Fresno’s Economic Engine
The South Central Fresno Business District is the economic engine of Fresno. Home to over 400 businesses and thousands of jobs, South Central Fresno generates hundreds of millions in annual tax revenue providing numerous benefits to the entire city.
The planning area takes up less than 7.5% of Fresno’s land, yet contributes roughly 21% of the city’s tax revenue.
Generated funding goes to public safety, park upkeep, street repair, neighborhood improvements, and increasing Fresno’s quality of life.
The South Central Fresno Business District
South Central Fresno
Business District
WHAT: A 5,629-acre planning area located in the southern portion of the city – 7.5% of Fresno’s land area.
BUSINESSES: Over 440 businesses representing 124 different sectors of the economy.
JOBS: 22,070 direct, full-time jobs and nearly 48,000 jobs created citywide – 25% of employment citywide.
WAGES: $68,000 annually, slightly more than Fresno’s $67,500 annual average.
POPULATION: 1,836 residents – 0.34% of Fresno’s population
More Tax Revenue for Our Neighborhoods
In 2022, the South Central Fresno Business District generated:
$102.7 million in tax revenue
More than $13 billion in economic activity
35% of the city’s total economic output
That revenue helped fund critical city services and programs that residents rely on, including:
44 new positions within the police department
20 fire stations throughout the city
Safety and maintenance of Fresno’s roughly 80 parks
Over $1 million to support mental health programs
Source: Adopted Budget, City of Fresno, 2023
Fueling Fresno’s Sales Tax Revenue Growth
In the past six years, Fresno’s new retail distribution economy has taken flight — increasing the city’s sales tax revenue by nearly 58%. It took the preceding 20 years for Fresno to experience a similar amount of growth in sales tax revenue.
Unlike traditional sales tax revenue that is only generated from purchases within the city, Fresno receives sales tax revenue from items that are shipped from local retail distribution centers regardless of whether the shopper lives in Fresno, Los Angeles, or another state.
To put it simply: shoppers from all across the state and nation pay to keep Fresno great — and you pay less for critical city services!
Historical City Sales Tax Revenue
*projected
Economic Impact Study Methodology
Definition
The 2022 Economic Impact Study of the South Central Specific Plan Region (SCSPR) and City of Fresno was defined using boundary files for SCSPR and the city.
The model documents how Fresno City and the SCSPR create direct economic impacts, supplier and induced effects as well as fiscal activities.
Data Collection
Data was collected from all available sources, including Data Axle and various government data sources and were manually scrubbed and verified.
Economic Modeling
The study utilizes IMPLAN, an Input-Output Model.
Input-Output analysis is an econometric technique used to examine the relationships within an economy.
What it measures:
Industry impact across the broad economy usually in terms of employment, wages, output, and taxes.
How large is a company, an industry or an economy.
How other firms and geographies are impacted by a specific project or policy.