PCRD Data Snapshot

1. Data SnapShot Series 1.1
May 2015
DATA SNAPSHOT
Pulaski 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 Pulaski County
01
introduction

5. 5
Purpose
This document provides information
and data about Pulaski 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 Pulaski County
Introduction
section 01
County Background
Established 1839
County
Seat
Winamac
Area 435 sq. mi.
Neighboring
Counties
Cass, IN
Fulton, IN
Jasper, IN
Marshall, IN
Starke, IN
White, IN

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

8. 8
13,755
13,402
13,007 13,053
Population change
Components of Population Change, 2000-
2013
TotalChange -617*
Natural Increase 48
International Migration 33
Domestic Migration -615
The total population is
projected to remain 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
Pulaski County’s total population decreased by 5 percent
between 2000 and 2013.The major contributor to that
contraction was domestic migration (the difference between
the number of people moving into the county versus moving
out) with a net loss of over 600 persons.
International migration had a positive effect on population
with a net increase of 33, indicating that the county
experienced a minor influx of new people from outside the
U.S. Finally, natural Increase (births minus deaths over that
span of time) also contributed 48 people to the population of
Pulaski County.
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
6.3%
7.1%
5.5%
5.9%
6.5%
8.1%
5.9%
3.7%
1.9%
5.5%
6.4%
5.1%
5.5%
6.6%
7.4%
5.9%
4.0%
2.8%
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
7.2%
8.2%
5.5%
7.0%
7.9%
6.0%
4.0%
3.1%
1.6%
6.7%
7.4%
4.8%
6.7%
7.5%
5.5%
4.4%
3.8%
2.8%
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 49.6 percent of the population was female
in 2000 (6,817) and that percent 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 50 and over swelled from 14.7% to
19.6% for males and from 16.6% to 20.1% for females
between 2000 and 2013. Individuals of prime working age
(20-49 years old) dipped from 20.4% to 17.9% for males and
from 19.0% to 17.2% for females.The percentage of
residents under 20 years of age also declined.
Male Female
20132000
Male Female

10. 10
White
97%
Other
3%
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
Pulaski County increased by 1 percentage
point between 2000 and 2013.
Every race, except White, experienced a
numerical increase.The number of
individuals ofTwo or More Races increased
the most, by 56 residents, and the
population of people who are Native
American or of Asian descent in Pulaski
County nearly doubled since 2000.
Growth in the non-White population helped
to modestly expand the population of Other
Races from 2 percent to 3 percent of the
total population by 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 187 Hispanics residing in
Pulaski County in 2000.This figure
expanded to 355 by 2013, a 47.3
percent increase.
As a result, Hispanics now make up
3 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
3%
1%
Hispanics - 2000
Hispanics - 2013

12. 12
No High
School, 15%
High School,
45%
Some
College,
21%
Associate's
Degree, 6%
Bachelor's
Degree or
More, 13%
No High
School, 20%
High School,
45%
Some
College,
19%
Associate's
Degree, 5%
Bachelor's
Degree or
More, 10%
Educational attainment
Pulaski County experienced a 4
percentage point increase in the number
of adults (25 and older) with an
associate’s, bachelor’s, or graduate
degree between 2000 and 2013.
The proportion of adults 25 years of age and
older with a high school education or more
improved from 80 percent in 2000 to 85
percent by 2013.Those with only a high
school degree remained at the 45 percent
level in both 2000 and 2013.
Adults with a college degree increased from
15 percent in 2000 to 19 percent in 2013.This
was due to a 1 percentage point increase in
the proportion of residents with associate’s
degrees (5 percent versus 6 percent), while
the proportion of adults with at least a
bachelor's degree increased by 3 percentage
points (to 13 percent).
Demography
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – 2000 Decennial Census and 2013 ACS
section 02
2000
2013

