The document provides demographic, economic, and labor market data for Jackson County, Indiana from various sources. It shows that from 2000-2013 the population grew 5% to over 43,000 people, driven by natural increase and international migration. The number of establishments increased 33% during this period, with most growth coming from new businesses. Manufacturing is the top industry, employing over 6,000, though transportation and warehousing jobs declined 33%. Educational attainment improved but still lags the state average.

1. Data SnapShot Series 1.1
May 2015
DATA SNAPSHOT
Jackson County

2. 2
Hometown Collaboration Initiative
This report has been produced by the Purdue Center for Regional
Development as a part of the Indiana Hometown Collaboration Initiative
(HCI). HCI is funded, in part, by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural
Affairs.

3. Table of contents
Introduction
01
Demography
02
Economy
03
Labor Market
04

4. Purpose
About Jackson County
01
introduction

5. 5
Purpose
This document provides information
and data about Jackson County that
can be used to guide local decision-
making activities.
The Data SnapShot showcases a variety
of demographic, economic and labor
market information that local leaders,
community organizations and others can
use to gain a better perspective on
current conditions and opportunities in
their county.
To strengthen the value and usability of
the information, we showcase the data
using a variety of visual tools, such as
charts, graphs and tables. In addition, we
offer key points about the data as a way
of assisting the user with the interpretation
of the information presented.
Finally, short takeaway messages are
offered at the end of each section in order
to highlight some of the more salient
findings.
Introduction
section 01

6. 6
About Jackson County
Introduction
section 01
County Background
Established 1816
County
Seat
Brownstown
Area 514 sq. mi.
Neighboring
Counties
Bartholomew, IN
Brown, IN
Jennings, IN
Lawrence, IN
Monroe, IN
Scott, IN
Washington, IN

7. Population change
Population pyramids
Race
Ethnicity
Educational attainment
Takeaways
02
demograph
y

8. 8
41,335
42,376
43,466 43,548
Population change
Components of Population Change, 2000-
2013
TotalChange 2,865*
Natural Increase 2,219
International Migration 1,359
Domestic Migration -500
The total population is
projected to remain
about the same
between 2013 and
2020.
Demography
Sources: STATSIndiana, U.S. Census Bureau – 2000 Decennial Census, 2010 Decennial Census, 2013 Estimates, Estimates of the Components of Resident Population Change
section 02
The total population increased by 5 percent between 2000
and 2013.The major contributor to that expansion was
natural increase (births minus deaths over that span of time)
with a net growth of over 2,200 persons.
Data on domestic migration (the difference between the
number of people moving into the county versus moving
out) show that out-migration outpaced in-migration by more
than 500 people. On the other hand, international migration
had a net increase of 1,300, indicating that the county
experienced an influx of new people from outside the U.S.
Total population
projections
2000 2010 2013 2020
*Total change in population differs from the sum of the components due to Census estimation techniques. Residuals (not reported here) make up the difference.

9. 9
6.8%
6.7%
6.1%
6.7%
7.0%
7.1%
5.1%
3.0%
1.3%
6.4%
6.3%
5.8%
6.4%
6.6%
7.2%
5.5%
3.5%
2.5%
9 6 3 0 3 6 9
0-9
10-19
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70-79
80+
Percent of Total PopulationAgeCohort
7.5%
6.9%
7.0%
7.7%
7.5%
5.5%
3.8%
2.4%
1.0%
6.8%
6.8%
6.3%
7.5%
7.2%
5.7%
4.2%
3.5%
2.6%
9 6 3 0 3 6 9
0-9
10-19
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
60-69
70-79
80+
Percent of Total Population
AgeCohort
Population pyramids
Population pyramids are visual representations of the age distribution of the population by
gender.
Approximately 50.7 percent of the population was female
in 2000 (20,949 people) and that percentage remained
about the same in 2013.What did change is the distribution
of people across the various age categories.A larger share
of people shifted into the higher age groupings over the
2000 to 2013 time period.
Demography
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 2000 Decennial Census and 2013 Annual Population Estimates
section 02
In particular, people 60 and over swelled from 7.2% to 9.4%
for males and from 10.3% to 11.5% for females between
2000 and 2013. Individuals of prime working age -- 20-49
years old -- dipped from 22.2% to 19.8% for males and from
21.1% to 18.8% for females. Also declining were the
percentage of residents under 20 years of age.
Male Female
20132000
Male Female

