Flint & Genesee Group shows modest gains, urges housing and education focus to reach ‘top 5’ goal

Christina Johnson, chief operating officer of the Flint & Genesee Group, told the Burton City Council on a presentation that Genesee County has moved on several economic indicators but remains short of a stated goal of ranking among Michigan’s top five counties on jobs, talent, livability and equity by 2040.

Johnson said the county has seen wage growth and a reduction in family poverty but flagged weak population inflows and education metrics as key constraints. “Nearly every dashboard metric has green arrows on the scorecard,” she said, and added that “equity needs to be prioritized.”

Forward Together, a countywide initiative the group authored, measures five metrics: average wages, net migration, educational attainment, GDP growth rate and family poverty rate. Johnson said Genesee County’s average wages rose between 2019 and 2023 — with a 6.1% gain she described as the largest among peers — and that the county is “only $257 away” from a top‑five position on that metric, though she cautioned other counties are improving as well.

At the same time, Johnson said Genesee ranks near the bottom on net migration — “77 out of 83 counties” — meaning more people are leaving than arriving. She noted educational attainment for residents over 25 is about 34%, well under statewide goals such as the 60x30 target discussed in Michigan policy circles. Third‑grade reading proficiency, another metric Johnson highlighted, stood near 36.06%.

Johnson urged municipalities to prepare for housing growth, improve infrastructure and support schools to attract and retain talent. “Create great places that attract young workers,” she told council members, and encouraged local governments to coordinate across municipal boundaries because “economic development does not know geographic boundaries.”

Johnson recommended that cities encourage a diversity of housing types, invest in modern commercial spaces and partner with the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance on talent and business attraction. She also offered to provide more granular, community‑level data to any municipality that requests it.

The presentation lasted about 20 minutes and the council did not take any formal action on the report during the meeting. Johnson left materials and a recorded version of the presentation for council members and the public.

Why it matters: Genesee County’s economic and educational trends influence municipal tax bases, school funding and workforce availability for local employers. The Forward Together dashboard is intended to guide long‑term local planning and intermunicipal coordination.