13. 13
Takeaways
Pulaski County has witnessed a modest decline in
its population since 2000, mainly due to domestic
out-migration (more people moved out of the
county for other U.S. locations than moved into
the county).
The age structure of Pulaski County is changing.
The population is aging and the largest age group
of workers (50-59) is nearing retirement age.
Additionally, the number of men and women of
prime working age (20-29, 30-39 and 40-49) is
slowly declining. Moreover, the racial and ethnic
make-up of the county is gradually diversifying. In
order to maintain the size of the labor force,
Pulaski County will have to consider ways to build
a vibrant economy with an expanding senior
population and a declining pool of workers of
prime working age.
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 45 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 education, this figure is about
11 percent below the figure for the state of Indiana
as a whole.
Pulaski 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) 311
Natural Change (births minus
deaths)
311
Net Migration 0
The number of establishments in Pulaski
County increased 31 percent from 2000 to
2011.
The steady growth of establishments was due to
natural change.That is, 991 units were launched in
the county between 2000 and 2011, while 680
closed, resulting in a gain of 311 establishments.
There was no net gain or loss of establishments in
the county over the past decade or so.
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
*ReferenceUSA indicates one Stage 4 company, however, NETS records this company as
two separate establishments. Additional informationis available on the next slide.
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 0 339 34% 483 37%
Stage 1 547 55% 719 55%
Stage 2 97 10% 88 7%
Stage 3 10 1% 12 1%
Stage 4 - - 2* 0%
Total 993 100% 1,304 100%
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.

17. 17
Top five employers in 2015
Economy
Source: ReferenceUSA (Infogroup)
section 03
Establishment Stage
1. Braun Corporation Stage 4
2. Pulaski Memorial Hospital Stage 3
3. Eastern Pulaski Middle School Stage 3
4.
Eastern Pulaski
Superintendent
Stage 3
5. PlymouthTubeCompany Stage 3
The top five employers produce a mix of
local, national, and global goods and
services.
Braun Corporation inWinamac is the largest
establishment-level employer in Pulaski
County.
Both Braun Corporation and PlymouthTube
Company produce national and global goods
and services, while the Pulaski Memorial
Hospital and Eastern Pulaski Middle School
and Superintendent primarily support the local
community.
Information on the top 5 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 0 339 6% 483 6%
Stage 1 1,943 32% 2,184 27%
Stage 2 2,218 36% 2,275 28%
Stage 3 1,604 26% 2,060 26%
Stage 4 - - 1,000 13%
Total 6,104 100% 8,002 100%
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 $ 41,107,292 6% $ 31,926,285 5%
Stage 1 $261,424,850 35% $187,571,070 26%
Stage 2 $264,983,170 35% $191,523,554 27%
Stage 3 $184,005,268 24% $168,192,671 24%
Stage 4 - - $127,897,600 18%
Total $751,520,580 100% $707,111,180 100%
Note: The 2011 figures use 2012 data to include all gains and losses over the entire year.

