The services industry leads in 45 other counties. Figure 1 shows a distribution of Indiana counties by the industry accounting for the largest share of county employment and wages in the first quarter of 2000. Figure 2 presents the geographic distribution of the leading industry in employment for first quarter 2000. Counties in which the manufacturing industry is the largest employer are clustered primarily in the northeast to north-central area of the state and in a band of 15 contiguous counties running from Fayette County to Spencer County. Click on map to see larger version with county names.
Conventional wisdom holds that manufacturing jobs pay higher wages than service jobs.
That notion is supported in Figure 1. Manufacturers account for a higher share of wages than any other industry in 59 Indiana counties, compared to 45 counties where they lead in employment. In all 45 counties where the manufacturing industry is the leading employer, the industry also pays out the most wages. Among the counties where the services industry leads in employment, however, a different industry pays more in total wages in 17 of 45 counties. Click on map to see larger version with county names.