10. 10
White
96%
Other
4%
Black
Asian
Native
Two or More
Races
White
98%
Other
2%
Black
Asian
Native
Two or More
Races
Race
The number of non-White
residents in Jackson County
increased by two percentage
points between 2000 and 2013.
While every race experienced a
numerical increase, the number of
individuals classified asAsian or of
Two or More Races increased,
fueling the doubling of the percent
of residents classified as non-White
between 2000 and 2013.
Demography
Race Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 2000 Decennial Census and 2013 Annual Population Estimates
section 02
2000
2013

11. 11
Ethnicity
Hispanics are individuals of any
race whose ancestry is from
Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba,
Spain, the Dominican Republic
or any other Spanish-speaking
Central or South American
country.
There were 1,112 Hispanics residing
in Jackson County in 2000.This
figure expanded to 2,697 by 2013, a
142.5 percent increase.
As a result, Hispanics now make up
6 percent of the overall population,
a significant increase since 2000.
Demography
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 2000 Decennial Census and 2013 Annual Population Estimates
section 02
6%
3%
Hispanics - 2000
Hispanics - 2013

12. 12
No High
School, 14%
High School,
47%
Some
College,
18%
Associate's
Degree, 7%
Bachelor's
Degree or
More, 14%
No High
School, 20%
High School,
47%
Some
College, 17%
Associate's
Degree, 5%
Bachelor's
Degree or
More, 11%
Educational attainment
Jackson County had a 5 percentage point
increase between 2000 and 2013 in the
proportion of adults (25 and older) with an
associate’s, bachelor’s, or graduate degree.
The proportion of adults 25 years of age and older
with a high school education or more improved
from 80 percent in 2000 to 86 percent by 2013.
Those with only a high school degree remained at
the 47 percent level in
both 2000 and 2013.
Adults with an associate’s degree grew by 2
percentage points from 2000 to 2013 (5 percent
versus 7 percent), while the proportion with a
college degree or more increased from 11 percent
to 14 percent over that same time period. While
educational attainment is improving in Jackson
County, the number of adults with associate’s
degrees or higher continues to lag behind the
Indiana
rate of 32 percent.
Demography
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 2000 Decennial Census and 2013 ACS
section 02
2000
2013

13. 13
Takeaways
The population of Jackson County has
experienced growth since 2000 and that growth
has been fueled largely by two factors: natural
increase and international migration.These two
factors compensated for the loss of population
due to net migration (more people who moved
out of the county for other counties in Indiana or
other U.S. locations than moved into the county).
In examining the composition of Jackson County,
one finds that a larger share of the population is
now 50 years of age and over. As such, the
number of men and women of prime working age
(20-29, 30-39 and 40-49) is slowly declining.
Furthermore, the county is becoming more
diverse as a result of the growth of the Hispanic
population.
The educational attainment of adults 25 and over
has improved since 2000, but the
percentage of adults with a high school education
remains sizable (at 47 percent).Taking time to
assess whether local economic development
opportunities might be impeded by the presence of
a sizable number of adults with a terminal high
school degree may be worthy of attention.While
one in five adult residents of the county have an
associate’s, bachelor’s or higher degree, this figure
is about 11 percent below the figure for the state of
Indiana as a whole.
Jackson County may wish to assess the
workforce skills of workers with a high school
education only. Enhancing their skills so that
they match the needs of local businesses and
industries may be a worthy investment.
Demography
section 02

14. Establishments
Industries
Occupations
Income and poverty
Takeaways
03
economy

15. 15
Establishments
Components of Change for Establishments
Total Change (2000-11) 780
Natural Change (births minus
deaths)
778
Net Migration 2
The number of establishments in Jackson
County increased 33 percent from 2000 to
2011.
The rapid growth of establishments was largely due
to natural change. In particular, 2,723
establishments were launched in the county
between 2000-2011 while 1,945 closed, resulting in
a gain of 778 establishments.There was only a gain
of two establishments due to net migration.
Economy
Source: National Establishment Time Series (NETS) – 2012 Database
section 03
An establishment is a
physical business location.
Branches, standalones and
headquarters are all
considered types of
establishments.
Definition of Company
Stages
0 1
2 3
4
Self-
employed
2-9
employees
10-99
employees
100-499
employees
500+
employees
Note: The 2011 figures use 2012 data to include all gains and losses over the entire year. Establishment
information was calculated in-house and may differ slightly from publicly available data.

