This document provides a summary of a laborshed analysis for Pocahontas County. The laborshed area includes over 36,000 people in the potential labor force. Of those, about 9,500 are likely or somewhat likely to change or accept new employment. The analysis examines underemployment, willingness to commute, current and desired occupations, and more. It finds that the largest percentage of currently employed individuals work in education, health care, manufacturing, retail, or government jobs. Most identify online job search sites, newspapers, and networking as their top methods for finding work.

1. Pocahontas · Fonda · Gilmore City · Havelock · Laurens · Palmer · Plover · Rolfe · Varina
LABORSHED ANALYSIS
Released January 2011
A Study of Workforce Characteristics
POCAHONTAS COUNTY

2. Laborshed Studies
A Laborshed is defined as the area or region from which an employment center draws its commuting workers. To
determine the approximate boundaries of the Pocahontas County Laborshed area, local employers supplied the ZIP code
listings of where each of their employees reside. This Laborshed analysis addresses underemployment, the availability and
willingness of current and prospective employees to change employment within the workforce, current and desired
occupations, wages, hours worked, and distance willing to commute to work. See contact information on back.
Quick Facts
Total Potential Labor Force: 36,963 (entire Laborshed Area) (Employed - willing to change employment)
Estimated Number of Individuals Very Likely or Somewhat Likely to  14.5% are working multiple jobs
Change or Accept Employment (9,505)
 Currently working an average of 45 hours per
week
 Average age is 49 years old
Employed  21.7% currently working within the production,
7,844 Unemployed
416 construction, & material handling occupational
category followed by 20.5% within both the
managerial and professional,
Homemakers paraprofessional, & technical occupational
933
categories
 Most frequently identified job search sources:
Retired
 Internet
312
www.iowaworkforce.org
www.google.com
www.careerbuilder.com
 Local/Regional newspapers
The Messenger - Fort Dodge
Employment Status: The Des Moines Register
 77.8% Employed Pocahontas Record-Democrat
 9.6% Unemployed  Local Iowa Workforce Development
 4.9% Homemakers, Not Employed Centers
 7.7% Retired  Networking through friends, family, and
acquaintances
Underemployment
The underemployed are composed of individuals who are working fewer than 35 hours per week but desire more hours;
who are working at wages equal to or less than the national poverty level; and/or who are working in positions that do not
meet their skill or education levels, or worked for higher wages at previous employment.
 1.0% Inadequate hours (78 people)
 2.7% Mismatch of skills (212 people)
 0.7% Low income (55 people)
 3.7% Total estimated underemployment (290 people)
Individuals may be underemployed for more than one reason, but are counted only once for total estimated underemployment.
Industrial Classification of the Employed
% of # of
Industry
Laborshed Employed
Education 19.2% 5,521
Health Care & Social Services 16.9% 4,860 Survey respondents from the Pocahontas
County Laborshed area were asked to
Manufacturing 12.2% 3,508
identify the industry in which they are
Wholesale & Retail Trade 12.2% 3,508 currently working. The largest
Public Administration & Government 11.8% 3,393 concentration of workers are employed in
Transportation, Communication, & Utilities 7.5% 2,157 the education industry as shown in the
Professional Services 6.3% 1,812 table at left.
Finance, Insurance, & Real Estate 5.5% 1,582
Personal Services 3.0% 863
Agriculture 3.0% 863
Construction 2.0% 575
Entertainment & Recreation 0.4% 115

