Statistics show county on firm economic ground
The good news about Warren County’s unemployment rate and potential growth in industrial jobs in a recent Southern Standard article has piqued the interest of many people in the county and generated some questions as to whether the figures paint an accurate picture of a county in recovery.
While one statistic, like the unemployment rate, obviously doesn’t tell the whole story, it’s an accurate indicator of a county’s general economic health. A more in-depth look at unemployment using figures obtained from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and the Upper Cumberland Development District shows Warren County on firm economic ground.
As of July 2003, the population in Warren County was 39,129, according to U.S. Census figures. According to the UCDD unemployment figures for October, the most recent available at press time, the total workforce in Warren County is 20,800. Of those people, 20,010 are employed, giving the county its 3.8 percent unemployment rate.
A deeper look shows some other pretty startling employment statistics. For instance, figures for 2003 show the average yearly salary in Warren County is $32,865 which translates to $632 per week. Figuring 40 hours a week, which may not be totally accurate since overtime may not be taken into account, the average wage earner in Warren County is making $15.80 per hour. These figures do not include agricultural jobs.
High-wage manufacturing jobs bring up the average salary as there is actually a large gap between the various jobs in the county. The average wage for a job in manufacturing is $850 per week, while the average wage for a worker in the retail industry is $359 per week.
County-wide 7,150 are involved in goods production, with 470 in natural resources, mining and construction, and 6,680 in manufacturing. There were 8,600 working in service and retail industries, with 1,820 of those in government jobs. The percentage of manufacturing to total jobs is 42 percent.
Some other interesting statistics are the number of Warren County workers employed outside the county, and those coming into the county to work. The most recent commuting figures available for the county are from 2000. Those stats show 3,105 Warren County residents worked outside the county. Meanwhile, 4,604 people who lived outside the county were employed here.
County Executive Kenneth Rogers says the main thing he wants to get across with this information is the importance of having a positive attitude and passing that along to industry representatives who might want to locate in the county.
“We have got to change our train of thought,” Rogers said. “We cannot continue every time we see someone saying, ‘Oh it’s terrible in Warren County with the lack of jobs.'”