Natural Gas Employees and Spouses Survey Provides a Look at Housing, Shopping, Dining Preferenc

PAGasDirectory recently completed the first survey of over 100 gas workers and their spouses in the Marcellus Shale area. This survey gives insight into the lifestyle preferences of gas industry families as they adjust to living in Pennsylvania.
By: Joe Barone
 
May 4, 2010 - PRLog -- Headline:  First Natural Gas Employees and Spouses Survey Provides a Look at Housing, Shopping, Dining Preferences and much more

It’s a four-bedroom two bath house, ideally new or recent construction.  Shopping would be better with more upscale women’s and home décor/furniture stores.  For dining, it’s Mexican, Mexican and more Mexican.

PAGasDirectory.com recently completed the first survey of over 100 gas workers and their spouses in the Marcellus Shale region.  This survey gives insight into the lifestyle needs and preferences of gas industry families as they adjust to living in Pennsylvania.  The findings also provide demographic information which will help retailers and municipalities better determine how to plan for the changing population in the Marcellus Shale region.

1.   Will the gas workers and their spouses be buying houses?

To date, houses have been purchased by 13% of respondents.  Of those still living in hotels, apartments/condos or rented houses, 40% plan on purchasing a home.  When it comes time to purchase their homes, four bedrooms is the first preference (63%) followed by those with three bedrooms (38%).  

The permanency of the gas workers moving into the area is best summarized by Doug McWhorter, General Manager, ROC Service Company, “The Marcellus Shale natural gas is for real.  I plan on being in Pennsylvania for 10 or 15 year and I’m going retire in Pennsylvania.”

2.   What are they looking for when it comes to shopping?

As more and more workers and their spouses settle down in the Marcellus Shale region, they would like to see more upscale stores in general (59%), Mexican food stores (55%), more home décor and furniture stores (48%), more fashionable women’s stores (44%), boot stores (37%) and western wear stores (30%).

3.   What is their favorite cuisine?

When dining out, their overwhelming choice is Mexican (90%) -- and after Mexican there are number of other favorite cuisines Italian (48%), Southern Cooking (42%), Thai (32%), and Japanese (29%).  These dining out preference demonstrated a sophisticated palate that prefers spicier foods.

4.   What are the most popular leisure time activities?

With very sophisticated palates, the respondents selected dining out as their number one activity (93%), followed closely by sightseeing (87%).  Other activities include going to the movies (70%), watching TV (68%), attending sports events (50%), fishing (40%), and hunting (30%).  Many of the individuals lead active lifestyles.




5.   Who were the participants?

The participants consisted 74% men and 26% women with age ranges of 21-24 years old (10%), 25-34 years old (29%), 35-44 years old (23%), 45-54 (19%), and 55-64 (19%).  Most of the respondents are married (67%).  

The income levels of the participants are much higher than the average salaries in the local areas where they are working and living.  The income ranges are $50,000 to $100,000 (48%), $100,000 to $150,000 (34%), $150,000 to $200,000 (14%) and over $200,000 (3%).  Over 80% percent of the respondents had schooling beyond high school which include some college (45%), a college degree (29%) or an advanced degree (7%).

When asked, “What is the one thing that could make your adjustment to living in Pennsylvania easier?”   number of respondents commented on “ better shopping hours” and “better housing.”  Another perspective shared by respondents is best captured in this comment, “I have traveled and worked all over the world. Williamsport is the 27th place that I have lived in my life. Having 35 years in the Oil & Gas industry I have worked in a lot of places, some good and some not so good. I really enjoy living in this area. The people are friendly and the area is beautiful.”    

The survey also includes lifestyle areas such as banking, financial planning, health insurance, children and their schooling.

“This is the first survey of natural gas employees and their spouses which will help businesses throughout Pennsylvania generate incremental revenue by serving the needs of this new market” commented Joe Barone, president of PAGasDirectory.com.

PAGasDirectory.com engaged The Melior Group, one of Pennsylvania’s leading full service marketing research and consulting companies, to work with it on the analysis of the survey’s results.

The complete survey and its results can be found on PAGasDirectory.com’s web site.  www.pagasdirectory.com

PAGasDirectory.com is the leading online directory that connects the natural gas industry with local Pennsylvania businesses.  The directory has over 116,000 Pennsylvania businesses organized on a county by county in the 53 counties in the Marcellus Shale area.  It is the web site where gas workers, their spouses, and families find local Pennsylvania businesses.  
For more information about the web site, contact Joe Barone, 610.764.1232 or jbarone@pagasdirectory.com  or visit http://www.pagasdirectory.com
End
Source:Joe Barone
Email:***@pagasdirectory.com Email Verified
Tags:Natural Gas, Survey, Marcellus Shale Region, Gas Workers, Gas Industry, Population, Local Buisness, Pagas Directory
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