STARKE COUNTY LABOR MARKET PROFILEStarke County is located in Northwest Indiana. The county is bordered on the south by Pulaski County. The County is adjacent to Marshall County on the east, LaPorte County is to the north, and Jasper County to the west. Starke 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.
Starke County’s population estimate for 2010 was 23,363, down 0.8 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, 11,005 people twenty-five years of age and over were high school high school graduates and/or had post-high school education. This amount represented 72.0 percent of Starke County’s twenty-five and over population. For the twenty-five years of age and over population, 1,286 or 8.4 percent were four-year college graduates or higher, ranking Starke County 87th highest among Indiana counties for percentage of this population who were college graduates or higher. In 2007, 265 persons graduated high school and 172 or 64.9 percent intended to go on to higher education.
Education pageStarke County’s estimated average unemployment rate for 2010 was 12.9 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 10,514. Of that labor force, 9,158 were employed and 1,356 were unemployed. Starke County’s unemployment rate reached a decade low of 4.6 percent in 2000. The rate rose to 13.9 percent by 2009.
Labor force pageIn 2009 persons living in but commuting to work out of Starke County was 4,6308 or 32.3 percent of the labor force. Approximately 67.7 percent of Starke County’s working residents work in the county. The area outside Starke County where the largest number of residents went to work was Marshall County. In 2009 persons commuting to work into the county from outside areas was 848 or 8.0 percent of the work force. The area sending the most number of persons into the county to work was Pulaski County.
Commutting pageIn 2010, Starke County businesses had an average of 4,175 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 58.1 percent of the county’s 2010 industry employment. The largest employing industry in the county was Government (all levels) with 1,000 jobs, accounting for 24.0 percent of total employment. Total covered employment was down 2.1 percent between 2005 and 2010. Accommodation & Food Services showed the most job growth between 2005 and 2010, increasing 182 jobs or 53.2 percent. Administrative and Waste Services was second, adding 132 jobs or 388.2.2 percent. Administrative and Waste Services had the largest percentage gain at 388.2.2 percent.
Industry employment pageThe average 2010 earnings for Starke County was $26,635 per year versus Indiana’s $39,255. The average industry wage rose by $2,213 or 9.1 percent from 2005 to 2010. The Wholesale Trade industry had the highest average earnings at $41,465 per year, with the Transportation and Warehousing industry second at $37,661, while the industry with the lowest annual earnings number was Accommodation & Food Services at $11,283. Per capita income for 2009 was $24,640 in Starke County, up 15.0 percent since 2004.
Industry earnings pageStarke County has 336 firms, with 7 firms or about 2.1 percent employing 100 or more workers, while firms employing fewer than 10 workers account for 74.7 percent. The number firms employing fewer than 10 workers declined 5.3 per cent or 14 firms between 2001 and 2011 to total 251 firms in 2011. Total firms had a net loss of 12 or -3.4 percent from 1st quarter 2001.
Firms page