Mike Barry, controller at Wrex Products, a plastics injection molding and die cast operation, agrees, "There's a big equation out there and it doesn't take long to figure it out. For instance, how many hours do you spend commuting? You have to factor it all in."

People are happier and more settled in their jobs, which equates to a stronger work ethic and lower turnover rates.

"I can bring almost any job to Butte County and fill the position from the existing labor force," says Blue Shield's Northern California HR Director Carol Linscheid. The insurance company located a service center in the community.

Butte County agribusiness is also thriving. Prime examples are: Blue Diamond Almond; Pacific Coast Producers; Sierra Pacific Packaging; Smucker's Quality Beverages; rice producer Lundberg Family Farms; prune processor Rio Pluma Company, LLC, and Grey Fox Vineyards who found the perfect soil and land price. Though proximity to raw products makes the location a natural fit, these companies have discovered other advantages to having a Butte County address.

Driven out of the Santa Clara Valley by the wave of high-tech industries, Rio Pluma CEO Eric Heitman found the perfect relocation site at an existing plant in Butte County.

Heitman was amazed by the employment base. "We didn't even advertise," says Heitman. "We posted a flier on the front door and within three days we had 454 applications."

Butte County's Lundberg Family Farms has become a major player in the natural foods market. Throughout its growth, the company has found qualified employees. "The area's standard of living helps us maintain a quality work force," says CEO Grant Lundberg.