Indiana | Economic Development Report
TerraMetrics
May 9, 2026
Total Employment
105.0K
Resilience Score
77/100
Diversification
101/100
Net Impact (Probable)
+1.5K
Median household income $52K (-20% vs state median) -- significantly below state average, limiting consumer spending and tax base.
Unemployment 3.9% with 92,000 total employed. Poverty rate 15%.
Metro jurisdiction -- larger government apparatus with more regulatory complexity.
Economic Vitality: stable -- adequate governance but limited capacity for bold policy moves.
AI Exposure Index: 60/100 -- moderate vulnerability to AI-driven workforce disruption.
Highest risk sector: Auto assembly routine production (Toyota line automation expansion)
26% bachelor's+ attainment is 7 points below the national average (33%).
89% high school+ completion rate -- adequate base but gaps remain in advanced skills.
Moderate ecological risk profile -- no extreme climate events but regional exposure persists.
Housing median value $155K -- lower property values reduce but don't eliminate climate exposure.
No significant financial sector employment -- BTC adoption impact is indirect through consumer behavior and investment flows.
Median income $52K -- moderate crypto adoption potential aligned with national trends.
Research institutions (University of Evansville) provide local quantum/STEM workforce pipeline, though direct quantum compute facilities are rare outside major metro areas.
26% bachelor's+ rate limits local STEM talent pool -- PQC migration will depend on external expertise.
Government sector (7% of employment) -- federal CBDC rollout would first affect benefits distribution and government payroll here.
15% poverty rate means a larger unbanked/underbanked population. CBDC could improve financial access -- or create new surveillance concerns.
15% poverty rate strains community cohesion and institutional trust.
Population stable (-0.5% since 2020) -- community base is steady.
Signature: Healthcare & Regional Services Hub - Deaconess Health System (largest employer), Berry Global (plastics mfg), Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana nearby.
Top Commodities:
Net employment change by sector under probable futures scenario. Green = growth, Red = displacement risk.
Address healthcare worker shortages by building accelerated training programs, especially for AI-augmented care roles.
Leverage existing healthcare employment density to attract AI health startups, clinical trial operations, and telehealth infrastructure.
Attract remote-first tech companies and satellite offices by promoting quality of life, lower costs, and existing professional workforce.
Position construction workforce for the modular housing revolution where AI designs and factories produce housing components.
Under the probable future, this county's strongest opportunity is healthcare workforce pipeline (feasibility: 82/100). The economic outlook is net positive with 1,490 potential new positions. Additionally, ai healthcare innovation cluster scores 75/100 feasibility.
Deaconess Health System (healthcare)
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana (TMMI)
Berry Global (packaging, HQ)
Reckitt/Mead Johnson Nutrition (consumer health, global HQ)
CenterPoint Energy (utilities, formerly Vectren HQ)
University of Evansville
Ascension St. Vincent Evansville
Old National Bancorp (regional bank, HQ)
| Company | Date | Workers | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whirlpool (Evansville) | 2024-08-01 | 90 | layoff |
| Berry Global Group | 2020-05-15 | 75 | layoff |
Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE)
Refundable income tax credits based on projected new payroll. Indiana's primary incentive for job creation. Credits calc...
tax_creditHoosier Business Investment (HBI) Tax Credit
Non-refundable tax credit against Indiana income tax liability based on qualified capital investment. Supports companies...
tax_creditIndustrial Development Grant Fund (IDGF)
Performance-based grants for significant job creation and capital investment projects. Typically reserved for large-scal...
grantSkills Enhancement Fund (SEF)
Grants to reimburse eligible training costs for new and existing employees. Supports workforce upskilling in advanced ma...
trainingHeadquarters Relocation Tax Credit
Relocating a corporate headquarters to Indiana unlocks enhanced income tax credits. Designed for companies moving decisi...
tax_creditData Center Tax Exemptions
Sales tax exemptions on qualifying data center equipment, electricity, and infrastructure purchases. Indiana's incentive...
exemptionTarget Sectors
Active Programs
Recent Wins
| Name | Investment | Jobs | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Indiana $1.4B EV investment | $1.4B | 340 | 2025 |
| Polyram USA $12M expansion | $12M | - | 2024 |
| READI 2.0 $45M award | $45M | - | 2024 |
| Priority | Dimension | Action | Impact | Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| critical | Education Value | Close the Skills Gap with AI-Ready Credentials | +6 | local |
| critical | Social Trust | Pre-Positioned Displaced Worker Rapid Response | +4 | local |
| high | AI > AGI > ASI | Convert AI Vulnerability into First-Mover Advantage | +6 | local |
| high | Economic Disruption | Reduce Healthcare & Social Concentration Risk | +5 | local |
| high | Social Trust | Targeted Poverty Reduction in Highest-Need Areas | +5 | local |
| high | Education Value | Pre-emptive Reskilling Pipeline: Auto assembly routine production | +5 | local |
| high | Education Value | Sector-Aligned K-12 + Community College Pipeline | +5 | local |
| high | Education Value | Registered Apprenticeship Expansion: Healthcare & Social | +4 | local |
| high | AI > AGI > ASI | Universal Broadband for AI Economy Participation | +1 | federal |
| medium | Education Value | Sector-Pivot Scholarship Voucher | +3 | local |
| high | Economic Disruption | Toyota Dependency Diversification Strategy | +6 | local |
Total Impact
+50 pts
11 actions
Local Control
91%
10 of 11 actions
Critical Actions
2
highest priority
Impact estimates are modeled projections based on STEEPE dimension sensitivity analysis. Actual outcomes depend on implementation quality, timing, and external conditions.
Census CBP 2022, USDA Census of Agriculture 2022, Census ACS 2024, BLS QCEW, BEA County GDP, WARN Act Notices, TerraMetrics STEEPE Engine. Census QuickFacts: Vanderburgh County. BEA: Evansville MSA GDP. Southwest Indiana Chamber.
STEEPE Framework: A multi-dimensional disruption assessment covering Social, Technology (AI, Blockchain, CBDC, Quantum), Ecological, Economic, Political, and Education. Each dimension is scored 0-100, where higher values indicate greater disruption intensity. Scores shown in this report reflect the Probable scenario projection.
Resilience Score (0-100): How well-positioned a county is to absorb economic disruption. Calculated from economic diversification (40%), opportunity-to-threat ratio (35%), and average sector wage levels (25%). Higher scores indicate greater capacity to weather change.
Diversification Score (0-100): Economic diversity across industry sectors, based on the inverted Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI). A score of 100 indicates a perfectly diversified economy; lower scores indicate concentration in fewer sectors, increasing vulnerability to sector-specific shocks.
AI Exposure Score (0-100): Degree of exposure to AI-driven disruption based on knowledge worker concentration, tech company density, and manufacturing automation exposure. Higher scores indicate greater exposure, meaning both higher risk of displacement and higher potential for AI-driven growth.
Futures Cone (Probable / Possible / Preferable): Based on the Voros (2003) futures cone methodology. Probable represents where current trends lead (highest confidence). Possible covers what could happen across a wider range of conditions. Preferable describes the abundant future that proactive policy and investment can build toward.