Try out the new Compare tool
There is a new feature on the Walla Walla Trends website: the Compare tool. Visitors can now do side-by-side comparisons of graphs of any indicator from any category on the website. For example, if you wanted to compare population growth in Walla Walla County with the City of Walla Walla water usage, you would first chose the desired indicator from the drop down menu on the left and then repeat the step on the right with the second indicator. With 100 indicators on the website to choose from, there are countless combinations to look at. The button for this tool is located in the bottom left corner of the WWT website, or click here to try it out now.

Indicators at a Glance and the News-Ticker
"Indicators at a Glance" and the news-ticker banner are two useful tools on the Walla Walla Trends site that some visitors may not be fully aware of. "Indicators at a Glance" is a convenient one-page reference that lists all indicators, or trends, currently on the website and is organized by category. Each entry on the page also serves as a hyperlink to the graph for that particular trend. This often overlooked tool is a good way for new visitors to the site to get a scope of what is covered on the website as well as for return visitors to see what's new or to refresh their memory of the site content.

The news-ticker, located at the bottom center of the Walla Walla Trends home page, is another way to see new features or the latest trends on the site. Items placed on the ticker include important announcements such as a new trend, the release of the newsletter, or other site updates. Another purpose for the news-ticker is to feature new data as they become available. Clicking on the news-ticker takes viewers to a central "Site News" page with subsequent links to each featured piece of news on the ticker at that time. The ticker is updated monthly.

New tourism trend added to Walla Walla Trends
Total Direct Tourism Spending reflects the amount of new money entering a local economy because, by definition, tourists are from outside of the local area. It also shows how well the local area is doing at attracting tourists. This new trend looks at the total amount of money spent by tourists at Walla Walla County hotels, restaurants, retailers, and other tourism related businesses. View it in the Economic Vitality category, indicator number 2.18.

Penitentiary population influence on indicators
Included in the calculation for several trends on the Walla Walla Trends website is the population of inmates at the Washington State Penitentiary (WSP) located within Walla Walla County. With an inmate count of nearly 2,000, the WSP population certainly influences the numbers in certain trends. In some cases, such as Per capita Personal Income (2.1), graphs are provided based on the county population with and without the inmates at the WSP, so that their influence can be seen clearly. In others, such as the City of Walla Walla Water use per Capita (4.9), the WSP population is left as part of the calculation because the inmates do live within the County limits and their influence is appropriate. In those instances (if necessary), an explanation is provided for how the data are affected and how they would be different if the inmate population were not included. For indicators such as 4.9, the data would not be valid without the inmate population included.

Recent wage growth in Walla Walla County increased faster than the State average
Wages are the largest component of personal income and have long been considered a key marker for individual financial well-being. Earning sufficient wages is also important for an individual to maintain a satisfactory standard of living. more...

Walla Walla's missing water and arid climate influence annual water use
Summers in the Inland Northwest are warm and dry, so it is almost certain that water use in the City of Walla Walla will increase in summer months. Now is a good time to consider just how much local water is used every year. The per capita water use in the City of Walla Walla, trend number 4.9 on the Walla Walla Trends website, gives one look at the local area's water appetite over the last several years. What does the big picture show? Some progress and some challenges. more...

Housing affordability on the rise in Walla Walla County
Home prices in Walla Walla County are now lower than they have been in over two years. Pair that with higher incomes and you get a more favorable housing market for prospective buyers. Good enough in fact, that families with a middle income have over 150% of the income needed to purchase a median priced home and still have enough money left each month for all of their other costs. more...

Interview with Lawson Knight, Executive Director of the Blue Mountain Community Foundation
The Blue Mountain Community Foundation (BMCF) was founded in 1984 and serves the communities of southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon. It is a place for interested donors to come together and invest in the long-term health and wellbeing of their community. The mission of the BMCF is to make positive changes in these communities that will improve the lives of all people throughout the region. Lawson Knight is the Executive Director of the foundation. We asked him how the BMCF uses Walla Walla Trends and for his thoughts about the indicators. more...

Passenger enplanements increase
Despite challenging economic times, passenger enplanements on Horizon Air at the Walla Walla Regional Airport remain strong. January through July 2009 passenger enplanements totaled 18,574 as compared to 17,044 for the same period last year. A 9% increase in challenging economic times is positive news. more...