2016 Needs Assessment and Economic Impact Study

The 2016 Needs Assessment and Economic Impact Analysis Survey was a 200+ question survey administered in spring of 2016 to settled immigrant and farmworker households in Washington County. The survey was written through collaborative sessions between community organizations and stakeholders, and the overall project is a joint effort between Mano en Mano and Colby College. The economic impact study focuses on the valuable financial and entrepreneurial contributions of immigrant workers to the downeast region of Maine.
The report found an approximate economic impact of $1.5 million from the community members surveyed in this study. Considering that this survey represents 35% percent of the Latino population in Washington County, an overall impact of $4 million a year and support for 60 jobs is estimated as the economic contributions of Latino im/migrants in Washington County.

In 2016, The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) released The Economic and Fiscal Consequences of Immigration. The report concludes that throughout the country:

"The estimated GDP growth between 2015 and 2016 from the contributions of immigrant workers amounted to nearly $2 trillion"
"There is little to no negative effects on the wages or overall employment levels of native-born workers. Any negative effects were small and were experienced primarily by other recent immigrants and those who did not graduate high school."

We hope that our economic impact study will contribute to thoughtful and creative discussion on ways in which we can support immigrants and farmworkers so that they may settle and thrive in downeast Maine.

Visit our Community Portraits project to hear from immigrant and farmworker families and individuals about their experiences living in downeast Maine!