted	Confirmed	✓	Now structural, not just a trend
Timber long-run decline	Predicted	Confirmed	✓	Absorbed by diversification
Hwy 20 corridor boost	Predicted	Confirmed	✓	Completed 2016
Commercial air service	Aspiration	Still unresolved	✗	Ongoing challenge
Income inequality reduced	Goal	Poverty 15.7% vs OR 11.9%	✗	Gap vs Oregon persists