In Mercer County, jobs in the offices of physicians pay the highest wages

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Jobs in the offices of physicians industry reported the top wages in Mercer County for the 2nd quarter of 2006. The average worker in the industry in Mercer County was paid an annual wage of $32,898 in 2nd quarter of 2006. The wage rate is less than the industry wage in Illinois of $68,301 and less than then the pay for jobs in this industry across the nation of $64,740.

High-wage employment in Mercer County, Illinois may be found in specialized freight trucking ($30,534), general freight trucking ($29,321), depository credit intermediation ($28,608) and building foundation and exterior contractors ($27,172) industries. Note: Click the above Graphic for Detail Comparison

About: These facts are part of the eCanned.com Industry Analysis Series.

Datasource: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). Private Sector Employment Only.

Mercer County Wages have increased by 6.0% Since 2001

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From the second quarter of 2001 to the second quarter of 2006, industry wages have increased in Mercer County, Illinois by a total of 6.0%. This is less than the growth in average industry wages for Illinois and less than the growth in average industry wages for the United States.

About: These facts are part of the eCanned.com Industry Analysis Series.

Datasource: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). Private Sector Employment Only.

Mercer County Industry Wages Lag Behind Illinois, and Wages Lag Behind the United States

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Wages in all industries in Mercer County, Illinois when analyzed can be described as very low when analyzed with other Counties in the state. The overall wages are 51.5 percent lower than the state, which was reported to be $43,351. The overall industry wage was less than the overall average in the United States of $40,259.

About: These facts are part of the eCanned.com Industry Analysis Series.

Datasource: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). Private Sector Employment Only.

Mercer County Five-Year Industry Employment Change

Mercer County Five-Year Percentage Decline in Employment

The Florists industry has lost the largest percent of jobs, losing 60 percent from 2001 (2nd Quarter) to 2006 (2nd Quarter). These losses have declined faster than the industry has seen in the Illinois, where the industry felt a loss of 26.5 percent. The losses in the Florists industry in Mercer County outpaced the US in terms of percent of decline of industry employment. The US lost 23 in percent of jobs in the Florists industry.

Top 5 Industries
1. Florists (60 percent decline)
2. Building equipment contractors (34.5 percent decline)
3. Misc. nondurable goods merchant wholesalers (31.7 percent decline)
4. General freight trucking (23.8 percent decline)
5. Offices of physicians (19.1 percent decline)

Mercer County Five-Year Percentage Growth in Employment

The Depository credit intermediation industry has witnessed the largest percentage of employment expansion, increasing by 62.2 percent from 2001 (2nd quarter) to 2006 (2nd quarter). This industry sector in Mercer County has added employment faster than the growth seen in the industry for Illinois, where it saw a loss of 0.4 percent. The Depository credit intermediation industry in Mercer County outpaced the nation in terms of industry employment growth . During this period, the nation gained 6 percent of the industry employment.

Top 5 Industries
1. Depository credit intermediation (62.2 percent gain)
2. Insurance agencies, brokerages, and related (48.2 percent gain)
3. Other specialty trade contractors (41.7 percent gain)
4. Specialized freight trucking (37.5 percent gain)
5. Building foundation and exterior contractors (34.5 percent gain)

Total industry employment has increased by 5.6 percent from 2001 (2nd Quarter). These figures are less than growth in the State of Illinois, which went through a loss of -1.8 percent from the 2nd Quarter of 2001. The gains the area experienced were greater than than the gain reported at the US level of 2.6 percent.

Total Five-Year Employment Growth in Mercer County

The Depository credit intermediation industry has accounted the most employment growth with a total of 39 employees finding new jobs in the industry. The employment growth in the Depository credit intermediation industry makes up 45.3 percent of the growth in Mercer County.

