NEWTON COUNTY LABOR MARKET PROFILENewton County is located in Northwest Indiana. The county is bordered on the south by Benton County. The County is adjacent to Jasper County on the east, Lake County is to the north, and The State of Illinois to the west. Newton County is one of the seven counties located in the area designated by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development as Indiana Economic Growth Region 1.
Newton County’s population estimate for 2010 was 14,244, down 2.2 percent from the 2000 Census total. During this same time period, Indiana’s total 2010 population estimate of 6,445,295 was up by 5.8 percent.
Population pageAccording to the 2000 Census, 7,536 people twenty-five years of age and over were high school high school graduates and/or had post-high school education. This amount represented 78.7 percent of Newton County’s twenty-five and over population. For the twenty-five years of age and over population, 920 or 9.6 percent were four-year college graduates or higher, ranking Newton County 80th highest among Indiana counties for percentage of this population who were college graduates or higher. In 2007, 141 persons graduated high school and 104 or 73.8 percent intended to go on to higher education.
Education pageNewton County’s estimated average unemployment rate for 2010 was 11.0 percent, above Indiana’s annual average of 10.2 percent. The county’s unemployment rate was based on an estimated average residential labor force of 6,621. Of that labor force, 5,895 were employed and 726 were unemployed. Newton County’s unemployment rate reached a decade low of 2.9 percent in 2000. The rate rose to 11.0 percent by 2010.
Labor force pageIn 2009 persons living in but commuting to work out of Newton County was 3,188 or 34.0 percent of the labor force. Approximately 66.0 percent of Newton County’s working residents work in the county. The area outside Newton County where the largest number of residents went to work was Lake County. In 2009 person commuting to work into the county from outside areas was 1,1.09 or 15.2 percent of the work force. The area sending the most number of persons into the county to work was Jasper County.
Commutting pageIn 2010, Newton County businesses had an average of 3,427 jobs. Three major industry sectors: Government (all levels), Manufacturing, and Educational Services dominated the county in terms of employment. These three industry sectors accounted for 56.9 percent of the county’s 2010 industry employment. The largest employing industry in the county was Government (all levels) with 788 jobs, accounting for 23.0 percent of total employment. Total covered employment was down 18.6 percent between 2005 and 2010. Transportation and Warehousing showed the most job growth between 2005 and 2010, increasing 63 jobs or 40.9 percent. Professional and Technical Services was second, adding 24 jobs or 55.8 percent. Professional and Technical Services had the largest percentage gain at 55.8 percent.
Industry employment pageThe average 2010 earnings for Newton County was $31,894 per year versus Indiana’s $39,255. The average industry wage rose by $4,928 or 18.3 percent from 2005 to 2010. The Wholesale Trade industry had the highest average earnings at $56,446 per year, with the Administrative and Waste Services industry second at $44,593, while the industry with the lowest annual earnings number was Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation at $7,408. Per capita income for 2009 was $30,280 in Newton County, up 12.5 percent since 2004.
Industry earnings pageNewton County has 305 firms, with 6 firms or about 2.0 percent employing 100 or more workers, while firms employing fewer than 10 workers account for 76.1 percent. The number firms employing fewer than 10 workers rose 8.9 per cent or 19 firms between 2001 and 2011 to total 232 firms in 2011. Total firms had a net gain of 10 or 3.4 percent from 1st quarter 2001.
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