Expanding Labor Pool

Sterling Business Park sits in the middle of the fastest-growing region in the tri-state area. This growth distinguishes Sterling Businesses Park from other northeast locations. From 2003-2007, workers were added at a rate of 6.3% - three times the rate of Pennsylvania and the US. Nearly 15,000 new workers joined the labor pool. Wayne County alone is experiencing significant growth. During the first half of 2008, the County averaged 300 new workers monthly. The regional workforce totals 239,100. Over a quarter of a million workers in their prime years are within a 30-mile commute. The region’s colleges and universities also do their part: with approximately 6500 graduates each year, the labor supply is constantly rejuvenated with trained and talented individuals. The opportunity to draw from a rapidly expanding labor pool is one of the key assets of Sterling Business Park. Visit our Favorable Wage Comparison and Workforce Qualities pages to fully understand why this northeast location is a great business move. Expanding Workforce Table 1: Civilian Labor Force, 2004 Growing Labor Supply Table 2: Population Growth in Labor Supply Area Table 3: Prime Workers (25 – 54 Years of Age) Commuting Data Table 4: Location of Labor Market Area Employment Table 5: Travel Times to Work EXPANDING WORKFORCE Back to Top GROWING LABOR SUPPLY Wayne County’s location—in the northeast corner of the Commonwealth—puts us at the leading edge of expansion from the NY/NJ metro areas, and provides the basis for an increasing labor supply with a commuting pattern that favors local development. Wayne County grew by 19.5% during the last census period, and together with neighboring Pike, Monroe and Lackawanna Counties, created the fastest-growing region in the Commonwealth. From 1990 to 2000, the labor supply of this 4-county region increased by 16.1% compared to a growth of 3.7% within the Commonwealth as a whole. Population estimates released by the Census Bureau for 2004 indicate that the 4-county region has a net growth rate of nearly 6% compared to 1% for the Commonwealth as a whole. The region represents a population of 472,535, having added 26,529 in the last four years. Back to Top Commuting Data Although nearly three thousand (3,000) are being added to the regional labor supply annually, this constitutes only a portion of labor that is available when we look at commuting patterns. The last census shows that Pike County, the 36th fastest-growing county in the U.S. (out of 3,155), had an average commute of 46 minutes, almost double the U.S. commuting time. In the 4-county region, nearly 25,000 indicted they were employed either outside their county or outside the Commonwealth. Therefore, we have a supply of labor that potentially would prefer local employment, thereby reducing commuting time and resulting in an increased quality of life. Back to Top Back to Top