Located within a 30-minute drive of two airports and less than 200 miles from Indianapolis, Chicago and Detroit, DeKalb County is a central location for your business. In fact, more than half of the United States’ manufacturers produce at least 1/3 of their goods and more than 1/3 of Americans and 2/3 of Canadians reside within one day of travel from this Indiana county. Taking advantage of DeKalb County’s central location and manufacturing-savvy workforce are such companies as Steel Dynamics Inc and Nucor.
Economic Development in DeKalb County
This centrally located manufacturing hub became home to nine new companies, fourteen expansions, 38.2 million dollars of investment and 389 new jobs in 2007.
| Population |
| Total Population, 2008 |
41,884 |
| Projected Population 2015 |
42,960 |
| Total Households, 2006-08 |
15,938 |
| Median Age, 2008 |
36.9 |
| Population Breakdown by Age, 2008 |
| 0-13 years |
19.7% |
| 14-17 years |
6.1% |
| 18-24 years |
7.9% |
| 25-44 years |
27.5% |
| 45-64 years |
26.3% |
| 65-84 years |
10.6% |
| 85+ years |
1.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Household Income |
|
Year |
Median HHI |
PCI |
| 2000 |
$44,909 |
$25,442 |
| 2007 |
$49,051 |
$29,136 |
| 2008 |
$48,698 |
|
Source: U.S. Census Bureau and BEA
| Labor Participation |
| Labor Force |
20,419 |
| Employed |
17,713 |
| Unemployed |
2,706 |
| Unemployment Rate |
13.3% |
Source: BLS LAUS, Preliminary 2009 Annual
| Commuting, 2007 |
| Commuting INTO DeKalb County |
6,457 |
| Commuting OUT of DeKalb County |
6,165 |
Source: STATS Indiana
| Housing, 2006-08 |
| Total Housing Units |
17,395 |
| Total Occupied Housing Units |
15,938 |
| Owner Occupied |
12,849 |
81.1% |
| Rental |
2,990 |
18.9% |
| Seasonal or Recreational, 2000 |
132 |
| Median Value for Owner Occupied Housing |
$114,800 |
| Median Gross Rent |
$582 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Education Attainment, 2006-08 |
| Level |
Total |
% |
| Less than High School |
3,376 |
12.3% |
| High School Graduate |
12,034 |
43.8% |
| Some College |
5,177 |
18.8% |
| Associate's Degree |
2,027 |
7.4% |
| Bachelor's Degree |
3,315 |
12.1% |
| Master's, PhD, and/or Professional Degree |
1,567 |
5.7% |
| Note: Data applies to the population 25 and older |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
| Largest Private Employers |
| Nucor |
| Steel Dynamics Inc. |
| Wal-Mart Distribution Center |
| Therma-Tru Corp. |
| DeKalb Memorial Hospital |
| Rieke Packaging |
| Cooper-Standard Automotive |
| Heidtman Steel Products |
| Ashley Industrial Molding, Inc. |
| Electric Motors & Specialties |
Source: Community Research Institute
| Announced Jobs & Investments, 2008 |
| New Companies |
1 |
| Expanding Companies |
10 |
| Financial Investment |
$46.59 Million |
| Jobs Created |
241 |
| Private Average Annual Wage & Employment By Industry - 2008 |
| Industry |
Avg. Annual Wage |
Emp. |
% Emp. |
| Total - All Covered |
$37,487 |
19,539 |
|
| Total - Private |
$38,016 |
17,494 |
|
| Natural Resources & Mining |
$24,477 |
88 |
0.5% |
| Construction |
$35,477 |
890 |
5.1% |
| Manufacturing |
$48,921 |
7,751 |
44.3% |
| Trade, Transportation, Utilities |
$31,827 |
3,410 |
19.5% |
| Information |
$25,467 |
101 |
0.6% |
| Financial Activities |
$34,737 |
393 |
2.2% |
| Professional and Business Services |
$39,819 |
1,348 |
7.7% |
| Education and Health Services |
$31,284 |
1,637 |
9.4% |
| Leisure and Hospitality |
$10,810 |
1,473 |
8.4% |
| Other Services |
$16,342 |
404 |
2.3% |
Source: BLS QCEW