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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend October 11, 2006 Bend has best job market in state FDIC also ranks the Central Oregon city as 35th for work options nationwide The Associated Press BEND — Bend has the fastest-growing job market in the state, according to the latest report from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The report, released last week, profiles the Oregon economy and its effect on financial institutions. The key sectors for job growth in the state, according to the FDIC, are construction, health and education, trade and business services. The report highlighted Bend as the fastest-growing job market in Oregon and the 35th in the nation for the second quarter of this year, with a job growth rate of 4 percent during that period. Some local bankers said the growth rate is reflected by the number of banks entering and expanding in Central Oregon. Advertisement "We all know that there's a factor of wealth moving to Central Oregon," said Ryan Killgore, regional president for the Central and Eastern Oregon region for U.S. Bank. But Killgore added that it is important to keep track of what types of jobs are being created in Bend. "I think what we should worry more about is having more family wage jobs," he said, noting they tend to sustain living costs. Mike Sventek, the East Cascades district manager for Wells Fargo Bank, said the region is also benefiting from the wide availability of high-speed Internet and other communication technology to provide some jobs. "We've seen an increasing number of people telecommuting," Sventek said. "And when they do need to go somewhere, you see the planes (out of Redmond Airport) being full of people flying out on Mondays for business and returning on Fridays." Oregon ranked sixth among all states for job growth during the second quarter this year, with a growth rate of 3.6 percent, the FDIC report said. "Unlike some states in the West that are currently experiencing slowing job gains, the rate of job growth in Oregon increased from the year-ago rate of 2.9 percent," the report said. One area of concern remains in the report: the housing and real estate markets. The FDIC Oregon profile reported continued weakness in the state's housing sector, with sales activity falling by 12 percent in the second quarter. In Bend, single-family home prices were still increasing during the period covered by the report, appreciating by 36.7 percent, according to the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight. Since then, the market has softened, with inventory increasing and the prices flattening, officials said. Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Southern Oregon Loans --> GMAT Prep Fundraisers Send Flowers Texas Electric Choice Entertainment Guide --> Casinos Canada Trunks, Footlocker Online Casino Reviews Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com