The California economy is expected to grow at a robust clip of nearly 6 percent over the next three years.

Sean Snaith, an economist at the University of the Pacific’s Business Forecasting Center, said California’s economy will is growing at a 7 percent pace this year, though growth will slow to 5 percent in 2007, and 5.4 percent by 2008. California is expected to perform far better than the national economy with an expected 3 percent gross domestic product growth during the same period, he said.

Snaith said that while the overall U.S. economy is slowing, a severe downturn in California is unlikely despite higher energy prices and a slowing of the housing market.

The University of the Pacific, based in Stockton, released economic breakdowns of 11 counties in Northern California.