Top 5 Industries
1. Depository credit intermediation (39 new jobs)
2. Building foundation and exterior contractors (20 new jobs)
3. Insurance agencies, brokerages, and related (9 new jobs)
4. Limited-service eating places (8 new jobs)
5. Other specialty trade contractors (5 new jobs)

Total Five-Year Employment Decline in Mercer County

Given the industries in the area, the Misc. nondurable goods merchant wholesalers industry witnessed the largest drop in employment, losing a total of 48 jobs during the period. The employment lost in the Misc. nondurable goods merchant wholesalers industry make up 45.6 percent of the jobs lost during the period in Mercer County, Illinois.

Top 5 Industries
1. Misc. nondurable goods merchant wholesalers (48 jobs lost)
2. Gasoline stations (17 jobs lost)
3. Full-service restaurants (15 jobs lost)
4. Florists (10 jobs lost)
5. Building equipment contractors (7 jobs lost)

In Mercer County, Illinois, the entire sum of jobs in all industries overall has increased by 110 jobs between mid-2001 and mid-2006.

Out of the 17 industries (4-digit NAICS) with sufficient data reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in each quarter, 9 showed an escalation in the number employed, while 7 industry sectors reported declines during the time period.





About: This report is part 2 of 6 in the eCanned.com Industry Analysis Series.

Datasource: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). Private Sector Employment Only.

Mercer County One-Year Industry Employment Change

Total One-Year Employment Decline in Mercer County

Given the industries in the area, the Full-service restaurants industry experienced most substantial job loss, losing 29 jobs in that time period. The declines in the Full-service restaurants industry make up 35.8 percent of the jobs lost during the period in Mercer County, Illinois.

Top 5 Industries
1. Full-service restaurants (29 jobs lost)
2. Building foundation and exterior contractors (16 jobs lost)
3. Building equipment contractors (12 jobs lost)
4. Misc. nondurable goods merchant wholesalers (7 jobs lost)
5. Residential building construction (7 jobs lost)

Out of the 21 4-digit NAICS industries, 10 described an expansion of jobs throughout the time period, while 11 industry sectors accounting for employment declines during that time period.

In Mercer County, Illinois, the aggregate employment for all industry sectors has increased by 38 total jobs from 2005 to 2006.

Total One-Year Employment Growth in Mercer County

Out of the 4-digit NAICS industries, the Depository credit intermediation industry has brought the most jobs with a total of 10 employees finding new jobs in the industry. The employment growth in the Depository credit intermediation industry makes up 23.0 percent of the total number of new jobs in Mercer County.

Top 5 Industries
1. Depository credit intermediation (10 new jobs)
2. Limited-service eating places (9 new jobs)
3. Automotive repair and maintenance (6 new jobs)
4. Other amusement and recreation industries (5 new jobs)
5. Accounting and bookkeeping services (3 new jobs)

Mercer County One-Year Percentage Growth in Employment

The Accounting and bookkeeping services industry has experienced the largest percentage growth, expanding by 28.6 percent from the 2005 (Q2) to the 2006 (Q2). This industry in Mercer County has expanded faster than the industry has grown in the State of Illinois, where this industry saw a gain of 2.9 percent. The Accounting and bookkeeping services industry in Mercer County outpaced the US in terms of percent growth of industry employment. During this period, the US gained 3.8 percent of the employment in this industry.

Top 5 Industries
1. Accounting and bookkeeping services (28.6 percent gain)
2. Specialized freight trucking (25.7 percent gain)
3. Automotive repair and maintenance (22.1 percent gain)
4. Professional and similar organizations (18.2 percent gain)
5. General freight trucking (14.3 percent gain)

Mercer County One-Year Percentage Decline in Employment

The Building equipment contractors industry has seen the largest percentage drop in employment, losing 49.3 percent from 2005 (Q2) to 2006 (Q2). The losses of the area have declined faster than the industry has seen in the Illinois, where the industry felt a gain of 4.8 percent. The losses in the Building equipment contractors industry in Mercer County outpaced the United States industry losses overall. During this period, the United States gained 5.5 in percent of jobs in the Building equipment contractors industry.

