Ben Middelkamp | Daily Reporter
HANCOCK COUNTY — Joshua Ward commutes from Greenfield to his job near Fort Benjamin Harrison in Lawrence each weekday. The Greenfield native says he’d rather drive an extra 30 miles a day for better pay and benefits at his finance job outside the county than occupy a similar position closer to home that likely would pay less.
Ward isn’t unlike many Greenfield residents who choose to commute to higher-paying jobs. But despite Hancock County workers making on average a few thousand dollars less than workers in Indianapolis, some local residents chose to live in the county because of reasons other than pay: Its schools, low crime rate and small-town feel are important assets, experts say.
According to data compiled by STATS Indiana, in 2018, the average wage per job in Hancock County was $43,918, lower than Marion County at $57,547; and Hamilton County at $53,961. Although Hancock County’s wages aren’t as high as those in the two biggest counties in the region, they’re still higher than those in other counties in the metro area, including Johnson, Boone, Hendricks and Morgan counties.
Hancock County has for decades been a bedroom community to Indianapolis. Since at least 2000, the county has sent on average about 15,000 workers to Marion County every work day, according to data compiled by Indiana University’s Indiana Business Research Center, which maintains and develops STATS Indiana.
Randy Sorrell, executive director of the Hancock Economic Development Council, said there are many reasons why people commute to Marion County. Some people go to higher-paying jobs, he said, while others may have moved to Hancock County after working and living in Indianapolis for years. The western townships of Hancock County have seen a surge in single-family housing permits and have been the fastest-growing areas of the county for years.
Ward, who works for Defense Finance and Accounting Service, has worked in Indianapolis for almost 20 years. He first sought construction jobs in Indianapolis. Ward said he could make about $4 to $5 more in Indianapolis than in Greenfield, and that’s remained the same for his current position working for the federal government. His job also has better benefits and paid time off than most jobs he has pursued.
“It’s always paid more than Greenfield,” Ward said about Indianapolis.
One of Ward’s best friends lives in Greenfield and commutes to IUPUI for an IT job, and his aunt used to commute to positions at insurance companies in Indianapolis; she told him the insurance job market there was much more competitive than in Greenfield.
After living in Indianapolis from 2000 to 2006, Ward said he decided to move back to his hometown of Greenfield to be closer to friends and family. He also said Greenfield has better schools, less crime and poverty and is much quieter and simpler than Indianapolis.
Greenfield Mayor Chuck Fewell said it’s hard for the city to compete with the diverse economy of Indianapolis. But Greenfield, he said, has many broad-based commercial and industrial businesses.
“For what we have,” Fewell said, “I think we’re probably competitive in that market field as far as what they offer for people to want to come here and find jobs.”
BeijingWest Industries, one of the city’s newest companies, starts off its maintenance technicians at $17.70 an hour and will increase the pay to $18 an hour after six months; lead technicians make $27.70 an hour. The Chinese automotive plant, located in a 276,514-square foot facility on Opportunity Parkway, has hired about 125 workers and plans to hire up to 441 by the end of 2021.
Yamaha Marine Precision Propellers Inc. plans to move part of its stainless steel propeller manufacturing operations from the east side of Indianapolis to Greenfield on West New Road, investing more than $18 million and bringing 81 jobs, with an average hourly pay of $20.76. Crews broke ground on the 50,000 square-foot building last month, and production could start in 2020.
Fewell said he would like Greenfield to have more vocational training and certification opportunities so residents can earn skills to fill positions at BWI, Yamaha or other future manufacturing businesses. According to STATS Indiana data, 15.7% of jobs in Hancock County are in the manufacturing sector.
“We have to find and help develop that workforce,” Fewell said.”There are jobs out there. We need to fill them.”
Even though Hancock County’s average wage hasn’t risen to compete with Marion County or Hamilton County, Sorrell said the county partially compensates in another way: The county receives more commuters than in the past. Sorrell said he’s noticed more out-of-county license plates, from places such as Madison, Henry, Rush and Shelby counties, at a few local factories. The number of commuters coming into Hancock County between 2007 and 2017 grew by nearly 1,500 workers, according to STATS Indiana data.
Sorrell said a large company like BWI can easily attract commuters from nearby counties, especially to the east. He said Hancock County’s proximity to Interstate 70 has allowed companies to draw a larger workforce than in Indiana cities and counties not along an interstate or major highway.
“They will pay wages here, and those dollars will be spent here. If (BWI doesn’t) hire a soul in Hancock County, there would still be a benefit because they’re buying lunch, they’re getting gas,” Sorrell said. “Every job added is a direct benefit to your community.”
Carol Rogers, founder of STATS Indiana, said as the Indianapolis metro area continues its reign as a magnet for businesses and people in Indiana, some of the smaller counties surrounding Indianapolis, many of which have ample available land, should take advantage of the dense living conditions in Indianapolis and work to attract people to their communities for different housing options.
Rogers also said surrounding counties, in trying to grow and diversify their local economies, need to focus on their identities. That uniqueness could draw in the types of workers a county wants.
“Will this be a fun and interesting place or quiet and secluded or outdoorsy?” Rogers said by way of example.
For residents who choose to work in Indianapolis, Fewell said he wants to ensure they keep living in Greenfield. The city and county collect taxes from out-of-county workers, and those residents choose to spend their money in Greenfield and Hancock County, build homes and send their kids to local schools.
“If they want to work somewhere else and still reside here, absolutely,” Fewell said. “They’re going to spend money here. They’re going to partake of the things we offer them as amenities.”
