Jobs and the Economy

Port of Vancouver USA plays a key role in our local and regional economy. The port makes targeted investments in our facilities and leverages these improvements to attract jobs and economic development opportunities. Port facilities are leased to customers and tenants to create jobs for our citizens, spur investment in the community, contribute to state and local taxes, and provide our region with access to the global marketplace.

The Port of Vancouver USA commissions studies every four to five years to measure our economic impact in Southwest Washington.  The most recent analysis highlighted significant increases in the port’s economic value to the region in 2018, which was the fifth consecutive record-breaking year for the port.  These include:   

• 24,068 total jobs associated with port activities (including direct, indirect, induced and influenced jobs), up from 20,202 in 2014.
• $3.76 billion in economic benefit to the region each year, a $860 million increase over 2014.  This is a result of cargo handled at the port’s marine terminals and revenue generated by our industrial tenants. 
• 3,910 jobs directly generated by port marine and industrial activities, an increase of 673 jobs since 2014.
• $132.4 million generated in state and local taxes, to support public services such as schools, police and fire protection.  This is an increase of $29.7 million over 2014. 

Follow the links to read the Marine, Real Estate and Total Economic Impact studies. 

Port Spending

Every four years the Port of Vancouver USA completes an economic study to determine the overall impact port tenants and activities have on the community. The last study was completed in 2019 (using 2018 data). In interim years the port will try a new approach that measures the port’s direct expenditures on the local, state, regional and national levels.

This data will help the port determine how much is spent close to home, but also how much the port benefits the region. In 2020 the port spent nearly $56.7 million on goods and services to operate the port. The chart below indicates that over 70 percent of the dollars the port paid for goods and services in 2020 was spent locally in Vancouver and Clark County, the Portland Metro Area and Washington State. An additional 30 percent was spent regionally and nationally. Ports are state-chartered to be economic engines for their communities and can also be important contributors regionally.