16. 16
Number of establishments by
stage/employment category
Economy
Source: National Establishment Time Series (NETS) – 2012 Database
section 03
2000 2011
Stage Establishments Proportion Establishments Proportion
Stage 0 654 28% 993 32%
Stage 1 1,343 57% 1,787 57%
Stage 2 304 13% 311 10%
Stage 3 36 2% 28 1%
Stage 4 6 0% 4* 0%
Total 2,343 100% 3,123 100%
Note: The 2011 figures use 2012 data to include all gains and losses over the entire year.
The NETS Database is derived from the Dun & Bradstreet archival national establishment data, a population of known establishments in
the United States that is quality controlled and updated annually. Establishments include both private and public sector business units and
range in size from one employee (i.e., sole-proprietors and self-employed) to several thousand employees.
*ReferenceUSA and NETS both record four Stage 4 establishments. Additional
information is available on the next slide.

17. 17
Top five employers in 2015
Economy
Source: ReferenceUSA (Infogroup) and Purdue Extension Community Development Southwest Regional Office
section 03
Establishment Stage
1. Aisin USA Manufacturing Inc. Stage 4
2. Valeo Sylvania Stage 4
3. Walmart DistributionCenter Stage 4
4. Cummins EngineCompany Stage 4
5. Walmart Supercenter Stage 3
The top five employers produce
primarily national and global goods and
services.
Aisin USA Manufacturing in Seymour is the
largest establishment-level employer in
Jackson County.
Three of the largest employers in Jackson
County are involved in the manufacturing or
supply of motor vehicle parts and industrial
machinery.TheWalmart Supercenter is the
only top employer that serves the local
population.
Information on the top five establishments by employment comes from ReferenceUSA. ReferenceUSA is a library database service provided
by Infogroup, the company that also supplies the list of major employers for Hoosiers by the Numbers. While both NETS and ReferenceUSA
contain establishments, differences in data collection processes result in discrepancies between the two sources. We use NETS for a broad
picture of establishments in the county, while ReferenceUSA is used for studying individual establishments.

18. 18
Number of jobs by stage/employment
category
Economy
Source: National Establishment Time Series (NETS) – 2012 Database
section 03
2000 2011
Stage Jobs* Proportion Jobs* Proportion
Stage 0 654 3% 993 4%
Stage 1 4,831 20% 5,553 24%
Stage 2 7,801 33% 7,877 35%
Stage 3 5,904 25% 4,929 22%
Stage 4 4,438 19% 3,300 15%
Total 23,628 100% 22,652 100%
Note: The 2011 figures use 2012 data to include all gains and losses over the entire year.
*Includes both full-time and part-time jobs

19. 19
Amount of sales (2011 dollars) by
stage/employment category
Economy
Source: National Establishment Time Series (NETS) – 2012 Database
section 03
2000 2011
Stage Sales Proportion Sales Proportion
Stage 0 $74,664,328 2% $64,158,834 2%
Stage 1 $587,069,231 17% $567,922,886 19%
Stage 2 $977,960,387 29% $789,731,359 26%
Stage 3 $859,248,312 25% $1,201,083,864 39%
Stage 4 $894,126,170 27% $435,380,496 14%
Total $3,393,068,427 100% $3,058,277,439 100%
Note: The 2011 figures use 2012 data to include all gains and losses over the entire year.

20. 20
Manufacturing
24.9%
Government
12.1%
Retail Trade
10.9%
Transportation &
Warehousing
7.3%
Accommodation &
Food Services
6.5%
All Other
Industries
38.3%
Top five industries in 2013
61.7 percent of jobs are tied to
one of the top five industries in
Jackson County.
Manufacturing is the largest industry
sector (6,186 jobs). Accommodation &
Food Services is the smallest of the top
industry sectors with 1,626 jobs.
Of the top five industries in Jackson
County, Government (+14.1 percent) and
Accommodation & Food Services (+13.2
percent) gained jobs between 2002 and
2013. Of the other three top five
industries,Transportation &
Warehousing lost the most, with a 32.9
percent decrease in jobs.
Economy
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) – 2014.3 – QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self-Employed, and Extended Proprietors
section 03

