COMPARING THE IMPACTS OF RETIREE VERSUS WORKING-AGE FAMILIES ON A SMALL RURAL REGION: AN APPLICATION OF THE WISCONSIN ECONOMIC IMPACT MODELING SYSTEM

The Wisconsin Economic Impact Modeling System, a conjoined input-output/econometric model of Wisconsin counties, is used to simulate the economic and fiscal impact of two alternative residential development patterns. Under the first scenario, the impact of migrating retirees on a small tri-county region in northern Wisconsin is examined. Under the second scenario, the impact of the migration of younger families with children is examined. A comparison-contrast between the two scenarios demonstrates that the characteristics of the migrating household can have a significant impact on the nature of the impacts.