1. DATA SNAPSHOT
Steuben County
Data SnapShot Series 2 August 2017

2. 01 03 02 04 Table of contents Introduction Economy Demography
Labor Market

3. 01
introduction
Purpose
About Steuben County

4. Introduction
Purpose
This document provides information and data about Steuben 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.
section 01

5. About Steuben County Introduction County Background Established 1837
Seat
Angola
Area
322 sq. mi.
Neighboring
Counties
Branch, MI
DeKalb, IN
Hillsdale, MI
LaGrange, IN
Noble, IN
Williams, OH
Metropolitan Status
Micropolitan (Non-Metro)
section 01

6. 02 demography Population change Population pyramids Race Ethnicity
Educational attainment
Takeaways 02
demography

7. Population change Demography
The county’s total population increased by 3.5 percent between 2000 and Natural increase (births minus deaths over that span of time) was the major contributor to that expansion, with a gain of 1,851 persons.
Growth due to net international migration also increased by individuals, indicating that the county experienced an influx of new people from outside the United States. In contrast, domestic migration (the difference between the number of people moving into the county versus moving out) registered a net loss of 1,358 individuals in Steuben County between 2000 and 2015.
Components of Population Change,
Natural Increase
1,851
International Migration
296
Domestic Migration
-1,358
section 02
*Total change in population differs from the sum of the components due to Census estimation techniques. Residuals (not reported here) make up the difference.
Sources: STATSIndiana, U.S. Census Bureau – 2000 Decennial Census, 2010 Decennial Census, 2015 Estimates, Estimates of the Components of Resident Population Change

8. Migration in Steuben, 2000-2015 Demography
Outflow of population outpaced the inflow as people are moving out of Steuben County to other counties located within and outside of Indiana.
Inflow
Outflow
Net Change
Migration (same State)*
13,187
13,620
-433
Migration (different State)
11,064
11,567
-503
*Migration movement within Indiana or to different states is a sum of year-by-year movements from 2000 to Similar to the Census Bureau’s estimates for domestic migration, the IRS migration data (the data being used in this report) showed overall a net gain from Steuben County. The IRS migration database does not capture the entire moving population since not all households file their tax returns on a given year and some households ask for an extension. However, these are the only sources of data on migration that contain information on the origins and destinations of the migrating households. IRS data may not match with the census estimates, as it is one of the components of the domestic migration. The other components are changes in Medicare enrollment and the Group Quarter population.
section 02
Source IRS U.S. Migration Database.

9. Demography
Population pyramids Population pyramids are visual representations of the age distribution of the population by gender.
2000
2015
Male
Female
Male
Female
Approximately 49.5 percent of the population was female in 2000 (16,443 individuals) and that percentage remained about the same in 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 2015 time period.
People 50 and over increased from 28.1 percent to 40.2 percent between 2000 and Individuals of prime working age (20 to 49) dipped from 42.8 percent to 35.5 percent, with large losses among males and females in the 30 to 39 years old age grouping. There was also a loss of youth (under 20) in the county from 29.1 percent to 24.3 percent, respectively.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 2000 Decennial Census and 2015 Annual Population Estimates

10. Demography
Race
2000
The proportion of non-White residents grew marginally in Steuben County between 2000 and 2015, and they remained a small part of the overall population.
Every race experienced a numerical increase over the time period, except two or more races. Of the non-White races, the county had the most growth in individuals identifying themselves as Black (+ 190).
The White population grew by 1,105 residents between 2000 and However, the proportion of the population that is White decreased by 0.1 percentage point.
2015
Note: The Native category includes American Indian, Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders.
section 02
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 2000 Decennial Census and 2015 Annual Population Estimates

11. 2.1% Ethnicity Demography
Hispanic
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 683 Hispanics residing in Steuben County in This figure expanded to 1,170 by 2015, a 71 percent increase.
Due to this numeric increase, the proportion of Hispanics in the population is now around percent, but less than Indiana’s average of 6.7 percent Hispanic population.
2.1%
Hispanic
section 02
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 2000 Decennial Census and 2015 Annual Population Estimates

