Portland-Vancouver operates as a regional market for labor, housing, entertainment, and a broad range of goods and services. The 2006 Regional Business Plan was developed with the understanding that each part of our region is linked economically and that the economic performance of each community depends on the success of its neighbors. Nevertheless, the region is not economically homogeneous. Each community demonstrates specific industry concentrations. These concentrations are driven by factors that encourage similar or linked businesses to locate near one another. And population demographics vary, affecting each sub-region's economic performance as our workforce travels throughout the region to find the best match between their skills and employer needs. As a result, industrial concentrations within the region lead to geographic differences in average worker wages. Economic recovery has brought greater employment growth to some industries than to others. Similarly, while wages and per capita income have grown, some families and individuals are being left behind by the recovery.