21. 21
Industry distribution and change
NAICS
Code
Description
Jobs
2002
Jobs
2013
Change
(2002-2013)
% Change
(2002-2013)
Average Total
Earnings
2013
11 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting 1,202 1,482 280 23% $33,527
21 Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction 163 38 -125 -77% $156,947
22 Utilities 129 115 -14 -11% $91,265
23 Construction 1,384 994 -390 -28% $36,593
31-33 Manufacturing 6,745 6,186 -559 -8% $61,783
42 Wholesale Trade 526 710 184 35% $50,218
44-45 Retail Trade 2,956 2,719 -237 -8% $25,231
48-49 Transportation & Warehousing 2,689 1,804 -885 -33% $55,949
51 Information 149 123 -26 -17% $34,047
52 Finance & Insurance 574 705 131 23% $38,839
53 Real Estate & Rental & Leasing 500 623 123 25% $25,717
54 Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 628 518 -110 -18% $32,142
55 Management of Companies and Enterprises 167 123 -44 -26% $75,489
56 Administrative & Waste Management 626 1,291 665 106% $25,050
61 Educational Services (Private) 143 156 13 9% $13,991
62 Health Care & Social Assistance 1,246 1,367 121 10% $36,430
71 Arts, Entertainment & Recreation 196 256 60 31% $14,509
72 Accommodation and Food Services 1,436 1,626 190 13% $15,690
81 Other Services (except Public Administration) 1,172 1,031 -141 -12% $18,881
90 Government 2,639 3,011 372 14% $54,066
99 Unclassified Industry <10 0 <10 100% $0
All Total 25,269 24,877 -392 -2% $42,817
Economy
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) – 2014.3 – QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self-Employed, and Extended Proprietors
section 03
Note: Average total earnings include wages, salaries, supplements and earnings from investments and proprietorships.

22. 22
Industry distribution and change
The largest percentage gains in
employment in Jackson County
occurred in:
 Administrative, Support,Waste
Management, and Remediation
Services (+106.2 percent)
 WholesaleTrade (+35.0 percent)
The largest percentage losses in
employment occurred in:
 Mining,Quarrying, andOil and Gas
Extraction (-76.7 percent)
 Transportation andWarehousing
(-32.9 percent)
Economy
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) – 2014.3 – QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self-Employed, and Extended Proprietors
section 03
Employment Increase Employment Decrease
Industries with the largest gains and losses
in employment numbers between 2002 &
2013:
Administrative &
Waste Management
(+665)
Government
(+372)
Agriculture &
Forestry
(+280)
Transportation &
Warehousing
(-885)
Manufacturing
(-559)
Construction
(-390)

23. 23
Production
16.8%
Transportation &
Material Moving
11.0%
Sales & Related
10.8%
Office &
Administrative
Support
10.5%
Management
7.6%
All Other
Occupations
43.3%
Top five occupations in 2013
The top five occupations in
Jackson County represent 56.7
percent of all jobs.
Production (4,184 jobs) and
Transportation & Material Moving (2,747
jobs) are the top two occupations in
Jackson County. Management is the
smallest of the top five occupations with
1,896 jobs.
All five top occupations in Jackson
County had a decrease in jobs between
2002 and 2013. However, Transportation
& Material Moving experienced the
largest drop (-18.0 percent), while
Management suffered the smallest
decline (-0.6 percent).
Economy
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) – 2014.3 – QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self-Employed, and Extended Proprietors
section 03

