Each year, Area Development conducts an Annual Corporate Survey and Consultants Survey. This study results in the top 25 Site Selector Factors. These are the factors that Site Selectors rated as "very important" and "important" on the Area Development Consultant Survey. For complete survey click here. 

     *All figures are percentages and are the total of “very important” and “important” ratings of the Area Development Consultants Survey and are rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent. Rankings in ( ) are previous year rankings.  

  

The Annual Corporate Survey and Annual Consultants Survey conducted by Area Development are compiled to determine the top 25 relocation considerations:

     
Ranking   2009   Ranking   2009
1 Highway Accessibility 98.9   14 Low union profile 80.0
2 Labor Cost 94.3   15 Accessibility to major airport 79.0
3 Occupancy Cost 92.9   16 Environmental regulations 78.8
4 Availability of skilled labor 92.2   17 available buildings 77.9
5 State and Local Incentives 92.0   18 available long term financing 75.0
6 Available of land 90.8   19 Proximity to suppliers 70.9
7 Energy availability and cost 89.7   20 Inbound/outbound shipping cost 67.5
8 Tax exemption 89.6   21 Training Programs 67.1
9 Proximity to major markets 88.5   22 Availability of unskilled labor 61.9
10 Corporate tax rate 87.4   23 Proximity of technical university 60.7
11 Expedited permitting 85.1   24 Raw materials availability 53.0
12 Availability ICT services 81.3   25 Railroad service 38.1
13 Right-to-work state 81.2   26 Waterway/Oceanport accessibility 23.8

 For complete list of Site Selector Survey  responses

Here is Flagler County's response to this survery:

1.       Highway accessibility: Flagler County is traversed by not only the I-95 corridor but also 4 lane Hwy 1 and Hwy 100. Within 90 minutes of the county is access to 4 major interstates, I-4, I-95, I-10 and I-75.

 2.       Labor Costs: The average wage in Flagler County is $29,220. This is 47% lower than other Florida MSA’s.

 

 3.       Occupancy and construction costs: Construction costs have declined in Flagler County. Projects bids are 30-40% less than in recent years and Flagler County is consistently less costly than other areas of Florida.

 

 4.       Availability of skilled labor: With 500,000 workers within a 60 minute commuting radius of Flagler County, skilled labor is readily available. The extensive interstate system allows employees to easy commute to the area with little traffic congestion.

 

 5.       State and Local Incentives: With a population less than 125,000, Flagler County is classified as a “rural” county, allowing us to offer incentives at double the state average. An aggressive and innovative local government that works to customize and incentive package for each individual business furthers the value of local incentives.

 

 6.       Availability of Land: Flagler County is a large and diverse county with land available with a variety of zoning and uses. With many large tract land owners, finding land suitable for your project is rarely and issue.

 

 7.       Energy availability and cost:  Utility rates are standardized through the State of Florida Utility Commission. Flagler County has natural gas lines running the length of the county, power substations are positioned for industrial growth and extensive sewer and water infrastructure built with future expansion in mind.

 

 8.       Tax Exemptions: Tax exemptions are available for a variety of industries and project types. Citizens have authorized the local tax authority to create exemptions for ad valorum taxes on real and personal property. Llc’s and “S” corporations are exempt from corporate income tax. No sales and use tax on goods manufactured in Florida for export outside the state, or on purchases of raw materials incorporated in a final product for resale, including non-reusable containers or packaging. Flagler County has a Foreign Trade zone which reduces, eliminates, or delays tariff charges.

 

 9.       Proximity to Major Markets: Flagler County has been characterized as where Orlando ends and Jacksonville begins. Within 90 minutes of the county is access to 4 major interstates, I-4, I-95, I-10 and I-75. With the easy interstate access, the markets of Miami, Atlanta and Charlotte including 45 million people are within an 8 hour drive radius of the Flagler County area.

 

 10.   Corporate Tax Rate: Florida's corporate tax structure consists of a flat rate of 5.5 percent on all corporate income. Florida is in the Top 5 for the State Business Climate Tax Index which measures how favorable a states tax system is for businesses.

 

 For complete list of Site Selector Full List responses