Editor's note
Gregg Keesling is in the recycling business. He and his staff recycle sophisticated and valuable materials and provide them to those who can reuse them. But they go further. They take persons released from prison and help them recycle into productive lives. Hear it on our Who Gets What? podcast at mortonjohn.libsyn.com or wherever you get podcasts.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) collects detailed employment data. From these data, we’ll compare how the 50 states and the District of Columbia are doing in job growth, which many people see as the objective of economic development. For others, however, the key data are wages. We’ll look at both here.

In March 2015, Indiana ranked 15th among the states with 2.9 million jobs counted by BLS. Ten years later, we had added 267,000 jobs for a total of 3.2 million, but fell to 17th in the nation.

Indiana’s growth rate was 9.2% for that decade, 26th fastest, but far less than the national leader, Utah, which posted a 30.5% growth rate. The job growth rate for the entire United States was 12.5%.

In terms of average weekly wages for those jobs, Indiana did better. Our average weekly wage in 2015 was $857 (35th in rank), but it advanced $1,323 (30th). This growth of $466 per week was 26th best in the nation and a 54.4% increase, the 19th highest among all the states and D.C. (These data are not adjusted for inflation, which was 35.4%, March 2015 to March 2025.)

At the county level, Marion County not only had the largest number of jobs (over 622,000 in 2025), but had the greatest increase in the number of jobs over the decade (47,000). Boone County saw the greatest job growth rate at 40.2%.

Of our 92 counties, 60 saw an increase in the number of jobs. Of the 32 job-losing counties, Howard, Noble, Vigo, and Kosciusko, each lost 1,000 or more jobs. What percent or number of job losses should arouse concern?

In terms of wages, Indiana had 82 counties with wage growth in excess of inflation’s 35.4% increase. Franklin and LaGrange were in a virtual tie for first place in the rate of wage growth.

To enjoy high wages and still climb higher is a significant achievement. Marion and Bartholomew counties fit this description. Marion moved from 2nd place to 1st in the state for average weekly wages at $1,779 or 34% higher than the state’s $1,323 level.

Bartholomew displaced Martin County in 2025 to claim 2nd place, 32% above the state average after a 64% growth rate. Martin County (Crane) was still high at 30% above the state, but had a sub-par growth rate of 30% (89th in the state).

Lake County was among the hardest hit counties in the state as its average weekly wage moved from $890 (10th place) to $1,048 (38th place). This was the result of a weak 18% growth rate for the decade, Indiana’s lowest.

Again, we wonder how the state responds to these facts as many suggest the state should not respond. They say let the market determine how the rewards in life are distributed.

 

(Editors and interested readers: I have the data for each county if you wish to see them. Just send me an email and your wish will be fulfilled.)
Morton J. Marcus is an economist formerly with the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. His column appears in Indiana newspapers, and his views can be followed his podcast.

© 2025 Morton J. Marcus

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