24. 24
SOC Description
Jobs
2002
Jobs
2013
Change
(2002-2013)
% Change
(2002-2013)
Hourly
Earnings 2013
11 Management 1,907 1,896 -11 -1% $24.53
13 Business & Financial Operations 726 729 3 0% $24.89
15 Computer & Mathematical 224 168 -56 -25% $25.62
17 Architecture & Engineering 568 684 116 20% $33.46
19 Life, Physical & Social Science 85 97 12 14% $26.97
21 Community & Social Service 190 209 19 10% $18.43
23 Legal 72 61 -11 -15% $31.15
25 Education, Training & Library 693 852 159 23% $19.71
27 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports & Media 368 362 -6 -2% $14.33
29 Health Care Practitioners & Technical 823 995 172 21% $28.79
31 Health Care Support 448 525 77 17% $12.09
33 Protective Service 225 227 2 1% $17.48
35 Food Preparation & Serving Related 1,401 1,594 193 14% $9.61
37 Building & Grounds Cleaning Maintenance 648 730 82 13% $10.67
39 Personal Care & Service 627 631 4 1% $9.67
41 Sales & Related 2,781 2,678 -103 -4% $13.20
43 Office & Administrative Support 2,803 2,604 -199 -7% $14.73
45 Farming, Fishing & Forestry 312 541 229 73% $13.23
47 Construction & Extraction 1,222 937 -285 -23% $16.53
49 Installation, Maintenance & Repair 1,112 1,058 -54 -5% $19.24
51 Production 4,448 4,184 -264 -6% $16.25
53 Transportation & Material Moving 3,352 2,747 -605 -18% $15.15
55 Military 137 140 3 2% $18.48
99 Unclassified 100 227 127 127% $11.31
All Total 25,269 24,877 -392 -2% $16.96
Occupation distribution and change
Economy
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) – 2014.3 – QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self-Employed, and Extended Proprietors
section 03

25. 25
Occupation distribution and change
Economy
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) – 2014.3 – QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self-Employed, and Extended Proprietors
section 03
The largest percentage gains in
jobs in Jackson County occurred
in:
 Farming, Fishing, and Forestry (+73.4
percent)
 Education,Training, and Library
(+22.9 percent)
The largest percentage losses in
employment occurred in:
 Computer and Mathematical
(-25.0 percent)
 Construction and Extraction (-23.3
percent)
Occupations with the largest gains and
losses in employment numbers between
2002 & 2013:
Farming, Fishing, &
Forestry
(+229)
Food Preparation &
Serving
(+193)
Transportation
(-650)
Construction
(-285)
Production
(-264)
Employment Increase Employment Decrease

26. 26
Income and poverty
2000 2006 2013
Total Population in
Poverty
7.8% 10.4% 12.9%
Minors (up to age 17)
in Poverty
11.0% 14.6% 17.8%
Real Median Household
Income (2013)*
$53,315 $49,163 $49,614
Real Per Capita Income
(2013)*
$31,411 $34,566 $36,200
The median household income
in Jackson County dipped by
$3,700 between 2000 and 2013
in real dollars (that is, adjusted
for inflation), while average
income per person rose by
$4,800 in real dollars over the
same time period.
The total population in poverty
swelled from 7.8 percent to 12.9
percent between 2000 and 2013. The
rate for minors was even higher,
increasing by nearly seven
percentage points over the same
period of time.
Economy
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis – Regional Personal Income Summary
section 03
*Real median household income is the middle income value in the county. Half of the county’s households fall
above this line and half below. Real per capita personal income is the average income per person in the county.

27. 27
0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
30,000
34,000
38,000
42,000
46,000
50,000
54,000
58,000
PopulationinPoverty(percent)
RealIncome(2013(dollars)
Median Household
Income
Minors in Poverty
All Ages in
Poverty
Per Capita
Income
Income and poverty
Median household income in Jackson County has experienced significant fluctuation over
time, improving since 2011. However, per capita income has been gradually increasing since
2000. Poverty rates for adults and minors have stabilized over the past two years, although
the rates remain high relative to the early 2000s.
Economy
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis – Regional Personal Income Summary
section 03

28. 28
Takeaways
Growth in the number of establishments in
Jackson County occurred primarily in
businesses with fewer than 10 employees
(the self-employed and Stage 1
enterprises), components of the local
economy that are often overlooked but
deserve closer attention by local leaders.
Jackson County might consider focusing on
economic development efforts that seek to
strengthen high-growth Stage 1 and 2 firms since
they employ several people and capture sizable
sales. At the same time, sales associated with
Stage 3 firms have expanded at an impressive
pace since 2000, but determining the factors that
may have contributed to the loss of Stage 3
establishments in the county is worthy of
attention.
Real median income has undergone some dramatic
swings since 2000, but recent trends suggest that
things are improving. So too are the poverty rates
for adults and children under 18 years of age.While
these poverty rates have dipped since 2011, they
remain considerably higher than was the case in
2000.
Fluctuations in real median income experienced
between 2000 and 2013 may be tied to employment
changes in various industries in the county during
that time period. For example, gains have occurred
in some industries paying average earnings of
$50,000 or more between 2000 and 2013. At the
same time, several industries that have experienced
solid job growth are providing employees with
average earnings of under $35,000.
No doubt, the ability of the county to capture good
paying jobs will depend on the availability of a well-
trained and educated workforce, something that
may be challenging in light of the smaller
percentage of adults in the county with an
associate’s degree or higher.
Economy
section 03