12. Educational attainment
Demography
Educational attainment
Steuben County had a 7 percentage points increase in the number of adults (25 and older) with an associate’s degree or higher between 2000 to 2015.
The proportion of adults 25 years of age and older with a high school education or more improved from 84 percent in 2000 to 89 percent by Those with a high school degree only fell from 43 percent in to 38 percent in 2015.
Adults with a college degree increased from 22 percent in 2000 to 29 percent in This was due to a 3 percentage points increase in the proportion of residents with associate’s degrees (6 percent versus 9 percent), while the proportion of adults with at least a bachelor's degree increased from 16 percent to 20 percent, a 4 percentage points growth. .
2000
2015
section 02
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 2000 Decennial Census and 2015 ACS

13. Demography
Takeaways
The population of Steuben County is expected to grow over the next few years, and, if past trends hold, that increase will be largely due to natural increase (more births than deaths).
In examining the composition of Steuben County’s population, one finds a population aging in place. The number of residents 50 years of age or older increased by 12 percentage points between 2000 and Additionally, the number of men and women of prime working age (20 to 49) has been slowly declining. In fact, the county witnessed a significant loss of residents in the 30 to 39 years old age group between and 2015, possibly due to domestic out-migration (people moving out of the county for other Indiana and U.S. locations).
Though the racial and ethnic diversity of Steuben County has marginally increased since 2000, it remains primarily white and non-Hispanic.
The educational attainment of adults 25 and over has improved since 2000, but the proportion of adults with a high school education or less represents nearly half of the county’s adult population. Assessing whether local economic development opportunities might be impeded by the presence of a sizable number of adults with a terminal high school degree or less may be helpful. While 29 percent of Steuben County’s adult residents have an associate’s, bachelor’s or higher degree, this figure is more than 4 percentage points below the figure for the state of Indiana as a whole.
Steuben County may wish to assess the workforce skills of workers with a high school education only. Enhancing their skills so that they meet the current and emerging needs of local businesses and industries may be a worthy investment.
section 02

14. 03 economy Establishments Industries Occupations Income and poverty
Takeaways 03
economy

15. Components of changes in jobs
Economy
Components of changes in jobs
How to Interpret the Accompanying Table
New Start-ups: A completely new business from births/openings without any affiliation to an existing business.
Spin-offs: New businesses that were spun off from existing businesses.
Expansions: Existing businesses that have expanded in jobs.
In-migration: Businesses that have moved-in from outside of the county.
Closings: Closure of existing businesses.
Contractions: Existing businesses that have shed/reduced jobs.
Out-migration: Businesses that have moved-out from the county.
Changes in Jobs ( )
Gained by
New Start-ups
9,083
Spin-offs
2,412
Expansion
8,434
In-migration
1,055
Lost by
Closings
13,789
Contractions
6,460
Out-migration
382
Net change
353
section 03
Source: YourEconomy.org

16. Establishment Distribution by Stages
Economy
Company stages
An establishment is a physical business location. Branches, stand-alones and headquarters are all considered types of establishments.
Definition of Company Stages
Self-employed
2-9 employees 3
10-99
employees
employees 4
500+
employees
Establishment Distribution by Stages
Indiana, 2015
section 03
Note: Based on Edward Lowe’s research,
Source: Pyramid graphics is courtesy of Nancy Duarte,
Source: YourEconomy.org

17. Number of establishments by stage/employment category
Economy
Number of establishments by stage/employment category
2001
2015
Stage
Establishments
Proportion
Stage 0
272
16.9%
231
12.8%
Stage 1
998
62.0%
1,243
68.9%
Stage 2
298
18.5%
301
16.7%
Stage 3 41
2.5% 27
1.5%
Stage 4 1
0.1% 2
Total
1,610
100%
1,804
Note: There is a difference between Slide 17 and 18. YourEconomy and ReferenceUSA identify that there are two Stage 4 establishments. However, Hoosiers By the Numbers says that there are no Stage 4 enterprises. Information should be verified locally.
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Source: YourEconomy.org

