ECONOMY

For decades the area economy was known for its dependence on large manufacturing operations. More than half of the workforce was employed in manufacturing. In their heyday, the Studebaker and Bendix Corporations alone employed more workers than are employed in all of manufacturing today. The area enjoyed a vigorous economy, but the ups and downs of the business cycle affected the community like a giant roller-coaster ride. Today, most of the large manufacturing employers are gone and manufacturing employment has fallen significantly.  At the same time, the workforce is at an all-time high, and the number of manufacturing companies in the area has increased including national companies such as Honeywell and the AM General Hummer facility .

In recent years, the area decline in manufacturing employment has been more than offset by an increase in service employment. Unlike the stereotypical perception of "fast food" service employment, this local economy has benefited from the evolution of services in a regional health care industry, a thriving educational services sector, and significant employment in the accounting and financial services industries. Each of these service sectors attract business from outside the immediate area much like the manufacturing firms they have replaced. As can be noted in the accompanying chart, the composition of area employment by industry now closely matches that of the U.S. economy overall; and, the net result is a more diversified and stable economy for area residents to enjoy.

• Employment Trends By Decade 1970 Through 2000
• Employment by Industry
• Largest Employers For St. Joseph County, Indiana

Place cursor over the chart to reveal the breakdown percentages in each section.

Industry Employment Trends By Decade 1970 Through 2000
St. Joseph County	1970		1980		1990		2000
Total	102,825		116,571		139,500		160,835
Ag., Forestry & Mining	409	0.4%	445	0.4%	978	0.7%	1,191	0.9%
Construction	4563	4.4%	5,832	5.0%	7,783	5.6%	9,508	5.9%
Manufacturing	29,095	28.3%	26,151	22.4%	22,057	15.8%	22,024	13.6%
Trans. & Public Utilities	5,029	4.9%	4,654	4.0%	6,365	4.6%	5,928	3.7%
Wholesale Trade	5,955	5.8%	6,843	5.9%	8,051	5.8%	9,809	6.1%
Retail Trade	17,698	17.2%	21,675	18.6%	26,389	18.9%	29,433	18.5%
FIRE	6,792	6.6%	7,968	6.8%	9,531	6.8%	10,487	6.6%
Services	22,845	22.2%	30,433	26.1%	45,210	32.4%	57,401	35.7%
Government	10,439	10.2%	12,570	10.8%	13,136	9.4%	15,054	9.3%

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis

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Place cursor over the chart to reveal the breakdown percentages in each section.

Related Links

• The Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph County

• STATS Indiana

• Indiana Business
  Bulletin
  

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis

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