29. Labor force and
unemployment
Commuteshed
Laborshed
Workforce
inflow/outflow
Takeaways
04
labor
market

30. 30
Labor force and unemployment
2002 2013
Labor Force 22,012 21,465
Unemployment
Rate
4.9% 6.2%
The labor force in Jackson County
decreased by 2.5 percent between 2002
and 2013.
This decrease could be due to a rise in the
number of individuals who are either officially
unemployed or who have given up looking for
a job or an increase in the number of adults
who have left the workforce due to
retirement.
Labor market
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Local Area Unemployment Statistics (2013 Annual Data Release)
section 04

31. 31
2.6%
4.9%
3.9%
11.2%
6.2%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
UnemploymentRate(percent)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment increased dramatically after 2007, peaking at 11.2 percent in 2009. Since
that time, the rate has been on a steady decline, dipping to 6.2 percent by 2013.
Labor market
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Local Area Unemployment Statistics (2013 Annual Data Release)
section 04

32. 32
Commuteshed
A county’s commuteshed is the
geographic area to which its labor
force travels to work.
Fifty percent of employed residents in
Jackson County commute to jobs located
outside of the county. Bartholomew
County is the biggest destination for
residents who work outside of Jackson
County.
Twenty-six percent of out-commuters
work in counties adjacent to Jackson
county; however, the second largest work
destination outside Jackson County is the
Indianapolis metropolitan area (Marion
County).
Labor market
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD)
section 04
9,106
Out-Commuters
9,112
Same Work/
Home
Commuters Proportion
Bartholomew, IN 2,963 16.3%
Marion, IN 1,680 9.2%
Monroe, IN 562 3.1%
Jennings, IN 531 2.9%
Scott, IN 384 2.1%

33. 33
Commuteshed in 2011
Labor market
section 04
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, OTM, LEHD, PCRD
Seventy percent of Jackson
County’s working residents are
employed either in Bartholomew
or Jackson Counties. Another 5
percent commute to Marion
County. An additional 5 percent
travel to jobs in Monroe County.
Collectively, these four counties
represent 80 percent of the
commuteshed for Jackson County.

34. 34
Laborshed
Commuters Proportion
Jennings, IN 1,266 6.8%
Bartholomew, IN 1,230 6.6%
Scott, IN 665 3.6%
Clark, IN 646 3.5%
Marion, IN 437 2.3%
Labor market
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD)
section 04
9,563
In-Commuters
9,112
Same Work/
Home
A county’s laborshed is the
geographic area from which it
draws employees.
Fifty-one percent of individuals
working in Jackson County commute
from another county.
Twenty-two percent of in-commuters
reside in counties adjacent to Jackson
County; however, the fifth largest
source of laborers outside of Jackson
County is the Indianapolis
metropolitan area (Marion County).

35. 35
Laborshed in 2011
Labor market
section 04
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, OTM, LEHD, PCRD
The bulk (70 percent) of Jackson
County’s workforce is drawn from
Bartholomew, Clark, Jackson,
Jennings and Scott Counties.
Another 5 percent is drawn from
Decatur, Floyd, Jefferson and
Johnson Counties. Furthermore, an
additional 5 percent are drawn
from Lawrence, Marion and
Washington Counties.
Combined, the 12 counties
represent 80 percent of Jackson
County’s laborshed.