Top 5 Industries
1. Building equipment contractors (49.3 percent decline)
2. Residential building construction (46.8 percent decline)
3. Full-service restaurants (27.1 percent decline)
4. Building foundation and exterior contractors (17 percent decline)
5. Insurance agencies, brokerages, and related (11.7 percent decline)

Total employment has increased by 1.9 percent since the 2nd Quarter figures of 2005. This change is greater than percent in the State of Illinois, experiencing a gain of 1.5 percent from the 2nd Quarter of 2005. The gains in the area were less than than the gain experienced overall in the US of 2.0 percent.





About: This report is part 1 of 6 in the eCanned.com Industry Analysis Series.

Datasource: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). Private Sector Employment Only.

Income and Poverty in Mercer County, Illinois

Evaluated with other counties (or parishes) across the nation, Mercer County, Illinois can be understood to have a poverty rate amongst the population, with a poverty rate of 7.8 percent of the population with family incomes below the 1999 poverty level. The White race/ethnicity population category, holds the highest rate of poverty with 7.8 percent of the 2000 population living in poverty. People that are of the age 75 years and over have the largest percent of population in poverty in Mercer County, with 12.4 percent of the population in this age category living in poverty.

When compared to other counties (and parishes) throughout the United States, Mercer County accounted a relatively high median income for all households of $47,845 (2005 Dollars). This median is 13.9 percent lower than the median in State of Illinois of $54,510 and the income level is 2.7 percent lower than the median for the rest of the nation, which is a reported $49,133.

The American Indian and Alaska Native householders in Mercer County had a median income of $56,550, this was 18.2 percent greater than the areas median level for all households. In Mercer County, Illinois White headed households reported a median household income (2005 Dollars) of $47,779 as reported in 2000 by the census, which was 0.1 percent less than the median in the year 2000. Black or African American headed households had median income levels that were 5.2 percent less than the all population median published in the 2000 Census, with a median of $45,338. According to the 2000 Census, the Asian headed households in the area have median household incomes of $106,118. This median is 121.8 percent greater than the reported median for all households in the area. Hispanic Householders in Mercer County, Illinois reported a median household income of $58,500, which is 22.3 percent greater than the median reported for all households in the area.







Datasource: U.S. Bureau of the Census. 2000 Decennial Census.

Higher Education in Mercer County, Illinois

In Mercer County, Illinois as reported in the 2000 Census, 12.6 percent of the White Alone, 0 percent of Black or African American, 35.4 percent of the Asian alone and 30.6 percent of the Hispanic or Latino population, over the age 25, has achieved at least a Bachelors Degree.

Mercer County, Illinois has a moderately-educated population, with 12.6 percent of the population (+25) having received at least a Bachelors Degree, as reported in the Decennial Census of 2000. Mercer counted a lower percent of individuals with higher educations than the State of Illinois's proportion of 26 percent and a lower percent than the average across the nation of 24.4 percent.

According to the 2000 Decennial Census in Mercer County, Illinois, many men in the area have reached the High School Diploma category, with 44.4 percent receiving this level of education. The women in Mercer on average have achieved a greater level of higher education (Bachelors or Higher) than the men in the area: 12.2 percent (Men) versus 13.2 percent (Women). Many of the women in the area achieving a High School Diploma, with 42.8 percent of the women population in the area achieving this level of education.





Datasource: U.S. Bureau of the Census. 2000 Decennial Census.

Demographic Profile for Mercer County, Illinois

In 2005, the Census Bureau estimated the median age in Mercer County, Illinois to be 41.5 years old. The median in Mercer is greater than the median age in the State of Illinois of 35.6. Since the year 2000, the area has witnessed an increase in the median, when the median age was 39.7 years old. With 22.5 percent of the 2005 population being comprised of individuals under the age of 18, Mercer can be described as being made up of a medium-low percent of individuals under 18. The working age population group (18-64) has a medium-low presence of the 2005 population base, with 61 percent of the population within the age category. People 65 years old and older make up 16.5 percent of the total population in the area. Compared to other counties in the US, this represents a medium-high proportion of the area population base.

