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InContext

September 2007
Vol. 8, No. 9

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Indiana's On the Map: New Way to Access Labor Force Data

Indiana is now among the states whose data is accessible through OnTheMap version 2.2, a Web-based mapping application from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Local Employment Dynamics program. OnTheMap is a powerful tool with many uses. Users can zoom in to get neighborhood data not available elsewhere or zoom out to regional labor markets that cross state boundaries.

This application, available at http://lehdmap2.did.census.gov/themap/, uses a standard Internet browser, but a high-speed connection is a must due to the large amount of data being processed. The data are useful (even if they seem a little old—2004 is the most current available), but because the interface is a little less than intuitive, some may overlook beneficial features. This article is somewhat of a mini-tutorial so you can get a jumpstart using this helpful tool.

Overlay Options

The first page of the website allows you to focus in on a basic geographic area. Once you’re in the map interface, there are three ways to get data. Access these options by clicking the “Create/Change Overlay” button (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Overlay Options

Figure 1
Click for larger image

  • Create Travel Sheds: Depending on if commute shed or labor shed is chosen, this profiles either residents who live in a selected location (e.g., where do people who live in Marion County work?) or workers employed within a selected location (e.g., where do people who work in the downtown Indianapolis 46204 ZIP Code live?).
  • Create Paired Area: This option analyzes a single home and workplace pair (e.g., how many Lawrence county residents commute to the city of Bloomington?).
  • Analyze Concentric Rings: Depending on if commute shed or labor shed is chosen, this creates profiles of residents or workers within three rings around a selected point using a user-defined radius (e.g., how do workers who live within two miles of the center of East Chicago differ from those who live within 5 miles or 10 miles?)

Selection Options

After you’ve selected an overlay, the next dialog box will ask you to define the selection area (among other things). Even though we’re only going to look at layer selections in this article, the following four selection options are available, so users aren’t necessarily limited to analyzing data for predefined geographies (see Figure 2).

Figure 2: Selection Options

Figure 2
Click for larger image

  • Freehand Selection: Draw a freehand polygon on the map
  • Layer Selection: Choose a layer type (such as counties, cities, townships or ZIP code tabulation areas) and then select a specific geographic unit on the map by dragging your mouse across it. *Tip: you need to drag your mouse across at least a portion of the geographic unit you want to select. Just clicking on it will not work.
  • Buffered Selection: Builds a buffer around a line you draw on the map (you specify the radius for the buffer in miles).
  • Circle Selection: Selects an area (using a radius you specify) around a point you select on the map

One of the improvements in this version of OnTheMap is that census blocks are used to define the selection area—excluding the freehand selection, which will continue to be defined at the block-group level.

Report Options

The same dialog box that asks you to define a selection area also wants you to specify a report type. The tables in this article provide the actual output from OnTheMap for various queries so you know what is available.

If you selected the travel shed overlay, you may choose between three different report options:

  1. Shed Report: If labor shed is selected, this report indicates where workers who are employed in the selected area live. As shown in Table 1, more than 60 percent of people who worked in the downtown Indianapolis ZIP code 46204 in 2002 lived in Marion County, but that number dropped to 55 percent by 2004. If commute shed is selected, the report indicates where residents who live in the selected area are employed.

