Student Research Summarizes Local Economic Conditions

With their permission, I have added 22 co-authors to my column this week. My Principles of Macroeconomics students have just wrapped up a research project, and their findings are worth sharing here.

They produced a 2026 Coastal Georgia Beige Book. The Federal Reserve publishes their Beige Book 8 times each year. It contains qualitative summaries of economic conditions in each of the Fed’s 12 districts, organized by market sector within each District.

My students were divided into 7 teams, each assigned one sector of our local economy: Retail, Hospitality, Construction and Real Estate, Transportation and Logistics, Banking and Finance, and Nonprofit. Groups identified firms or organizations in their sector in Glynn, McIntosh, and Camden Counties. They spent two weeks visiting managers, owners, or directors of those organizations to request participation in a survey. The survey included questions about product demand, labor market conditions, and business activity, comparing the present to the recent past and to expectations for the near future. Sixty-one local leaders responded to our survey. Thank you!

The students produced the following summary of their findings, reflecting local economic conditions prior to the beginning of U.S. combat operations in Iran.

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Summary of Economic Activity. Economic activity in Coastal Georgia increased at a moderate pace during the reporting period. Employment levels were largely stable, though contacts in the nonprofit sector reported plans to reduce paid staff and increase reliance on volunteers. Wages were flat, even as purchasing power declined slightly. Retail sales increased modestly, and hospitality activity remained generally stable. However, contacts in these sectors expected demand to rise in coming months due to seasonal factors. The market for residential real estate remained strong, supported by declining mortgage interest rates and an uptick in new construction. Transportation and logistics activity in the region was flat to slightly declining, while the manufacturing sector showed signs of expansion during the reporting period. Overall, the financial sector experienced a period of expansion, despite reports that delinquencies are on the rise. Nonprofit organizations reported budget pressures amid increasing demand for their services.

Labor Markets. Employment levels in Coastal Georgia were largely flat during the reporting period. A few contacts reported recent reductions in permanent staff, while a growing number of firms reported plans to increase head count. About half of contacts reported difficulty finding qualified workers. On balance, wages remained unchanged in the region, and only a small number of firms reported plans to raise wages in the coming period.

Prices. Prices in the region increased slightly during the reporting period, with regional price growth remaining below the national average. Contacts in the retail, hospitality, and transportation and logistics sectors reported increased use of discounts and incentives to encourage consumer spending.

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Through this project, students learned about our local economy and the types of data the Fed uses to inform economic policy. They also developed research, writing, and presentation skills they will use as future business leaders. Before distributing surveys, students completed training in the ethical conduct of research. Afterwards, we spent time in class analyzing the survey data, calculating diffusion indexes to indicate contraction or expansion in each sector over the reported time periods. Dr. Jennifer Gray, Director of the Writing Center at CCGA, led us in a workshop to understand and practice writing in Beige Book style. Dr. Mary McGinnis, Director of CCGA’s ENDEAVOR Center for High Impact Practices, taught students how to create posters to present their work at the ENDEAVOR Conference, which was held on campus last Friday. To view our research posters and download a complete copy of the 2026 Coastal Georgia Beige Book, go to bit.ly/CoastalBeigeBook.

My Co-authors: Thad Burns, Amy Canseco, Taegan Elium, Madison Fink, Alex Flores-Lopez, Luke Frisbee, Jaime Gaona, Michaela Godwin, Giselle Heetland, Lyla Johnson, Aaron Logan, Jaden Meyer, Logan Mobley, Elliott, Maritza Morales, Lei Nonu, Lupe Nonu, Philip Paradise, Dawson Parke, Nora Stephens, Emma Williams, Evan Worst.

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Dr. Melissa Trussell is a professor in the School of Business and Public Management at College of Coastal Georgia who works with the college’s Reg Murphy Center for Economic and Policy Studies. Contact her at mtrussell@ccga.edu. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the College of Coastal Georgia.