TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind.–The most recent numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics say the highest wage growth in the U.S. was in Tippecanoe County.
The Bureau says the county posted a 15 percent increase in average weekly wages in the fourth quarter of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017.
You can see the full numbers here.
Tim Peoples, Managing Director of Purdue Foundry, tells Inside Indiana Business a big reason for that is the growth of high-tech industries in the county.
“Certainly, the mayors of Lafayette and West Lafayette, as well as the leaders in the county, are actively participating in recruiting as well as supporting this growth,” said Peoples. “I think that organizations like the Purdue Foundry, Purdue Research Park are very active in supporting these high-tech companies, both with intellectual property, with business services, as well as high-performing graduates that are coming out of the university.”
He also says the county can only continue growing because of the continued expansion of the Purdue Discovery Park District and the Purdue Research Park Aerospace District. Peoples says those expansions can attract outside companies and foster the growth of new startups.
In April of last year, Washington-based Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories said they are building a 100,000-square-foot electric power research facility and will create almost 300 jobs in the Discovery Park District.
Also, Saab announced they will build a $37 million plant in Purdue’s Discovery Park district to manufacture an advanced jet trainer aircraft for the Air Force. They Swedish plan to hire 300 workers and start production next year.
(PHOTO: Eric Berman/WIBC)