    2. Table 1: Labor Shed Report—Where Workers Employed in the 46204 ZIP Code Live

    Area Employment by Category 2004:2 2003:2 2002:2
    Count Share Count Share Count Share
    Total Employers: 1,495 1,487 1,535
    All Jobs 69,546 100.0% 66,799 100.0% 65,823 100.0%
    All Jobs (Private Sector Only) 50,690 72.9% 49,453 74.0% 49,315 74.9%
    All Primary Jobs (Worker's highest paying job) 65,519 94.2% 62,662 93.8% 62,191 94.5%
    All Primary Jobs (Private Sector Only) 46,835 67.3% 45,621 68.3% 45,949 69.8%
    Baseline Count of Jobs
    All Primary Jobs 65,519 100.0% 62,662 100.0% 62,191 100.0%
    Cities/Towns Where Workers Live*
    Indianapolis city (balance) 33,066 50.5% 35,764 57.1% 34,876 56.1%
    Lawrence 1,576 2.4% 1,625 2.6% 1,569 2.5%
    Carmel 1,473 2.2% 1,428 2.3% 1,288 2.1%
    Fishers 1,470 2.2% 1,594 2.5% 1,501 2.4%
    Greenwood 1,367 2.1% 1,224 2.0% 1,238 2.0%
    Beech Grove 624 1.0% 615 1.0% 642 1.0%
    Fort Wayne 541 0.8% 427 0.7% 366 0.6%
    Speedway 533 0.8% 544 0.9% 562 0.9%
    Plainfield 530 0.8% 460 0.7% 445 0.7%
    Noblesville 521 0.8% 529 0.8% 468 0.8%
    All Other Locations 23,818 36.4% 18,452 29.4% 19,236 29.4%
    Counties Where Workers Live*
    Marion 36,289 55.4% 39,064 62.3% 38,128 61.3%
    Hamilton 4,637 7.1% 4,678 7.5% 4,443 7.1%
    Johnson 3,555 5.4% 3,115 5.0% 3,017 4.9%
    Hendricks 2,630 4.0% 2,425 3.9% 2,439 3.9%
    Morgan 1,236 1.9% 1,044 1.7% 1,131 1.8%
    Hancock 1,096 1.7% 1,131 1.8% 1,134 1.8%
    Lake 953 1.5% 714 1.1% 786 1.3%
    Boone 899 1.4% 778 1.2% 739 1.2%
    Allen 836 1.3% 677 1.1% 585 0.9%
    Kosciusko 733 1.1% 683 1.1% 673 1.1%
    All Other Locations 12,655 19.3% 8,353 13.3% 9,116 14.7%
    States Where Workers Live
    Indiana 63,742 97.3% 61,253 97.8% 60,803 97.8%
    Illinois 321 0.5% 260 0.4% 262 0.4%
    California 286 0.4% 159 0.3% 151 0.2%
    All Other Locations 1,170 1.8% 990 1.6% 975 1.6%
    *All in Indiana unless otherwise noted
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, using LED Origin-Destination Database
  2. Area Profile Report: This report provides the characteristics of employed workers in the selected area. Figure 3 shows the map output for the Anderson and Fall Creek townships in Madison County. Table 2 provides the results of the associated area profile report, where we see that the percentage of residents employed in manufacturing dropped 2.5 percentage points between 2002 and 2004.

    3. Figure 3: Commute Shed: Where Residents of Anderson/Fall Creek Townships Are Employed
    Figure 3
    Click for larger image

    Table 2: Selection Area Profile—Characteristics of Resident Workers in Anderson and Fall Creek Townships (Madison County)

    Resident Held Jobs by Category
    2004:2
    2003:2
    2002:2
    Count Share Count Share Count Share
    All Jobs 30,452 100.0% 29,799 100.0% 30,678 100.0%
    All Jobs (Private Sector Only) 26,265 86.3% 25,604 85.9% 26,636 86.8%
    All Primary Jobs (Worker's highest paying job) 28,496 93.6% 27,856 93.5% 28,724 93.6%
    All Primary Jobs (Private Sector Only) 24,546 80.6% 23,919 80.3% 24,874 81.1%
    Baseline Count of Workers
    All Primary Jobs 28,496 100.0% 27,856 100.0% 28,724 100.0%
    Workers by Age
    Age 30 or younger 8,283 29.1% 8,116 29.1% 8,462 29.5%
    Age 31 to 54 12,568 44.1% 12,525 45.0% 13,093 45.6%
    Age 55 or older 7,645 26.8% 7,215 25.9% 7,169 25.0%
    Workers by Earnings Paid
    $1,200 per month or less 7,216 25.3% 7,244 26.0% 7,415 25.8%
    $1,201 to $3,400 per month 17,009 59.7% 16,461 59.1% 17,080 59.5%
    More then $3,400 per month 4,271 15.0% 4,151 14.9% 4,229 14.7%
    Workers by Industry Type (2-digit NAICS)
    Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 80 0.3% 96 0.3% 83 0.3%
    Mining 25 0.1% 16 0.1% 22 0.1%
    Utilities 41 0.1% 32 0.1% 25 0.1%
    Construction 1,373 4.8% 1,230 4.4% 1,234 4.3%
    Manufacturing 4,705 16.5% 5,043 18.1% 5,456 19.0%
    Wholesale Trade 1,179 4.1% 1,114 4.0% 1,166 4.1%
    Retail Trade 3,560 12.5% 3,458 12.4% 3,790 13.2%
    Transportation and Warehousing 947 3.3% 920 3.3% 896 3.1%
    Information 502 1.8% 520 1.9% 526 1.8%
    Finance and Insurance 1,268 4.4% 1,281 4.6% 1,221 4.3%
    Real Estate, Rental and Leasing 372 1.3% 397 1.4% 346 1.2%
    Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 906 3.2% 835 3.0% 959 3.3%
    Management of Companies and Enterprises 233 0.8% 252 0.9% 232 0.8%
    Administrative, Support and Waste Management 1,496 5.2% 1,430 5.1% 1,519 5.3%
    Educational Services 1,917 6.7% 1,905 6.8% 1,830 6.4%
    Health Care and Social Assistance 3,977 14.0% 3,630 13.0% 3,490 12.2%
    Arts, Entertainment and Recreation 372 1.3% 383 1.4% 370 1.3%
    Accommodation and Food Services 2,647 9.3% 2,561 9.2% 2,704 9.4%
    Other Services (excluding Public Administration) 811 2.8% 706 2.5% 832 2.9%
    Public Administration 2,085 7.3% 2,047 7.3% 2,023 7.0%
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, using LED Origin-Destination Database
  3. QWI Report: This report provides 10 of the key quarterly workforce indicators. Table 3 shows these indicators for the census tract that will be home to the much-anticipated Honda plant in Greensburg.

    4. Table 3: Quarterly Workforce Indicators (QWI) Profile—Census Tract 18031969200 (West of Greensburg)

    QWI Indicators—Private Sector Jobs 2004:2 2003:2 2002:2
    Employment (Beginning-of-2nd quarter) 3,694 3,600 3,560
    Employment, Stable Jobs 3,370 3,260 3,224
    Separations, Stable Jobs 202 225 218
    New Hires, Stable Jobs 254 185 212
    Firm Job Gain 181 118 89
    Firm Job Loss 64 94 115
    Employment (reference quarter) 4,357 4,150 4,046
    Average Monthly Earnings, Stable Jobs $3,041 $2,877 $3,038
    Average Monthly Earnings Separations from Stable Jobs $1,063 $1,107 $993
    Average Monthly Earnings, New Hires, Stable Jobs $1,513 $1,553 $1,862
    Note: Data are for the second quarter of each year
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, using LED Origin-Destination Database

If you selected either the paired area or concentric rings, the following reports are available:

  1. Paired Area Report: If labor shed is selected, this report provides the number of workers that are employed in selection area #1 and live in area #2, as shown in Table 4. If commute shed is selected, it provides information on workers that reside in selection area #1 and work in area #2.

    2. Table 4: Paired Area Report—Characteristics of Workers that Reside in Lawrence County and Commute to the City of Bloomington in Neighboring Monroe County

    Workers Residing in Lawrence County
    2004:2
    Count Share
    All Jobs 17,884 100%
    All Jobs (Private Sector Only) 14,853 100%
    All Primary Jobs (Worker's highest paying job) 16,834 100%
    All Primary Jobs (Private Sector Only) 14,012 100%
    Residents of Lawrence County Working in the City of Bloomington
    All Jobs 2,330 13%
    All Jobs (Private Sector Only) 2,002 13.5%
    All Primary Jobs (Worker's highest paying job) 2,203 13.1%
    All Primary Jobs (Private Sector Only) 1,891 13.5%
    Note: Data are for the second quarter of each year
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, using LED Origin-Destination Database
  2. Concentric Circle Report: If labor shed is selected, this report provides information about people who work in each radius. If commute shed is selected, it provides employment information about those who reside in each radius, as shown for East Chicago in Table 5.

    3. Table 5: Concentric Ring Report—2004 Resident Workforce Profile for East Chicago (Commute Shed)

    Resident Held Jobs by Category
    10 Mi. Radius
    5 Mi. Radius
    2 Mi. Radius
    Count
    Share
    Count
    Share
    Count
    Share
    All Jobs 247,500 100.0% 75,900 100.0% 13,745 100.0%
    All Jobs (Private Sector Only) 205,232 82.9% 63,541 83.7% 11,598 84.4%
    All Primary Jobs (Worker's highest paying job) 229,150 92.6% 70,767 93.2% 12,825 93.3%
    All Primary Jobs (Private Sector Only) 189,532 76.6% 59,195 78.0% 10,828 78.8%
    Baseline Count of workers
    All Primary Jobs 229,150 100.0% 70,767 100.0% 12,825 100.0%
    Workers by Age
    Age 30 or younger 62,672 27.3% 20,785 29.4% 4,610 35.9%
    Age 31 to 54 119,693 52.2% 35,098 49.6% 5,728 44.7%
    Age 55 or older 46,785 20.4% 14,884 21.0% 2,487 19.4%
    Workers by Earnings Paid
    $1,200 per month or less 60,773 26.5% 18,392 26.0% 3,798 29.6%
    $1,201 to $3,400 per month 113,103 49.4% 35,654 50.4% 7,071 55.1%
    More then $3,400 per month 55,274 24.1% 16,721 23.6% 1,956 15.3%
    Workers by Industry Type (2-digit NAICS)
    Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 140 0.1% 52 0.1% 14 0.1%
    Mining 207 0.1% 75 0.1% 24 0.2%
    Utilities 1,381 0.6% 530 0.7% 75 0.6%
    Construction 8,694 3.8% 3,155 4.5% 472 3.7%
    Manufacturing 25,972 11.3% 9,357 13.2% 2,051 16.0%
    Wholesale Trade 8,419 3.7% 2,912 4.1% 522 4.1%
    Retail Trade 25,441 11.1% 8,542 12.1% 1,775 13.8%
    Transportation and Warehousing 12,453 5.4% 3,195 4.5% 404 3.2%
    Information 4,641 2.0% 1,278 1.8% 153 1.2%
    Finance and Insurance 10,985 4.8% 3,084 4.4% 286 2.2%
    Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 3,863 1.7% 1,115 1.6% 196 1.5%
    Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 8,355 3.6% 2,391 3.4% 283 2.2%
    Management of Companies and Enterprises 1,922 0.8% 481 0.7% 55 0.4%
    Administrative, Support and Waste Management 14,965 6.5% 4,063 5.7% 886 6.9%
    Educational Services 24,129 10.5% 6,577 9.3% 993 7.7%
    Health Care and Social Assistance 34,071 14.9% 9,228 13.0% 1,536 12.0%
    Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 4,723 2.1% 1,932 2.7% 473 3.7%
    Accommodation and Food Services 16,513 7.2% 5,298 7.5% 1,202 9.4%
    Other Services (excluding Public Administration) 7,755 3.4% 2,429 3.4% 469 3.7%
    Public Administration 14,521 6.3% 5,073 7.2% 956 7.5%
    Note: Data are for the second quarter
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, using LED Origin-Destination Database

Viewing the Results

After creating an overlay, all you will see on the map is the selection itself, which is a little unnerving because you think it didn’t work. However, to see the distribution of the labor force or workforce, you can choose to display points, thermals or both underneath “Display Option.”

Point size is based on concentration of workers, while thermals show density using a workers per square mile calculation. The number of workers/jobs in each quarter-mile grid cell is averaged with the numbers from the eight adjacent cells and then converted to workers per square mile. The colors chosen for the thermal overlay make it a little difficult to see what is going on, so it is useful to use that layer in conjunction with the points layer by selecting the “Both” option. To see the actual legend breaks for a specific map, click the square next to “overlay key” in the legend in the lower left corner.

While the map gives a decent visual of commute and labor sheds, the real meat of this application is in the aforementioned reports, which will open up in a new window if you select the “Reports” option.

While a bit slow and a little clunky at first, OnTheMap may prove to be an indispensable resource for data you can’t easily get anywhere else.

Rachel Justis, Managing Editor
Indiana Business Research Center, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University

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