18. Major five employers in 2015
Economy
Major five employers in 2015
Establishment
Stage
Miller Poultry
Stage 4
Vestil Manufacturing
Stage 3
Cardinal IG Glass
EMF Corporation
Cameron Memorial Hospital
The largest employers produce a mix of regional, national and global goods and services.
Major employers are engaged in agribusiness, metal fabrication, healthcare, etc.
Miller Poultry is a national level processed chicken provider. Vestil Manufacturing is in custom metal fabrication, Cameron Memorial Hospital is a regional medical provider, EMF Corporation is in plastic products, and Cardinal IG is engaged in manufacturing insulated glass.
Stage 4 establishments are based only on ReferenceUSA.
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 YourEconomy and ReferenceUSA contain establishments, differences in data collection processes result in discrepancies between the two sources. We use YourEconomy for a broad picture of establishments in the county, while ReferenceUSA is used for studying individual establishments.
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Source: ReferenceUSA (Infogroup), Hoosiers by the Numbers, CRI IPFW

19. Number of jobs by stage/employment category
Economy
Number of jobs by stage/employment category
2001
2015
Stage
Jobs*
Proportion
Stage 0
272
1.4%
240
1.2%
Stage 1
3,995
20.8%
4,531
22.4%
Stage 2
7,713
40.2%
7,151
35.3%
Stage 3
6,689
34.9%
5,014
24.8%
Stage 4
500
2.6%
3,320
16.4%
Total
19,169
100%
20,256
section 03
*Includes both full-time and part-time jobs
Source: National Establishment Time Series (NETS) – YourEconomy.org

20. Amount of sales (2013 dollars) by stage/employment category
Economy
Amount of sales (2013 dollars) by stage/employment category
($Million, 2013)
2001
2015
Stage
Sales
% change
Stage 0
68.8
45.4
-34%
Stage 1
1,056.3
1,081.2 2%
Stage 2
1,841.6
1,572.6
-15%
Stage 3
1,710.0
1,670.9
-2%
Stage 4
211.1
691%
Total
4,887.76
6,041.03
24%
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Source: National Establishment Time Series (NETS) – YourEconomy.org

21. Economy
Top five industries in 2015
63.6 percent of jobs are tied to one of the top five industries in Steuben County.
Manufacturing is the largest industry sector (5,411 jobs). Health Care & Social Assistance is the smallest of the top industry sectors with 1,465 jobs.
Four of the top five industries in Steuben lost jobs between 2003 and Of these, Government lost the largest proportion (-8.2 percent). Manufacturing experienced the smallest decrease, with a 3.2 percent decline in jobs over the time period. The one industry that grew -- Health Care & Social Assistance – expanded by over 36 percent.
section 03
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) – – QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self-Employed, and Extended Proprietors

22. Industry distribution and change
Economy
Industry distribution and change
NAICS Code
Description
Jobs 2003
Jobs 2015
Change ( )
% Change ( )
Average Total Earnings 2015 11
Crop and Animal Production
679
618
-61
-9%
$28,267 21
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction 19 29 10
53%
$30,618 22
Utilities 60 69 9
15%
$152,611 23
Construction
834
801
-33
-4%
$39,558 31
Manufacturing
5,592
5,411
-181
-3%
$51,526 42
Wholesale Trade
399
300
-99
-25%
$46,351 44
Retail Trade
2,540
2,392
-148
-6%
$24,566 48
Transportation and Warehousing
439
845
406
92%
$58,380 51
Information
112 98
-14
-13%
$56,310 52
Finance and Insurance
436
429 -7
-2%
$32,058 53
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
452
612
160
35%
$22,237 54
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
377
354
-23
$34,280 55
Management of Companies and Enterprises
<10
Insf. Data 56
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
674
1,008
334
50%
$33,080 61
Educational Services
409
843
434
106%
$33,093 62
Health Care and Social Assistance
1,081
1,465
384
36%
$36,312 71
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
175
203 28
16%
$14,156 72
Accommodation and Food Services
1,648
1,580
-68
$15,385 81
Other Services -except Public Administration
849
949
100
12%
$21,036 90
Government
1,772
1,626
-146
-8%
$38,725
All
Total
18,554
19,642
1,088 6%
$37,267
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Note: Average total earnings include wages, salaries, supplements and earnings from investments and proprietorships.
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) – – QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self-Employed, and Extended Proprietors

