NORTHWEST INDIANA'S LABOR MARKET PROFILE
(Inclusive of: Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper, Newton, Starke, and Pulaski Counties)

The area designated by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development as Indiana Economic Growth Region 1 is located in the Northwest corner of Indiana.  It is made up of the seven Indiana counties of Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton, Jasper, Starke, and Pulaski.  The Region is bordered on the south by Indiana's Benton, White, and Cass Counties.  It is adjacent to St. Joseph, Marshall, and Fulton Counties on the east, Lake Michigan and the State of Michigan is to the north, and the State of Illinois to the west.

Northwest Indiana's Region 1 population estimate for 2010 was 856,302 up 4.0 percent from the 2000 Census total of 823,388.  The estimated population made up 13.3 percent of Indiana's total for 2010.  During this same time period, Indiana’s total 2010 population estimate of 6,445,295 was up by 5.8 percent.
Population page

According to the 2000 Census, 434,468 people twenty-five years of age or over were high school graduates and/or had post-high school education.  This amount represented 81.8 percent of the twenty-five and up regional population.  For the twenty-five years of age and over population, 87,530 or 16.5 percent were four year college graduates or greater.  In 2007, 8,666 persons graduated high school that year and 7,016 or 81.0 percent intended to go on to higher education.
Education page

Region 1’s estimated average unemployment rate for 2010 was 10.7 percent above Indiana's average 10.2 percent.  The region's unemployment rate was based on an estimated average residential labor force of 392,081.  Of that labor force, 350,105 were employed and 41,976 were unemployed.  Region 1’s unemployment rate reached a decade low of 3.4 percent in 2000.  The rate rose to 10.7 percent by 2010.
Labor force page

In 2009 the number of persons living in but commuting to work out of Region 1 was 62,066 or 11.8 percent of the labor force.  About 88.2 percent of Region 1’s working residents worked in the region.  The area outside Region 1 where the largest number of residents went to work was the State of Illinois.  In 2009 the number of persons commuting to work into the region from outside areas was 18,557 or 3.9 percent of the work force.  The area sending the most number of persons into the region to work was the State of Illinois.

In 2010, Region 1 businesses had an average of 300,605 jobs.  Three major industry sectors: Health Care and Social Assistance, Government (all levels), and Manufacturing dominated the region in terms of employment.  These three industry sectors accounted for 44.6 percent of the region’s 2010 industry employment.  The largest employing industry in the region was Health Care and Social Assistance with 45,586 jobs, accounting for 15.2 percent of total employment.  Total covered employment was down 5.2 percent between 2005 and 2010. Health Care and Social Assistance showed the most job growth between 2005 and 2010, increasing 2,419 jobs or 5.6 percent.  Transportation & Warehousing was second, adding 1,786 jobs or 16.7 percent.  The Transportation & Warehousing industry had the largest percentage gain at 16.7 percent.
Industry employment page

The average 2010 earnings for Region 1 was $38,946 per year versus Indiana’s $39,255.  The average industry wage rose by $4,325 or 12.5 percent from 2005 to 2010.  The Utilities industry had the highest average earnings at $79,127 per year, with the Management of Companies and Enterprises industry second at $77,798, while the industry with the lowest annual earnings number was Accommodation & Food Services at $12,427.  Per capita income for 2009 was $34,139 in Region 1, up 15.1 percent since 2004.
Industry earnings page

Region 1 has 18,049 firms, with 449 firms or about 2.5 percent employing 100 or more workers, while firms employing fewer than 10 workers account for 53.4 percent.  The number firms employing fewer than 10 workers declined 19.7 percent or 2,358 firms between 2001 and 2011 to total 9,633 firms in 2011.  Total firms had a net loss of 969 or -5.7 percent from 1st quarter 2001.
Firms page