36. 36
Workforce inflow and outflow in 2011
Labor market
section 04
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, OTM, LEHD, PCRD
Jackson County has more laborers
traveling into the county for work than
out of the county for work.
Net commuting is positive, with a gain of 457
commuters.The resulting situation is that for
every 100 employed residents, Jackson County
has 103 jobs.
Count
Proportio
n
Employed in Jackson
County
18,675 100%
Both employed and living
in the county
9,112 49%
Employed in the county
but living outside
9,563 51%
Living in Jackson County 18,218 100%
Both living and employed
in the county
9,112 50%
Living in the county but
employed outside
9,106 50%

37. 37
Takeaways
The Great Recession that impacted the U.S.
economy between 2007 and 2009 took a major toll
on the Jackson County’s unemployment rate.
While the rate was quite low in 2000, it
skyrocketed to over 11 percent by 2009. Recent
figures make clear that the unemployment rate
has improved significantly since 2010.
Despite the modest growth in the population over
the past decade or more, the county’s labor force
has decreased in size since 2002.While it is
difficult to pinpoint the exact reason for the drop
in the county’s labor force, two possible
explanations are as follows: First, an increasing
number of unemployed individuals may be
discouraged workers who have given up trying to
find a job, or second, more people in the
workforce have opted to retire and their positions
have been eliminated or left unfilled.
Approximately 50 percent of Jackson County’s
residents in the workforce are gainfully employed
outside of the county.This represents a
tremendous loss of human talent that is
unavailable to contribute to the social and
economic vitality of the county. It may be
worthwhile for local leaders and industries to
determine the human capital attributes of workers
who commute to jobs outside the county. By so
doing, they could be positioned to determine how
best to reduce the leakage of educated and skilled
workers to surrounding counties by spurring the
growth of good paying jobs that will keep these
workers in their home county.
The laborshed and commuteshed data offer
solid evidence of the value of pursuing
economic and workforce development
strategies on a regional (multi-county) basis.
Labor market
section 04

38. 38
Notes
LAUS (Local Area Unemployment Statistics):
LAUS is a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) program that
provides monthly and annual labor force, employment and
unemployment data by place of residence at various geographic
levels. LAUS utilizes statistical models to estimate data values
based on household surveys and employer reports. These
estimates are updated annually. Annual county-level LAUS
estimates do not include seasonal adjustments.
LEHD (Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics):
LEHD is a partnership between U.S. Census Bureau and State
Department of Workforce Development (DWD) to provide labor
market and journey to work data at various geographic levels.
LEHD uses Unemployment Insurance earnings data and
Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages from DWDs and
census administrative records related to individuals and
businesses.
NETS (National EstablishmentTime Series):
NETS is an establishment-level database, not a company-level
database. This means that each entry is a different physical
location, and company-level information must be created by
adding the separate establishment components.
OTM (On the Map):
OTM, a product of LEHD program, is used in the county
snapshot report to develop commuting patterns for a
geography from two perspectives: place of residence and place
of work. At the highly detailed level of census blocks, some of
the data are synthetic to maintain confidentiality of the
worker. However, for larger regions mapped at the county
level, the commuteshed and laborshed data are fairly
reasonable.
OTM includes jobs for a worker employed in the reference as
well as previous quarter. Hence, job counts are based on two
consecutive quarters (six months) measured at the “beginning
of a quarter.” OTM data can differ from commuting patterns
developed from state annual income tax returns, which asks a
question about “county of residence” and “county of work” on
January 1 of the tax-year. OTM can also differ from American
Community Survey data, which is based on a sample survey of
the resident population.
SAIPE (SmallArea Income and Poverty Estimates):
SAIPE is a U.S. Census Bureau program that provides annual
data estimates of income and poverty statistics at various
geographic levels. The estimates are used in the administration
of federal and state assistance programs. SAIPE utilizes
statistical models to estimate data from sample surveys,
census enumerations, and administrative records.

39. 39
..
Report Contributors
This report was prepared by the Purdue Center for Regional Development in partnership with
Purdue University Extension.
Data Analysis
Indraneel Kumar, Ph.D.
Ayoung Kim
Report Authors
Elizabeth Dobis
Bo Beaulieu, Ph.D.
Report Design
Tyler Wright

40. FOR MORE
INFORMATION
Purdue Center for Regional Development
(PCRD) . . .
seeks to pioneer new ideas and strategies that contribute
to regional collaboration, innovation and prosperity.
Purdue Extension Community Development
(CD) . . .
works to strengthen the capacity of local leaders, residents
and organizations to work together to develop and sustain
strong, vibrant communities.
Please contact
Richard Beckort
County Extension Director and
Ag & Natural Resources
Educator
812-358-6101
rbeckort@purdue.edu
PCRD
1341 Northwestern Avenue
West Lafayette, IN 47906
765-494-7273
pcrd@purdue.edu
OR