Availability
 
Putnam County is a regional employment center.  The most recent figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate 9,917 persons are unemployed in the seven county area from which local firms primarily draw their workforce.  A small number of people commute to Putnam County from beyond these seven counties. 
COUNTY
LABOR FORCE
EMPLOYED
UNEMPLOYED
RATE
Putnam
18,359
17,021
1,338
7.3%
Clay
13,000
12,021
979
  7.5%
Hendricks
73,429
70,183
3,246
           4.4%
Montgomery
19,840
18,816
1,024
5.2%
Morgan
38,589
36,459
2,130
5.5%
Owen
11,514
10,800
714
6.2%
Parke
 8,316
7,830
486
  5.8%
============================================
TOTALS
183,047
173,130
9,917
  5.4%
  Source:                                  June 2008 Bureau of Labor Statistics Data.
                                                  Released July 18, 2008.
 

LABOR  -  CHANGES  IN  THE  MARKET

 * Altra Indiana, an ethanol plant, located in the southern part of the county began operations in the Spring of 2008.  The plant employs 45 to 50 people.

  

LABOR  -  AVAILABILITY

 High School Graduates

            Putnam County                                   Class of 2002                                450

                                                                        Class of 2003                                434

                                                                        Class of 2004                                412

                                                                        Class of 2005                                406

                                                                        Class of 2006                                419

                                                                        Class of 2007 (Estimate)              514

                                                                        Class of 2008 (Estimate)              569

 

            Seven County Region                        Class of 2002                             3,665

                                                                        Class of 2003                             3,568

                                                                        Class of 2004                             3,498

                                                                        Class of 2005                             3,302

                                                                        Class of 2006                             3,562

                                                                        Class of 2007 (Estimate)           4,446

                                                                        Class of 2008 (Estimate)           4,832

 

Labor Force

            Putnam County                                   2000 Annual                             17,205

                                                                        2001 Annual                             17,342

                                                                        2002 Annual                             17,394

                                                                        2003 Annual                             17,578

                                                                        2004 Annual                             17,491

                                                                        2005 Annual                             17,773

                                                                        2006 Annual                             17,701

                                                                        2007 Annual                             17,803

 

            Seven County Region                        2000 Annual                           162,360

                                                                        2001 Annual                           165,507

                                                                        2002 Annual                           168,960

                                                                        2003 Annual                           171,660

                                                                        2004 Annual                           174,020

                                                                        2005 Annual                           177,257

                                                                        2006 Annual                           179,434

                                                                        2007 Annual                           179,558

 

Labor Force Growth - 1990-1999

            Putnam County                                                                                    22.4%

            Seven County Region                                                                          23.1%

            State of Indiana                                                                                    10.8%

 

Labor Force Growth - 2000-2007

            Putnam County                                                                                      3.5%

            Seven County Region                                                                          10.6%

            State of Indiana                                                                                      2.1%

 

 

Unemployment

            Putnam County                                   2000 Annual                                2.8%

            Putnam County                                   2001 Annual                                3.7%

            Putnam County                                   2002 Annual                                5.0%

            Putnam County                                   2003 Annual                                5.6%

            Putnam County                                   2004 Annual                                5.5%

            Putnam County                                   2005 Annual                                6.5%

            Putnam County                                   2006 Annual                                5.3%

            Putnam County                                   2007 Annual                                5.2%

 

            Seven County Region                        2000 Annual                                2.5%

            Seven County Region                        2001 Annual                                3.4%

            Seven County Region                        2002 Annual                                4.5%

            Seven County Region                        2003 Annual                                4.8%

            Seven County Region                        2004 Annual                                4.6%

            Seven County Region                        2005 Annual                                5.0%

            Seven County Region                        2006 Annual                                4.3%

            Seven County Region                        2007 Annual                                4.0%

 

Persons Seeking Employment

            West Central Indiana                          Typical Month                       4 - 5,000

 

Persons Commuting Out of Putnam County for Employment

            Estimate from 1997 State Tax Returns                                                 5,977

            Estimate from 1998 State Tax Returns                                                 6,195

            Estimate from 1999 State Tax Returns                                                 6,417

            Estimate from 2000 State Tax Returns                                                 6,545

            Estimate from 2001 State Tax Returns                                                 6,124

            Estimate from 2002 State Tax Returns                                                 6,435

            Estimate from 2003 State Tax Returns                                                 6,364

            Estimate from 2004 State Tax Returns                                                 6,337

            Estimate from 2005 State Tax Returns                                                 6,439

            Estimate from 2006 State Tax Returns                                                 6,376

 

Population Aged 18-24

            Putnam County                                   2000 Census                              4,756

            Seven County Region                        2000 Census                            25,686

 

Population Aged 20-24

            Putnam County                                   2010 Projection                          3,600

            Seven County Region                        2010 Projection                        22,092

 

Population Growth - 1990-2000 (Census)

            Putnam County                                                                                    18.8%

            Owen County                                                                                       26.1%

            Seven County Region                                                                          22.2%

            State of Indiana                                                                                      9.7%

 

Note: The seven county region includes Putnam and the surrounding six counties of Clay, Hendricks, Morgan, Montgomery, Owen and Parke.  These counties make up the primary labor shed that supplies Putnam County.

 

Source: STATS Indiana and Bureau of Labor Statistics   Updated: 4/28/08