23. Industry distribution and change
Economy
Industry distribution and change
The largest percentage gains in employment in Steuben County occurred in:
Educational Services ( percent)
Transportation and Warehousing (+92 percent)
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction (+53.6 percent)
The largest percentage losses in employment occurred in:
Wholesale Trade (-24.8 percent)
Information (-12.5 percent)
Employment Increase
Employment Decrease
Industries with the largest gains and losses in employment numbers between 2003 & 2015:
Educational Services (+434)
Transportation and Warehousing
(+406)
Manufacturing (-181)
Retail Trade (-148)
Government
(-146)
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Source: Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) – – QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self-Employed, and Extended Proprietors

24. Top five occupations in 2015
Economy
Top five occupations in 2015
The top five occupations in Steuben County represent percent of all jobs.
Production (3,936 jobs) is the top occupation classification in Steuben County. The smallest of the top occupations is Transportation & Material Moving with 1,555 jobs.
Three of five top occupations in Steuben County, except Production (-2.8 percent) and Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupation (-0.6 percent), had an increase in jobs between 2003 and Transportation & Material Moving Occupations gained the largest proportion (+36.5 percent), while Sales and Related Occupations grew the slowest ( percent) over the time period.
section 03
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) – – QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self-Employed, and Extended Proprietors

25. Occupation distribution and change
Economy
Occupation distribution and change
SOC
Description
Jobs 2003
Jobs 2015
Change ( )
% Change ( )
Median Hourly Earnings 2015 11
Management Occupations
1,434
1,382
-52
-4%
$23.63 13
Business and Financial Operations Occupations
500
551 51
10%
$23.00 15
Computer and Mathematical Occupations
144
142 -2
-1%
$23.69 17
Architecture and Engineering Occupations
324
295
-29
-9%
$27.77 19
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations 50 56 6
12%
$29.01 21
Community and Social Service Occupations
193
235 42
22%
$17.42 23
Legal Occupations 69 67
-3%
$26.58 25
Education, Training, and Library Occupations
650
736 86
13%
$19.67 27
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
291
334 43
15%
$13.77 29
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
501
618
117
23%
$28.91 31
Health Care Support Occupations
209
270 61
29%
$11.72 33
Protective Service Occupations
287
294 7 2%
$16.74 35
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
1,636
1,626
-10
$9.50 37
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
549
649
100
18%
$11.20 39
Personal Care and Service Occupations
502
582 80
16%
$9.53 41
Sales and Related Occupations
2,351
2,425 74 3%
$13.44
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
2,008
2,101 93 5%
$13.93 45
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations 63
129 66
105%
$12.04 47
Construction and Extraction Occupations
716
708 -8
$16.62 49
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
772
829 57 7%
$19.51
Production Occupations
4,050
3,936
-114
$15.28 53
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
1,139
1,555
416
37%
$16.20 55
Military occupations
113
107 -6
-5%
$19.63
All
Total
18,554
19,642
1,088 6%
$16.13
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*Management occupations include farm managers, so changes in jobs may be related to changes in the number of farm proprietorships.
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) – – QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self-Employed, and Extended Proprietors

26. Occupation distribution and change
Economy
Occupation distribution and change
The largest percentage gains in employment in Steuben County occurred in:
Farming, Fishing & Forestry ( percent)
Transportation and Material Moving (+36.5 percent)
The largest percentage loss in employment occurred in:
Architecture & Engineering (-8.9 percent)
Military (-5.3 percent)
Occupations with the largest gains and losses in employment numbers between 2003 & 2015:
Transportation & Material Moving (+416)
Healthcare Practitioners & Technical Occupations (+117)
Production (-114)
Management (-52)
Employment Increase
Employment Decrease
section 03
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) – – QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self-Employed, and Extended Proprietors

27. Income and poverty Economy 2001 2008 2015
Total Population in Poverty
6.6%
9.2%
10.1%
Minors (up to age 17) in Poverty
10.2%
15.3%
16.0%
Real Median Household Income (2013)*
$54,458
$52,497
$51,338
Real Per Capita Income (2013)*
$31,949
$32,961
$36,327
The median household income in Steuben County dipped by $3,120 between 2001 and in real dollars (that is, adjusted for inflation), while average income per person rose by $4,378 in real dollars over the same time period.
The total population in poverty increased by 3.5 percentage points between 2001 and 2015, but the number of minors in poverty, proportionately increased by twice that amount. Nearly one in six minors was living in poverty by
*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.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau – Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis – Regional Personal Income Summary

