Analyst: Health care to ascend to top industry

Jeremy Aguero

Sunday, Dec. 27, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Jeremy Aguero

By the year 2020, the hospitality and tourism market will no longer represent our top industry. Health care will likely surpass it in size.

Nevada will again be the leader in terms of population growth, but it won’t be Clark County leading the surge. Investments in solar and renewable energy in rural parts of the state will mean smaller communities growing at a more substantial pace than Southern Nevada.

The next decade will be a major crossroads for the Hispanic community. They will not only be the largest ethnic group by population, but also represent the largest bloc of voters. Our local and state elected officials, along with our congressional delegation, will reflect more of that diversity than they do today.

Nevada will restructure its education system altogether. By the time we get to 2020, summer vacations and even track breaks will no longer exist. Portions of the Clark County School District will likely be privatized, including core services such as transportation and daily operation of individual campuses. There’s also potential for countywide services, such as fire protection, to be privatized.

The fastest growing segment of our population will be seniors. Over the next 50 years, 50 million people will turn 65. Seniors nationwide will be remarkably mobile and the competition for them will be great. Nevada will be well positioned to attract those new residents.

I’m absolutely optimistic about the next 10 years.

Jeremy Aguero is an expert in economic analysis, and the principal of consulting firm Applied Analysis.