Under the Hood: More Signs Napa’s Economy Is Stalling
By Tim Carl
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The Spotlight
Welcome to Under the Hood, our exclusive Saturday series for Napa Valley Features paid subscribers.
Today’s article thumbnail: Napa County’s economy is undergoing a structural shift — not a temporary slowdown. Real estate remains out of reach for most residents because the types of jobs that could support homeownership increasingly exist elsewhere. Local job growth has stalled, and consumer spending is fragmenting. Demographic changes and weakening financial resilience are compounding the strain. The region’s traditional economic model — built on speculation and high-end tourism — no longer aligns with current realities. Sustainable growth now depends on creating stable, well-paying jobs within the county that support those who live and work here.
We’re also diving into the latest data from our readers’ polls and providing insights from our economic dashboard, covering local Napa Valley, U.S. and global markets.
“What We’re Reading” features excerpts from recent articles offering a range of perspectives on topics shaping our community and the wider world. A new section at the end, “Visuals That Caught Our Eye,” spotlights compelling charts and graphs that stood out this week.
“What We’re Reading”: Excerpts of the Day
“To Kalon as a defined geographic place doesn’t exist, and never has.” – from Constellation Brands, in "What’s In a Name? Federal Board Debates To Kalon," Wine Spectator.
“Uniting the collective energy of the Jackson Family’s inspired sales prowess with our family’s wineries and passionate team will create an unparalleled new force in the US wine world.” – from Jean-Charles Boisset, in "Boisset Collection Aligns With Jackson Family Wines in Unprecedented National Sales Partnership Among Leading Family Wineries," Boisset Collection Press Release.
“I think this is just wrong. This is not the way we treat people.” – from Chris Ames in "ICE leaves cars abandoned, lawn mowers running when it arrests workers: A new push to secure property," Los Angeles Times.