28. Economy
Income and poverty Median household income in Steuben County declined between 2000 and 2015 but has shown some improvement since Per capita income has been fairly constant since Poverty rates for adults and minors have decreased over the past couple years; however, the rates remain high relative to 2000.
Percent
Per capita Income
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau – Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis – Regional Personal Income Summary

29. relatively high, especially among minors
relatively high, especially among minors. The gradual decline in real median income experienced in Steuben County between 2001 and 2015 may be tied to employment changes. While the largest employment gains and losses were in industries and occupations with moderate pay, most of the better paying occupations (more than $20 median hourly earnings) experienced a decline from 2003 to Only health care practitioners and technical occupations paying nearly $29 per hour had a sizable growth in the 12-year period. Nearly, one-third of jobs in Steuben County is manufacturing based, and both manufacturing industry and production occupations declined between 2003 and One growing industry in Steuben is transportation and warehousing with more than $58,000 average earnings. No doubt, the ability of Steuben County to capture high 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. Ensuring that a skilled workforce is available to support the key industries in the county will be important to the economic stability of the county.
Economy
Takeaways
Growth in the number of establishments in Steuben County occurred mainly in businesses having 2-9 employees (Stage 1 enterprises), components of the local economy that are often overlooked by local leaders.
Steuben County might consider focusing on economic development efforts that seek to strengthen fast growing Stage 1 and 2 establishments, since they employ a large proportion of workers and capture sizable sales, although the Stage 2 sales declined from 2001 to
Real median income has gradually decreased in Steuben County, despite growth in real per capita income. This, in conjunction with increased poverty rates, indicates a growing income imbalance in the county since While poverty rates have stabilized since 2009, they remain
section 03

30. 04 labor market Labor force and unemployment Workforce inflow/outflow
Commuter shed
Labor shed
Takeaways 04
labor
market

31. Labor force and unemployment
Labor market
Labor force and unemployment
The labor force in Steuben County increased by 17.5 percent between and 2015.
This increase could be due, in part, to a greater influx of adults that were previously discouraged workers now seeking to return to the workforce, as well as the slight uptick in the population. At the same time, there was a percentage points decrease in the unemployment rate, likely due to an expansion in the number of jobs available in the county.
2003
2015
Labor Force
17,014
20,007
Unemployment Rate
6.5%
3.9%
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Local Area Unemployment Statistics (2015 Annual Data Release)

32. Labor market
Unemployment rate Unemployment increased dramatically after 2007, peaking at 14.5 percent in Since that time, the rate has been on a steady decline, dipping to 3.9 percent by 2015.
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Local Area Unemployment Statistics (2015 Annual Data Release)

33. Workforce inflow and outflow in 2014
Labor market
Workforce inflow and outflow in 2014
Count
Proportion
Employed in Steuben County
14,885
100.0%
Both employed and living in the county
7,499
50.4%
Employed in the county but living outside
7,386
49.6%
Living in Steuben County
16,226
Both living and employed in the county
46.2%
Living in the county but employed outside
8,727
53.8%
Steuben County has more laborers traveling out of the county for work than into the county for work.
Net commuting is negative, with a loss of 1,341 commuters. The resulting situation is that for every 100 employed residents, Steuben County has nearly 92 jobs.
7,386
8,727
7,499
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, OTM, LEHD, PCRD

34. Commuteshed Labor market Same Work/ Out-Commuters Home
A county’s commuter shed is the geographic area to which its resident labor force travels to work.
More than half of employed residents in Steuben County commute to jobs located outside of the county. Allen County is the biggest destination for residents who work outside of Steuben County.
More than 19 percent of out-commuters work in counties adjacent to Steuben County. However, the largest and third largest work destinations outside of Steuben County are the Fort Wayne (Allen County) and Elkhart-Goshen (Elkhart County) metropolitan areas, respectively.
8,727
7,499
Commuters
Proportion
Allen County, IN
1,932
11.9%
DeKalb County, IN
1,656
10.2%
Elkhart County, IN
962
5.9%
Noble County, IN
552
3.4%
LaGrange, IN
511
3.1%
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau – Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD)

35. Commuteshed in 2014 Labor market
Around 75 percent of Steuben County’s working residents are employed in Steuben, DeKalb, Elkhart and Allen Counties in Indiana. Another 5 percent of workers commute to LaGrange and Nobble Counties in Indiana. An additional 5 percent commute to jobs in Kosciusko and Marion Counties in Indiana.
Collectively, these 8 counties represent about 85 percent of the commuteshed for Steuben County.
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Source: OTM

36. Laborshed Labor market Same Work/ In-Commuters Home
A county’s labor shed is the geographic area from which it draws employees.
Nearly 50 percent of individuals working in Steuben County commute from another county.
Twenty-three percent of in-commuters reside in counties adjacent to Steuben County, and four of the top five counties in the labor shed are adjacent counties. Of these counties, DeKalb County is the largest source of labor outside of Steuben County, while Williams County is the smallest.
7,386
7,499
Commuters
Proportion
DeKalb County, IN
1,100
7.4%
Branch County, MI
900
6.0%
Allen County, IN
872
5.9%
LaGrange County, IN
476
3.2%
Williams County, OH
404
2.7%
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau – Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD)

37. Laborshed in 2014 Labor market
Nearly 75 percent of Steuben County’s workforce is drawn from Steuben, LaGrange, Allen and DeKalb Counties in Indiana or Branch County in Michigan. Another 5 percent is drawn from Noble and Marion Counties in Indiana and Williams County in Ohio. An additional 5 percent commute from Elkhart County in Indiana or St. Joseph and Hillsdale Counties in Michigan.
Combined, the 11 counties represent 85 percent of Steuben County’s laborshed.
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Source: OTM

38. Takeaways Labor market
Approximately 54 percent of Steuben County residents in the workforce are gainfully employed outside of the county. This represents a sizable 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. Of course, this will require expansion in the number of good paying jobs that will help keep these workers in their home county.
It would also be beneficial to identify the factors that are contributing to the attraction of residents from other counties to jobs inside the county. Another strategy could be to accept the notion that Steuben County is economically connected to other counties in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. This suggests a need to strengthen regional cooperation when it comes to the development and implementation of economic and workforce development strategies.
Takeaways
The Great Recession that impacted the U.S. economy between 2007 and 2009 took a major toll on the Steuben County’s unemployment rate. While the rate was quite low in 2000, it more than quadrupled to 14.5 percent by Recent figures confirm that the unemployment rate has improved significantly since that time.
The county’s labor force has expanded since , a positive trait for a nonmetro county. As noted in an earlier section of this report, this may be due to a growing number of discouraged workers returning to the labor force and a modest growth in the county’s population. Furthermore, the continued drop in the unemployment rate suggest that many of these labor force returnees are finding jobs. But, what is happening in the county is that jobs opening are growing at a faster rate than the population. This means that dependence on workers living outside the county will likely grow over the short-term.
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39. 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.
SAIPE (Small Area 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.
EMSI (Economic Modeling Specialists International):
The jobs, earnings and labor market data for Industries and occupations are obtained from EMSI. It provides unsuppressed data at North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 6-digit and Standard Occupation Classification (SOC) at 5-digit level for every county in the U.S.
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 commuter shed and labor shed 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.
YourEconomy.org (YE): YE, an online tool by the Business Dynamics Research Consortium at the University of Wisconsin – Extension, provides data on the employment, sales, and number of establishments at numerous geographic levels in the United States.
A major data source for YE is the Infogroup Historical Database and additional Infogroup data files on establishments. This means that each entry is a different physical location, and company-level information must be created by adding the separate establishment components.

40. Report Contributors This report was prepared by the Purdue Center for Regional Development in partnership with Purdue University Extension.
Report Authors
Bo Beaulieu, Ph.D.
Yong Jee Kim
Indraneel Kumar, Ph.D.
Data Analysis
Yong Jee Kim
Andrey Zhalnin, Ph.D.
Indraneel Kumar, Ph.D.
Report Design
Tyler Wright
Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

41. FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please contact
Crystal Van Pelt
Community Development Extension Educator
x1400
PCRD
The Schowe House
1341 Northwestern Avenue
West Lafayette, IN 47906
Purdue University
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. OR
Purdue Center for Regional Development (PCRD) seeks to pioneer new ideas and strategies that contribute to regional collaboration, innovation and prosperity.