Hoosiers by the Numbers

Your premier source for labor market information for Indiana.

EGR 2 map

EGR 2 consists of Elkhart, Fulton, Kosciusko, Marshall and St. Joseph counties.

Economic Growth Region 2 Analysis

The St. Joseph River is a prominent feature of this north-central region of Indiana.

It was here that the explorer LaSalle, with Native Americans to guide him, portaged from the meandering Kankakee to the St. Joseph. Miami and Potawatomi peoples, among them Chief Menominee, called this region home long before white settlers forced them out. Today, thriving Amish and Mennonite farms dot the landscape, and the Amish Country towns of Shipshewana and Nappanee draw shoppers for handmade goods and food.

Legendary coach Knute Rockne, “the Four Horsemen,” and the “Gipper” of the University of Notre Dame are synonymous with college football. Warsaw is known as “the orthopedics capital of the world,” while Elkhart’s recreational vehicle industry is regarded as a bellwether of the U.S. economy.

Manufacturing and health care and social assistance are the region’s major industries, and assemblers and laborers are the largest occupational groups. The region’s educational institutions include the University of Notre Dame, Indiana University–South Bend, Holy Cross College, Saint Mary’s College, Goshen College, Ivy Tech and Bethel University.

Recent Analysis

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Quick Stats

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626,331 Population (EGR 2)
4.3 Unemployment Rate (EGR 2)
$36.0 billion Personal Income (EGR 2)
$26.27 Average Wage (Elkhart-Goshen MSA)
$22.09 Median Wage (Elkhart-Goshen MSA)
134,800 Nonfarm Employment (Elkhart-Goshen MSA)
$26.89 Average Wage (South Bend–Mishawaka MSA)
$21.36 Median Wage (South Bend–Mishawaka MSA)
145,500 Nonfarm Employment (South Bend–Mishawaka MSA)
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Top 10 Occupation Groups by Growth
(2022-2032 long-term projections)

  1. Healthcare support occupations
  2. Computer and mathematical occupations
  3. Architecture and engineering occupations
  4. Life, physical, and social science occupations
  5. Community and social services occupations
  6. Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
  7. Personal care and service occupations
  8. Legal occupations
  9. Food preparation and serving related occupations
  10. Business and financial operations occupations

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Indiana Department of Workforce Development

Dive into the long-term occupation projections with the Employment Outlook Projections Tool.

 

Top 10 Industry Sectors
(Based on 2023 annual average employment)

  1. Manufacturing
  2. Health Care and Social Services
  3. Retail Trade
  4. Educational Services
  5. Accommodation and Food Services
  6. Wholesale Trade
  7. Construction
  8. Admin, Support, Waste Management
  9. Public Administration
  10. Other Services (Except Public Administration)

Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages

Access multiple data sets on the Industry topic page.

Major Employers (Based on number of employees)

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EGR 2

  • Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc.
  • Norfolk Southern
  • University of Notre Dame
  • Keystone RV Co.
  • Elkhart General Hospital
  • Jayco
  • St. Joseph County
  • Biomet Mfg. LLC
  • Supreme Industries Inc.
  • Morryde International

About the data

Note: The list of regional employers on this page was updated September 2024 to include local insights.

data axle This database contains listings of nearly 12 million U.S. employers. Employer information is provided by Data Axle®, Omaha, NE, (866)-DATAXLE. Copyright © 2024. All Rights Reserved.

Major Educational Institutions

Name
Type
City
Indiana University South Bend Four-year South Bend
Ivy Tech Two-year South Bend
Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary Independent Elkhart
Bethel University Independent Mishawaka
Goshen College Independent Goshen
Grace College & Theological Seminary Independent Winona Lake
Holy Cross College Independent Notre Dame
Saint Mary's College Independent Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame Independent Notre Dame

Source: Indiana Commission for Higher Education


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Largest Cities and Towns in Economic Growth Region 2

Name Population in 2023 Percent of region County
South Bend 103,395 16.5% St. Joseph
Elkhart 53,484 8.5% Elkhart
Mishawaka 50,842 8.1% St. Joseph
Goshen 34,355 5.5% Elkhart
Warsaw 16,097 2.6% Kosciusko
Plymouth 10,989 1.8% Marshall
Nappanee* 6,872 1.1% Elkhart/Kosciusko
Rochester 6,211 1.0% Fulton
Winona Lake 5,099 0.8% Kosciusko
Bremen 4,604 0.7% Marshall

*Nappanee crosses county lines, but both counties are in EGR 2.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau annual population estimates

Aerial photo of South Bend
Early morning aerial view of South Bend, Indiana.

Helpful Regional Tools and Resources

EGR 2 IN Depth Regional Profile

At-a-glance details about the region's population, labor force, housing and more.

County Highlights

Get a snapshot of critical population and workforce statistics for each county in the region.

INDemand Jobs

Find job postings and training for the jobs that are both high wage and high demand.

Regional Labor Mix

Discover the regional mix of occupations and/or industries to gain insight into strengths or identify gaps.

Regionizer

Build a region to view demographics, commuting patterns, industry clusters and occupation clusters, including the ability to include counties that border Indiana.

Labor Force Projections

These are the official labor force projections to 2050 released in September 2018 by the Indiana Business Research Center.

Commuting

The commuting data page provides easy access to multiple commuting data sets and visualizations.