Table 16. The number and sales volume of wholesale and retail sales in South- 

 west Florida in 1977 and their percent contribution (in parentheses) to the 

 State total (Florida statistical abstract 1980). 



Net migration has caused most of the population increase in Southwest 

 Florida in 1950-80. In general, the region is heavily populated (notably the 

 Tampa- St. Petersburg metropolitan area), urban oriented, and fast growing. 



Median school years completed by the people in Southwest Florida is about 

 the same for the State. The median school years completed by non-Whites is 

 much less than for the Whites, and the gap is widening. On the whole there 

 seems to be adequate educational institutions, facilities, and programs to 

 provide opportunities for continuing education, acquisition of entry-level job 

 skill, upgrading, retraining, and literacy skill development. 



The single greatest uptapped resource in Southwest Florida is the older 

 age groups. The economic impact of residents 60 yars old and older is of 

 vital importance to the future development of cultural, health, government, 

 natural and business environments, and has important public policy implica- 

 tions. 



DATA GAPS AND INCONSISTENCIES 



The single largest problem encountered in synthesizing demographic data 

 pertaining to Southwest Florida was the lack of data from the 1980 census 

 necessary to update population growth, trends, and distribution. This also 



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