20. 20
Manufacturing
19.5%
Government
15.8%
Agriculture,
Forestry, Fishing &
Hunting
14.1%
Retail Trade
9.3%
Health Care &
Social Assistance
6.5%
All Other
Industries
34.8%
Top five industries in 2013
65.2 percent of jobs are tied to
one of the top five industries in
Pulaski County.
Manufacturing is the largest industry
sector (1,288 jobs). Health Care and
SocialAssistance is the smallest of the
top industry sectors with 430 jobs.
Of the top five industries in Pulaski
County, both RetailTrade (-15.3 percent)
and Health Care & SocialAssistance (-5.7
percent) lost jobs between 2002 and
2013.The remaining three top industries
gained jobs over the same time period,
with Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, &
Hunting gaining the most (percentage-
wise) with a 6.3 percent increase in jobs
between 2002 and 2013.
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 875 930 55 6% $34,013
21 Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction 27 21 -6 -22% $172,439
22 Utilities 0 0 0 0% $0
23 Construction 311 271 -40 -13% $36,022
31-33 Manufacturing 1,240 1,288 48 4% $54,353
42 Wholesale Trade 294 275 -19 -6% $58,284
44-45 Retail Trade 727 616 -111 -15% $22,139
48-49 Transportation & Warehousing 199 198 -1 -1% $50,805
51 Information 49 28 -21 -43% $48,553
52 Finance & Insurance 228 257 29 13% $38,849
53 Real Estate & Rental & Leasing 125 203 78 62% $22,139
54 Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 122 153 31 25% $28,045
55 Management of Companies and Enterprises 42 34 -8 -19% $63,121
56 Administrative & Waste Management 112 154 42 38% $13,937
61 Educational Services (Private) 15 20 5 33% $5,866
62 Health Care & Social Assistance 456 430 -26 -6% $27,682
71 Arts, Entertainment & Recreation 68 77 9 13% $10,842
72 Accommodation and Food Services 205 218 13 6% $10,470
81 Other Services (except Public Administration) 386 392 6 2% $16,303
90 Government (includes public schools) 1,044 1,048 4 0% $44,711
99 Unclassified Industry <10 0 - -100% $0
All Total 6,528 6,613 85 1% $37,395
Economy
Source: Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI) – 2014.3 – QCEW Employees, Non-QCEW Employees, Self-Employed, and Extended Proprietors
section 03Note: Average total earnings include wages, salaries, supplements and earnings from
investments and proprietorships. Industries and occupations with a value of <10 have insufficient data for change and earnings calculations.

22. 22
Industry distribution and change
The largest percentage gains in
employment in Pulaski County
occurred in:
 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
(+62.4 percent)
 Administrative, Support,Waste
Management, and Remediation
Services (+37.5 percent)
The largest percentage losses in
employment occurred in:
 Information (-42.9 percent)
 Mining,Quarrying, andOil and Gas
Extraction (-22.2 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:
Real Estate &
Leasing
(+78)
Agriculture &
Forestry
(+55)
RetailTrade
(-111)
Construction
(-40)

23. 23
Production
14.4%
Management
12.0%
Sales & Related
11.5%
Office &
Administrative
Support
9.6%
Transportation &
Material Moving
7.0%
All Other
Occupations
45.5%
Top five occupations in 2013
The top five occupations in
Pulaski County represent 54.5
percent of all jobs.
Production (954 jobs) and Management
(795 jobs) are the top two occupations in
Pulaski County.Transportation &
Material Moving is the smallest of the
top five occupations with 463 jobs.
Of the five top occupations in Pulaski
County, only Production (+12.5 percent)
had an increase in jobs between 2002
and 2013.There was no change in the
number of jobs in Sales & Related
occupations.The three other top five
occupations lost jobs, with Office &
Administrative Support losing the
largest share of jobs (-11.7 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 797 795 -2 0% $20.49
13 Business & Financial Operations 179 208 29 16% $22.80
15 Computer & Mathematical 42 40 -2 -5% $24.71
17 Architecture & Engineering 91 79 -12 -13% $26.47
19 Life, Physical & Social Science 18 15 -3 -17% $23.01
21 Community & Social Service 68 72 4 6% $17.84
23 Legal 31 28 -3 -10% $30.42
25 Education, Training & Library 241 356 115 48% $19.78
27 Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports & Media 110 103 -7 -6% $13.63
29 Health Care Practitioners & Technical 270 207 -63 -23% $25.93
31 Health Care Support 168 138 -30 -18% $11.26
33 Protective Service 107 104 -3 -3% $16.20
35 Food Preparation & Serving Related 270 261 -9 -3% $9.49
37 Building & Grounds Cleaning Maintenance 178 224 46 26% $9.89
39 Personal Care & Service 242 272 30 12% $8.91
41 Sales & Related 758 758 0 0% $14.19
43 Office & Administrative Support 718 634 -84 -12% $13.68
45 Farming, Fishing & Forestry 274 305 31 11% $12.88
47 Construction & Extraction 279 239 -40 -14% $16.42
49 Installation, Maintenance & Repair 285 280 -5 -2% $16.40
51 Production 848 954 106 13% $14.88
53 Transportation & Material Moving 478 463 -15 -3% $16.99
55 Military 45 43 -2 -4% $18.61
99 Unclassified 32 37 5 16% $10.90
All Total 6,528 6,613 85 1% $16.01
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 Pulaski County occurred
in:
 Education,Training, and Library
(+47.7 percent)
 Building andGrounds Cleaning and
Maintenance (+25.8 percent)
The largest percentage loss in
employment occurred in:
 Healthcare Practitioners and
Technical (-23.3 percent)
 Healthcare Support (-17.9 percent)
Occupations with the largest gains and
losses in employment numbers between
2002 & 2013:
Education,Training,
& Library
(+115)
Production
(+106)
Office &
Administrative
(-84)
Healthcare
Practitioners &
Technical
(-63)
Employment Increase Employment Decrease

26. 26
Income and poverty
2000 2006 2013
Total Population in
Poverty
9.5% 11.7% 14.3%
Minors (up to age 17)
in Poverty
12.1% 17.0% 19.9%
Real Median Household
Income (2013)*
$48,335 $47,136 $44,821
Real Per Capital Income
(2013)*
$31,200 $33,020 $38,620
The median household income
in Pulaski County dipped by
$3,500 between 2000 and 2013
in real dollars (that is, adjusted
for inflation), while average
income per person rose by
$7,400 in real dollars over the
same time period.
The total population in poverty
swelled from 9.5 percent to 14.3
percent between 2000 and 2013. The
rate for minors was even higher,
increasing by nearly 8 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
4
8
12
16
20
24
28,000
32,000
36,000
40,000
44,000
48,000
52,000
PopulationinPoverty(percent)
RealIncome(2013dollars)
Median Household
Income
Minors in Poverty
All Ages in
Poverty
Per Capita
Income
Income and poverty
Median household income in Pulaski County has experienced significant fluctuation over
time, generally decreasing since 2005. However, per capita income as been increasing since
2003. Poverty rates for minors has 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
Pulaski 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.
Pulaski County might consider focusing on
economic development efforts that seek to
strengthen high-growth Stage 1 and 2
establishments since they employ several people
and capture sizable sales. At the same time,
employment associated with Stage 3
establishments has expanded at an impressive
pace since 2000.
Real median income has undergone some
dramatic swings since 2000, following a trend of
declining income. While poverty rates for minors
have dipped since 2010, they remain much higher
than in 2000. As for the percent of the total
population in poverty, the rate in 2013 was higher
than at any point since 2000.
The decline in real median income experienced
between 2005 and 2013 may be tied to employment
changes in various industries in the county during
that time period.The largest employment gains
between 2000 and 2013 occurred in industries
paying average earnings of $30,000 or less and in
occupations paying less than $15 per hour. At the
same time, the occupation that experienced the
greatest job losses paid approximately $25 per hour
(Health Care Practitioners &Technical).
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. Exploring the need for
people with technical education may be worthwhile
in light of the important role that manufacturing
continues to play in the county.
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 6,810 6,677
Unemployment
Rate
5.7% 6.3%
The labor force in Pulaski County
decreased by 1.9 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 the result of 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
4.2%
5.7%
4.2%
10.5%
6.3%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
UnemploymentRate(percent)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment increased dramatically after 2007, peaking at 10.5 percent in 2009. Since
that time, the rate has been on a slow but steady decline, dipping to 6.3 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 resident
labor force travels to work.
Sixty-five percent of employed residents in
Pulaski County commute to jobs located
outside of the county. Lake County is the
biggest destination for residents who work
outside of Pulaski County.
Twenty-five percent of out-commuters work
in counties adjacent to Pulaski County.
However, the largest work destination
outside Pulaski County is the Greater Chicago
metropolitan area (Lake and Jasper Counties)
and second largest is the Lafayette
metropolitan area (TippecanoeCounty).
Labor market
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD)
section 04
3,754
Out-Commuters
2,038
Same Work/
Home
Commuters Proportion
Lake, IN 299 5.2%
Tippecanoe, IN 297 5.1%
Jasper, IN 292 5.0%
White, IN 261 4.5%
Starke, IN 260 4.5%

33. 33
Commuteshed in 2011
Labor market
section 04
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, OTM, LEHD, PCRD
Seventy percent of Pulaski
County’s working residents are
employed either in Fulton, Jasper,
Lake, Marion, Pulaski, Starke,
Tippecanoe orWhite Counties.
Another 5 percent commute to
Cass County or Porter County. An
additional 5 percent travel to jobs
in Marshall County.
Collectively, these 11 counties
represent 80 percent of the
commuteshed for Pulaski County.

34. 34
Laborshed
Commuters Proportion
Starke, IN 294 6.3%
Cass, IN 246 5.3%
Fulton, IN 234 5.0%
White, IN 209 4.5%
Jasper, IN 174 3.7%
Labor market
Source: U.S. Census Bureau – Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD)
section 04
2,614
In-Commuters
2,038
Same Work/
Home
A county’s laborshed is the
geographic area from which it
draws employees.
Fifty-six percent of individuals working in
Pulaski County commute from another
county. Over one in four of these in-
commuters reside in counties that are
adjacent to Pulaski County.
Starke and Cass Counties are the biggest
sources of labor to Pulaski County.
Together, they represent nearly 12
percent of Pulaski County’s labor force.

35. 35
Laborshed in 2011
Labor market
section 04
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, OTM, LEHD, PCRD
The bulk (70 percent) of Pulaski
County’s workforce is drawn from
Cass, Fulton, Jasper, Pulaski, Starke
or White Counties. Another 5
percent is drawn from
Bartholomew, Miami and
Montgomery Counties. An
additional 5 percent comes from
Clarke, Harrison,Tippecanoe,
Warrick and Washington Counties.
Combined, the 14 counties
represent 80 percent of Pulaski
County’s laborshed.

36. 36
Workforce inflow and outflow in 2011
Labor market
section 04
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, OTM, LEHD, PCRD
Pulaski 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 1,140
commuters.The resulting situation is that for
every 100 employed residents, Pulaski County
has 80 jobs.
Count
Proportio
n
Employed in Pulaski
County
4,652 100%
Both employed and
living in the county
2,038 44%
Employed in the county
but living outside
2,614 56%
Living in Pulaski County 5,792 100%
Both living and
employed in the county
2,038 35%
Living in the county but
employed outside
3,754 65%

37. 37
Takeaways
The Great Recession that impacted the U.S.
economy between 2007 and 2009 took a major toll
on the Pulaski County’s unemployment rate. While
the rate was low in 2000, it skyrocketed to over 10
percent by 2009. Recent figures make clear that
the unemployment rate has improved significantly
since 2010, now hovering around 6.3 percent.
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 come to mind. 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 may have opted to retire and their
positions have been eliminated or left unfilled.
Over 60 percent of Pulaski County’s 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. Conversely,
Pulaski draws a number of its employees from
surrounding counties in the region.
It may be worthwhile for local leaders and industries
to determine the human capital attributes of
workers who commute to jobs outside the county as
well as those who live somewhere else but who
travel to jobs in Pulaski County. By so doing, local
leaders would have a better understanding of the
labor force dynamics in the county and determine
how they might spur the growth of good paying
jobs. In so doing, they could help reduce the
number of workers who now commute out of
Pulaski County but who would work in their county
of residence if decent paying jobs were present.
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 is 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
Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

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
Natalie Federer
County Extension Director and
4-HYouth Development
Educator
574-946-3412
nfederer@purdue.edu
PCRD
1341 Northwestern Avenue
West Lafayette, IN 47906
765-494-7273
pcrd@purdue.edu
OR