In Mercer County, jobs in the utility system construction pay the highest wages

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People with jobs in the utility system construction industry wages were the highest in Mercer County for 2006. The average industry job in Mercer County received a wage of $43,447 in 2nd quarter of 2006. The wage rate is greater than the industry pay the State of North Dakota of $40,517 and less than then the pay for jobs in this industry in the United States of $48,011.

Top-pay jobs in Mercer County, North Dakota can be found in building equipment contractors ($43,230), computer systems design and related services ($37,337), support activities for mining ($33,861) and auto parts, accessories, and tire stores ($32,503) industries. Note: Click Graph Above 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 24.3% Since 2001

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From 2001 to 2006, average industry wages increased in Mercer County, North Dakota by a total of 24.3%. This is greater than the growth in average industry wages for North Dakota and greater 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 Exceed North Dakota, and Wages Exceed the United States

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The overall industry wages in Mercer County, North Dakota when analyzed can be described as very high when analyzed with other 2nd quarter of 2006 County wages throughout the state. The average pay is 70.6 percent higher than the reported averages in the state of $30,009. The average pay was greater than the national industry average 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 Growth in Employment

The Legal services industry has experienced the largest percentage growth, expanding by 30.0 percent from the 2nd quarter of 2001 to the 2nd quarter of 2006. This industry sector in Mercer County has grow faster than the industry has grown in the State of North Dakota, where the industry felt a gain of 1.4 percent. The Legal services industry in Mercer County outpaced the nation in terms of industry employment growth . During this period, the nation gained 8.3 percent.

Top 5 Industries
1. Legal services (30.0 percent gain)
2. Services to buildings and dwellings (22.4 percent gain)
3. Residential building construction (15.8 percent gain)
4. Specialized freight trucking (15.6 percent gain)
5. Petroleum merchant wholesalers (9.7 percent gain)

Mercer County Five-Year Percentage Decline in Employment

The Full-service restaurants industry has lost the largest percent of jobs, losing 35.3 percent from 2001 (2nd Quarter) to 2006 (2nd Quarter). These losses have declined faster than the industry has seen in the North Dakota, where the industry reported a gain of 5.3 percent. The losses in the Full-service restaurants industry in Mercer County outpaced the United States in terms of percentage decline of industry employment. In this period, the United States gained 13.2 percent in terms of employees in the Full-service restaurants industry.

Top 4 Industries
1. Full-service restaurants (35.3 percent decline)
2. Accounting and bookkeeping services (25 percent decline)
3. Building equipment contractors (18 percent decline)
4. Limited-service eating places (11.3 percent decline)

Total industry employment has increased by 17.5 percent from the reported values in 2001. These values are greater than growth in the State of North Dakota, which experienced a gain of 7.9 percent since 2001 ( 2nd Quarter). The gains in the area were greater than than the gain seen for the United States of 2.6 percent.

Total Five-Year Employment Decline in Mercer County

The Full-service restaurants industry faced the greatest employment loss with a total loss of 44 jobs in that time period. The declines in the Full-service restaurants industry make up 66.2 percent of the employment lost during the period in Mercer County, North Dakota.

Top 5 Industries
1. Full-service restaurants (44 jobs lost)
2. Limited-service eating places (12 jobs lost)
3. Building equipment contractors (9 jobs lost)
4. Accounting and bookkeeping services (2 jobs lost)
5. Office supplies, stationery, and gift stores (46 jobs lost)

Of the 11 industries with industry data reported by the BLS in each quarter, 4 described an expansion of jobs throughout the time period, while 7 industry sectors accounting for employment declines during that time period.

In Mercer County, North Dakota, the aggregate employment for all industry sectors has increased by 687 total jobs from 2001 to 2006.

Total Five-Year Employment Growth in Mercer County

From the industries (4-digit NAICS) in the area, the Services to buildings and dwellings industry has grown the most with 13 jobs added during the time period. These new jobs in the Services to buildings and dwellings industry makes up 46.9 percent of the total growth in Mercer County.

Top 4 Industries
1. Services to buildings and dwellings (13 new jobs)
2. Petroleum merchant wholesalers (6 new jobs)
3. Legal services (3 new jobs)
4. Specialized freight trucking (2 new jobs)





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.

Income and Poverty in Mercer County, North Dakota

When compared to other counties (or parishes) across the United States, Mercer County, North Dakota can be considered to have a poverty rate amid the residents with a poverty rate of 7.5 percent of the population with family incomes below the 1999 poverty level. The American Indian and Alaska Native race/ethnicity demographic category, owns the foremost rate of poverty with 29.5 percent of the 2000 population living in poverty. People that are of the age 75 years and over are witness to the most percent living in poverty in Mercer County, with 26.1 percent of the population in this age category living in poverty.

When compared to other counties (and parishes) throughout the United States, Mercer County reported a relatively high median household income of $49,455 (2005 Dollars). This median is 18.1 percent higher than the median income in State of North Dakota of $40,487 and the median household income is 0.7 percent higher than the median household income in the United States of $49,133.

Hispanic headed households in Mercer County, North Dakota , as reported in 2000, had a median household income of $51,188, which is 3.5 percent greater than the areas median income level for all households. The households that were headed by an American Indian and Alaska Native individual in Mercer County had a median income of $21,938, this median was 55.6 percent less than the median income level in this area. In Mercer County, North Dakota White headed households reported a median household income (2005 Dollars) of $50,057 according to the 2000 Dencennial Census, which was 1.2 percent greater than the median in the year 2000. The Asian headed households reported median household incomes of $77,513. This household income level is 56.7 percent greater than the reported median for all households in the area.







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

Higher Education in Mercer County, North Dakota

In 2000, the Census reported that in Mercer County, North Dakota, a high proportion of the male population in the area have reached the Some College or Associates Degree category, with 35 percent achieving this level. The female population in Mercer have achieved a lower level of higher education (Bachelors Degree or Higher) than the male population-- 14.8 percent (Men) versus 14 percent (Women). The most common level of education for women in the area is Some College or Associates Degree category, with 32.4 percent of women in the area reaching this education level.

In Mercer County, North Dakota as reported in the Census of the year 2000, 14.2 percent of the White Alone, . percent of Black or African American, 100 percent of the Asian alone and 42.8 percent of the Hispanic or Latino population, over the age 25, has achieved at least a Bachelors Degree.

Mercer County, North Dakota can be considered to have a moderately-educated population of the working age, with 14.4 percent of the population (+25) having received a BA or higher, as reported the 2000 Decennial Census. Mercer counted a lower percent of population with this high education level than the State of North Dakota's proportion of 22 percent and a lower percent than the US proportion of 24.4 percent.





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

Demographic Profile for Mercer County, North Dakota

Since 2000, a medium-low number of individual migrated to the Mercer from outside the country. The immigration into Mercer accounts for 0.8 percent of the total migration into the State of North Dakota. This level of international migration can be considered medium-low when comparing levels of immigration per population in 2005.

The U.S. Census Bureau, in the year 2005, estimated a median age in Mercer County, North Dakota to be 45.0 years of age. The median in Mercer is greater than the median in North Dakota of 39.1. Since the year 2000, the area has seen an increase in this median, when at that time it was 40.3 years old. With a total of 21.1 percent of the 2005 population being made up of children and youth younger than 18, Mercer can be described as having a medium-low percent of individuals under 18. The working age population group (18-64) has a medium-high presence of the population, with 63.8 percent of the population makes up this age category. The retirement (65 and over) age group comprises 15 percent of the population. When compared to other counties in the United States, this represents a medium-high proportion of the area population base.

Mercer County, North Dakota has a population that is made up of 95.3 percent White, 0 percent African American, 0.3 percent Asian, and 0.6 percent Hispanic. The population mix can be considered to have a very modest level of diversity in terms of race and ethnicity, with 0.9 percent minorities. This is less than the State of North Dakota percent of 3. Since 2000, Mercer has increased in diversity when 0.5 percent of the total population were minorities.

Mercer County, North Dakota had a population that was estimated at 8,364 in 2005. The total population has decreased, from the population in the year 2000 of 8,606. The decline denotes a decrease of -2.8 percent. Mercer ranks 29 of 53 counties in terms of population growth in North Dakota and the county ranks 2,404 of 3,141 counties when analyzing total county population change across the nation.

In terms of total land area, Mercer spans a total area of 1045 square miles. The land areas has a very low average population density of 8 persons per square mile. Other counties with similar densities in the US include: -- more densely populated -- Knox, NE (8 per sq. mile ), Box Elder, UT (8 per sq. mile ), Reynolds, MO (8 per sq. mile ), -- less densely populated -- Blaine, ID (8 per sq. mile ), Norman, MN (8 per sq. mile ), Winkler, TX (8 per sq. mile ).

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

Housing Report for Mercer County, North Dakota

In Mercer County, there were a total of 4,462 housing units in the year 2005. This represents a growth in housing units, adding a sum of 41 residential structures since 2001, a change of 0.9 percent.

In the State of North Dakota, Mercer County is positioned 26 of 53 by percent in growth of new residential structures. The county places 2,661 of 3,141, comparing the percentage change in residential in other US counties.

Mercer County had a median home value in the year 2000 of $62,500, published by the Decennial Census. This median is less than the State of North Dakota 2000 home value of $74,400 and less than median home value of $119,600 across the nation during that year.

There is a abundant amount of housing that is affordable in Mercer County, North Dakota. In 2000, 96.3 percent of residential real estate was valued under $125,000.





Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Employment Report for Mercer County, North Dakota -- Annual 2005 Industry Summary

In Mercer County, Utilities, Construction, and the Retail Trade industries have the largest percent of jobs of all industries. The Utilities provides the most jobs and contributes 31.9 percent of total employment in the county, making up 1,253 jobs. The Construction and Retail Trade industries total 8.9 and 8.6 percent of all employment.

The Mining sector has decreased the most in local industry presence in Mercer County, from the year 2001 to 2005, accounting for 15.3 percent of employment in 2001 to 0 percent of total employment in the year 2005.

Professional and technical services is the industry with the largest change in employment since the year 2001 in Mercer County, growing by 55.6 percent. This is greater than the industry employment change in the United States of 2.6 percent. The State of North Dakota experienced a change in employment in the sector of 18.9 percent, in the duration of 2001 to 2005.

Utilities is the industry with the largest establishments in Mercer County. In the County, the industry averages 179 employees per business. This is greater than the US industry average of 34 and greater than the North Dakota typical size of 26 for the Utilities industry.

In Mercer County, Utilities, Construction and Information are the three industries with the highest location quotients. The Utilities sector has a United State LQ of 64.09. In other words, the percent of total jobs in the Utilities sector is 64.09 times greater than the US average, showing signs that Mercer specializes in Utilities.







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