By measuring total land area, Mercer spans a total of 561 square miles. This area has a low population density of 30 persons per square mile. Other counties with similar densities in the US include: -- more densely populated -- Gallatin, MT (30 per sq. mile ), De Soto, LA (30 per sq. mile ), Lewis, WA (30 per sq. mile ), -- less densely populated -- Finney, KS (30 per sq. mile ), Telfair, GA (30 per sq. mile ), Crawford, WI (30 per sq. mile ).

Mercer County, Illinois had a population that was estimated at 16,912 in the year 2005. The population has decreased, since the 2000 total population of 16,963. The decline shows a decrease of -0.3 percent. Mercer ranks 44 of 102 counties by growth in total population in Illinois and the county ranks 2,017 of 3,141 counties by growth in county population in the United States.

Mercer County, Illinois has a population that is made up of 97.5 percent White, 0.5 percent African American, 0.2 percent Asian, and 1.4 percent Hispanic. This area can be considered to have a very modest level of racial and ethnic diversity, with 2.1 percent minorities. This is less than the State of Illinois percent of 33.1. Since 2000, Mercer has increased the percent of minority makeup when 1.8 percent of the population were minorities.

Estimated since the year 2000, a low number of individual migrated to the Mercer from another country. The international migration into Mercer makes up 0 percent of all immigration into Illinois. This amount of international migration is low when analyzed against the base population in the year 2005 and compared to other counties across the US.

Datasource: Population Estimates Program, U.S. Bureau of the Census.

Housing Report for Mercer County, Illinois

In Mercer County, the census reported 7,238 homes in the year 2005. This county has gone through a growth in housing units, adding in all 91 residential structures since 2001, a change of 1.3 percent.

Mercer County had an owner-occupied dwelling median in 2000 of $68,500, reported by the Decennial Census. This is less than the overall State of Illinois 2000 home median value of $130,800 and less than median owner-occupied dwelling value of $119,600 across the United States during the same year.

When compared to other counties in Illinois, Mercer County ranks 87 of 102 in terms of percentage growth in new housing structures. The county ranks 2,469 of 3,141, in terms of residential real estate percentage change change in the United States.

According to the data, there is a large amount of housing that is affordable in Mercer County, Illinois. In 2000, 85.6 percent of residential real estate was valued under $125,000.





Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Employment Report for Mercer County, Illinois -- Annual 2005 Industry Summary

Administrative and waste services is the industry that has grown the most in terms of employment from 2001-2005 in Mercer County, growing in new jobs by 235.3 percent. This is greater than the industry employment change in the United States of 4.5 percent. The State of Illinois experienced a change in employment in the sector of 4.4 percent, in the period of time since 2001.

In Mercer County, Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, Other services, except public administration and Manufacturing industries, in terms of United States location quotient, are the most dominant in the region. The Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sector in the county has a location quotient of 2.32. This means the percent of total employment in the Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industry is 2.32 times more than the average percent in the United States, revealing signs that Mercer may be an exporter of products or services of Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting.

Mercer County ranks 87 of 103 Counties in the State of Illinois according to the relatively size of the employment base in the year 2005. This ranking has moved up between the years 2001 and 2005. In 2001, the County was ranked 86 of 103 Counties.

Manufacturing has the largest employers in Mercer County. In the County, the industry averages 52 jobs per establishment, which is greater than the industry's average at the national level of 39 and greater than the State of Illinois establishments size average of 36 for the Manufacturing industry.

The Health care and social assistance has seen the largest decrease in industry presence in Mercer County, from the year 2001 to 2005, accounting for 7.3 percent of employment in 2001 to 0 percent of total employment in the year 2005.

In Mercer County, Manufacturing, Retail Trade, and the Accommodation and food services industries are the largest employment industries. The Manufacturing is the largest employment industry and makes up 20.9 percent of the total county employment. This totals 412 jobs. The Retail Trade and Accommodation and food services industries make up 19.1 and 9 percent of all employment.





Datasource: U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW).