2025 Economic Outlook Conference

Annual Economic Outlook Conference delivers a hope story for Reno County

Tuesday February 4th Greater Hutch hosted the Economic Outlook Conference organized by the Center for Economic Development and Business Resources WSU at the Crystal Ballroom at the Burt. The conference provided insight into current local and state economies, addressing topics of interest to the community, region and state.

Chamber President and CEO delivered the local update including results from the 2024 Business Conditions Survey administered by Greater Hutch. CEDBR director Bekah Selby-Leach presented the State Outlook. Research Economist with CEDBR Jonathan Norris delivered the Healthy, Wealthy and Wise index and Stan Longhofer, Director for the Center for Real Estate with WSU gave the Real Estate Update. Key insights include:

• Steady population growth- 1.6% from 2022 to 2023
• Reno County Employment growth- 1.6% from 2022-2023
  • Manufacturing- 6.3%
  • Trade and Transportation Utilities- 7.5%
• Total annual wage across all industries has risen by 5.4%
• Reno County Workforce Flow
  • 9,563 coming into Reno County
  • 16,980 living and working in Reno County
  • 10,349 leaving Reno County to work
• Shift-Share
  • Reno County is Highly competitive in the utilities, mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction, and transportation and warehousing industries
• Reno County Business Conditions Survey Trends
  • Stable to increasing sales in 2023-2024
  • Increasing to stable sales in 2025
  • Workforce Impacting Factors
    • 70%- lacking basic skills
    • 10%- lacking STEM skills
    • 47% - lacking both soft skills and advanced skills
    • 21%- ability to pass a drug screen
    • Good productivity on average
    • Pay rate competitiveness and ability of provide affordable benefits
  • Majority of respondents plan to expand their current facility in the next two years
  • Top Challenges employers foresee
    • Labor cost
    • Uncertainty in the current market demands
    • Cost of employee benefits
  • Healthy, wealthy and wise Index
    • Healthy- Kansas ranks below the national median influenced by high obesity rates and many uninsured
    • Wealthy- near the median bolstered by low wealth polarization and stunted by lagging incomes
    • Wise- Above the median with high rates of associates and bachelor’s degrees.
  • Real Estate
    • Mortgage rates have risen recently
    • Inflation expectations have risen slightly
    • Mortgage risk premium remains higher than normal
    • Normal mortgage rates between 5%-8% fixed rate for a 30 year mortgage