3. Pocahontas County Commuting Area
OSCEOLA DICKINSON
OSCEOLA EMMET
Area Shown DICKINSON EMMET
Legend
WINNEBAGO
WINNEBAGO
WORTH
WORTH
Commuting Statistics
_
[ Pocahontas
KOSSUTH
KOSSUTH Interstate The map at the left represents commuting
t
u
OBRIEN
OBRIEN CLAY
CLAY PALO ALTO
PALO ALTO
Emmetsburg
Emmetsburg
t
u18
18 HANCOCK
HANCOCK CERRO GORDO
patterns into Pocahontas with the
4-Lane Highway CERRO GORDO
t
u concentration per ZIP code represented in the
t
u 71
71 Whittemore
t
u US Highways legend.
Mallard Whittemore
t
u
Mallard
t
59
59 West Bend
West Bend
State Highways
u
t
u 69
69
Those who are willing to change/accept
Marathon
Marathon Plover Ottosen
Plover Ottosen
Havelock
Laurens
Havelock
Rolfe Iowa County
employment in the Pocahontas County
Laurens Rolfe
Albert City
Albert City Bradgate Rutland
Bradgate Rutland
CHEROKEE
CHEROKEE BUENA VISTA
BUENA VISTA
_
[
_
[
POCAHONTAS
POCAHONTAS
HUMBOLDT
HUMBOLDT
WRIGHT
WRIGHT FRANKLIN
Laborshed area are willing to commute an
Pocahontas Dakota City FRANKLIN
Storm Lake
Storm Lake
Pocahontas
Gilmore City
Gilmore City
Dakota City
Humboldt
Humboldt
average of 23 miles one way for employment
Newell
Newell
Fonda
Fonda Palmer
Palmer
Clare
opportunities.
Clare
Pomeroy Pomeroy Manson
Pomeroy Pomeroy Barnum Fort Dodge
Manson Barnum Fort Dodge HARDIN
HARDIN
Sac City
WOODBURY Sac City
WOODBURY
WEBSTER
t
u
WEBSTER
IDA
IDA SAC
SAC CALHOUN
CALHOUN
Rockwell City
Rockwell City t
u 20
20
Commuter Concentration HAMILTON
HAMILTON
by Place of Residence (per ZIP Code)
Zone 3 (1 - 10)
Zone 2 (11 - 20)
CRAWFORD CARROLL
CRAWFORD GREENE BOONE STORY
10 Mile Radius Between Rings CARROLL GREENE Zone 1 (21 - 222)
BOONE STORY
Benefits Currently Offered
Health/Medical The survey provides the respondents an
90.9%
Pension/Retirement opportunity to identify employment benefits
Paid Vacation they currently are offered. The chart at left
Dental Coverage provides the percentage of responses from
Paid Sick Leave those that are currently employed. The top
61.8%
Life Insurance nine benefits are shown.
Vision Coverage
Paid Holidays The majority (68.9%) of respondents state
39.8%
Disability Insurance they are currently sharing the cost of
31.5% health/medical insurance premiums with
21.3% their employer. However, 24.6 percent
18.1%
14.6% 13.0% indicate their employer pays the entire cost
11.4%
of insurance premiums.
Education and Median Wage Characteristics by Industry
Education Median Wages
Some Level Undergraduate Salary Non-Salary
Industry Associate
Beyond High Degree or Wages Wages
Degree
School Higher (per year) (per hour)
Agriculture * * * * *
Construction * * * * *
Manufacturing 64.3% 11.9% 30.9% $50,000 $13.00
Transportation, Communication, & Utilities 78.6% 28.6% 25.0% $60,000 $21.50
Wholesale & Retail Trade 73.8% 19.0% 14.3% $45,000 $9.78
Finance, Insurance, & Real Estate 78.6% 0.0% 57.1% $39,000 *
Health Care & Social Services 81.5% 35.2% 20.4% $86,000 $12.75
Personal Services 77.8% 0.0% 44.4% $40,250 *
Entertainment & Recreation * * * * *
Professional Services 84.2% 36.8% 10.6% * $12.00
Public Administration & Government 73.0% 18.9% 27.0% $47,500 $18.61
Education 91.9% 6.5% 75.7% $49,000 $11.13
This table includes all respondents without consideration of employment status or willingness to change/enter employment.
*Insufficient survey data/refused

4. Unemployed - Those Willing to Enter/Re-enter Employment
 An estimated 416 unemployed individuals are willing to accept
employment 60.9%
 Average age is 46 years old
58.3% are female; 41.7% are male
Internet

 Education:
 70.8% have an education beyond high school
 8.3% are trade certified
Unemployed Job Search Sources
 16.7% have an associate degree
 29.2% have an undergraduate degree
 Estimated wage range to attract the upper 66-75% qualified hourly wage 43.5% 43.5%
applicants is $10.00 to $12.00/hr. with a median of the lowest wage of
Private Employment Services
Local Newspapers
Local IWD Offices
$10.00
 Willing to commute an average of 20 miles one way for the right
opportunity
Regional Newspapers
 87.0% expressed interest in temporary and 60.9% in seasonal
employment opportunities
 47.8% expressed interest in working varied shifts (2nd, 3rd & split) 26.1%
 Would prefer to enter employment that offers the following benefits:
 Health/medical insurance
Networking
 Pension/retirement options
 Paid vacation 17.4% 17.4%
 Dental coverage
 Paid holidays
 Disability insurance
 Life insurance
 Vision coverage
 Paid sick leave
 55.0% indicated they are seeking employment offers where the
employer/employee share the cost of medical insurance premiums.
Sponsored in Partnership with
For more information regarding the PocahontasCounty Laborshed Analysis, contact:
Pocahontas County Economic Development Commission
P.O. Box 212
Pocahontas, IA 50574
Phone: 712-335-3935
E-mail: pcedc@evertek.net
www.pocahontas-county.com
This information is analyzed and compiled by the
Iowa Workforce Development
Labor Market & Workforce Information Division
Regional Research & Analysis Bureau
1000 E. Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50319
(515) 281-7505
www.iowaworkforce.org