Haas Center
The UWF Haas Center supports the region with workforce and survey research, economic impact modeling, and industrial innovation. We partner with UWF students, faculty, and external experts to deliver optimal results to our customers.
This graph illustrates the median price of single-family homes in select Northwest Florida counties, reflecting housing costs over time and geography. In 2005-2006, high prices were driven by strong demand and easy access to housing-related credit. The 2007-2009 Housing Market Recession, marked by tighter credit restrictions, caused demand and prices to decline. From the late 2010s into the 2020s, prices surged again, easing slightly in 2024. These fluctuations correspond to changes in credit accessibility, as shown by the Mortgage Credit Availability Index and CoreLogic’s debt-to-income loan metrics. The prevalence of adjustable-rate mortgages significantly influenced the price trends from 2000 to 2011. Housing Finance at a Glance
Haas Center, an EDA University Center
The Haas Center is recognized by the U.S. Economic Development Administration as an EDA University Center - one of two in the state of Florida. As such, the UWF Haas Center works to promote employment in product design among Florida veterans and under-resourced businesses and startups. The team provides services across the state with a primary location in the historic business district of downtown Pensacola, FL.
UWF Athletics Economic Impact
The UWF leadership team tasked the Haas Center with estimating the total economic impact of UWF Athletics on Escambia County, including contributions from football-related activities. The analysis also projects the economic impact associated with constructing the $85.0 million multi-use outdoor facility. All values are presented in constant dollars, and employment related to athletic staff and program growth is shown as an annual average unless stated otherwise. Download the report to learn more.
Pensacola Residents Show Strong Support for City's Direction
The City of Pensacola has released the results of its resident satisfaction survey conducted by the University of West Florida’s Haas Center. 1,504 city residents completed the online survey. The city continues its effort to gauge satisfaction with various city services and determine residents’ top priorities for their city. This data will be used to identify budget priorities and improvement areas to provide residents with high-quality services.
Mayor D.C. Reeves appreciated resident feedback, saying, “This survey provides valuable insights that will help guide city priorities and decision-making. I have been clear that I appreciate the data surveys like this give us. Hearing directly from our residents allows us to improve public services, and ensures Pensacola remains a great place to live, work, and visit.”
The survey reveals that 70% of respondents believe the city is moving in the right direction, an increase from 67% in 2023.
Download ReportSRIA 2024 Report
The Santa Rosa Island Authority 2024 Visitor Survey polled different types of tourists that visited Pensacola Beach over the last year. The survey gathered valuable insight on the preferences, opinions, spending patterns and overall economic impact of tourism in Pensacola Beach.
Download ReportCHNA 2025 Report
Every three years, community organizations in Escambia County and Santa Rosa County work collaboratively on a two-step process to understand and respond to health problems within our community. The first phase of this process involves identifying local health issues and resources through a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA). The second phase will outline the actions that the community will take to improve the health status of residents.
This is the seventh iteration of the Community Health Needs Assessment that has been conducted for the ‘EscaRosa’ community over a 30-year period. The AHER collaborative will continue to conduct the needs assessment every three years in an effort to assess progress and direct actions toward meeting the vision of every EscaRosa resident living well and thriving.
High Demand Occupations in Florida's Eight Westernmost Counties
This annual report provides insights on projected growth in high demand occupations between 2022 and 2027. Researchers at the University of West Florida (UWF) Haas Center examined 22 occupational areas and compared regional performance with the state and the nation. We ranked each occupation by median earnings and growth rates spanning five years. Next, we described the top 10 occupational categories with higher-than-median earnings, as well as job growth across the eight westernmost counties in Florida. Lastly, we listed employer demand pertaining to the skills most requested in job postings.
Support the Haas Center
We rely on funded research and donations to cover the cost of custom research products. Please consider investing in community research by partnering with the UWF Haas Center on grants and contracts or by donating to the Haas Center's UWF Foundation account. Choose "Haas Center" under the 'Select the Designation' drop-down menu.