Tippecanoe County

West Central Indiana, Indiana · 195K people · $12.0B GDP

Timeline
2026Present
NOW
EVENT HORIZON
2020202620302035204020452050
West Central Indiana

Future Path

Pick a future path. Every number on this page updates with the impacts and the ranked actions for that path.

Disruption Profile

Baseline + Probable

Extreme — Active disruption underway in key sectors

High — AI Exposure Index: 55/100 -- moderate vulnerability to AI-driven workforce disruption.

High — Median household income $55K (-15.4% vs state median) -- significantly below state average, limiting consumer spending and tax base.

Moderate — Building pressure in key sectors

Moderate — Building pressure in key sectors

Moderate — Building pressure in key sectors

Moderate — Moderate exposure across select industries

Minimal — Limited disruption signal

Minimal — Limited disruption signal

Tippecanoe County vs Indiana Average

Tippecanoe County exceeds Indiana average on 6/9 dimensions. Highest divergence: Social Trust (-25)

Click a dimension label to explore

Tippecanoe Indiana US Avg

Projected impact · 2026

Stakes for Tippecanoe County

Probable cone · 1.00x

With 98K jobs in Tippecanoe County and AI exposure at 55/100, here is what the model projects through 2031 under the probable cone (default 5-year horizon — scrub the timeline to extend).

Model: at-risk = workforce × (AI exposure ÷ 100) × ((year − 2020) ÷ 10, capped 0-1) × cone multiplier. Each STEEPE-point improvement preserves ~1% of at-risk jobs. The same formula runs backwards (retrodiction) and forwards (projection), so scrubbing pre-2026 shows what the model says was already exposed by that year.

See per-dimension breakdown

How 13 actions distribute across 4 dimensions, plus near-term vs medium-term lists.

If Tippecanoe County implements all 13 recommended actions, the model projects these dimensional improvements.

Economic Disruption
57+21 pts
Reduce Education (Purdue) Concentration Risk /Mitigate SK hynix $3.87B semiconductor facility Concentration Risk /Semiconductor Workforce Pipeline via Purdue
Education Value
66+17 pts
Pre-emptive Reskilling Pipeline: Auto assembly /Sector-Aligned K-12 + Community College Pipeline /Registered Apprenticeship Expansion: Manufacturing (Subaru/Caterpillar) /Sector-Pivot Scholarship Voucher
AI > AGI > ASI
73+15 pts
Convert AI Vulnerability into First-Mover Advantage /Anchor Employer AI Co-Investment Compact /Leverage Broadband Advantage for AI Sector Growth
Social Trust
35+14 pts
Targeted Poverty Reduction in Highest-Need Areas /Pre-Positioned Displaced Worker Rapid Response /Community Engagement for Industrial Development
Near-term (1-3 yr)+56 pts

11 actions within local control

  • - Reduce Education (Purdue) Concentration Risk
  • - Convert AI Vulnerability into First-Mover Advantage
  • - Targeted Poverty Reduction in Highest-Need Areas
  • - Mitigate SK hynix $3.87B semiconductor facility Concentration Risk
  • - Pre-emptive Reskilling Pipeline: Auto assembly
  • - Sector-Aligned K-12 + Community College Pipeline
  • - Anchor Employer AI Co-Investment Compact
  • - Leverage Broadband Advantage for AI Sector Growth
  • - Registered Apprenticeship Expansion: Manufacturing (Subaru/Caterpillar)
  • - Pre-Positioned Displaced Worker Rapid Response
  • - Community Engagement for Industrial Development
Medium-term (3-7 yr)+11 pts

2 actions requiring partnerships or advocacy

  • - Sector-Pivot Scholarship Voucher
  • - Semiconductor Workforce Pipeline via Purdue

Action Plan

Probable path

Top recommendations for Tippecanoe County, ranked by estimated impact. 13 total · +67 pts combined.

Who Can Act

Of 13 recommended actions for Tippecanoe County, 12 are within direct control. Tap a sphere to see the actions and what each one does.

Acting on the 12 local levers alone (+59 STEEPE pts) is the fastest path to shifting the probable→preferred future cone for this county.

Top Employers — Tippecanoe County

The 7 largest employers shaping the local labor market. Tap any row for the public-data profile and AI-exposure assessment.

Combined headcount across profiled employers: 11K globally · 5 not yet profiled

Economic Development Authority

Greater Lafayette Commerce

READI 7-county coordination

Website

Target Sectors

Semiconductor ManufacturingAdvanced ManufacturingDefense/AerospaceAgriculture Technology

Active Programs

  • +Tax abatement administration
  • +Greater Lafayette Career+ (K-12)
  • +Robotics in Manufacturing Camp
  • +Manufacturing Week

Recent Wins

SK hynix $3.87B semiconductor facility
$3.87B1,000 jobs2024
10% regional job growth over 5 years
2025

Supporting detail

Open any section to dig into the underlying data.

Layoff history (WARN)

Federal layoff filings on the timeline

WARN Act Notices (2020-2026)

Notices

3

Workers

345

Layoff Rate

0.35%

of total employment

2025

65

Workers Affected by Year

200
2020
0
2021
0
2022
80
2023
0
2024
65
2025
0
2026

By Sector

Auto Manufacturing
200 (58%)
Heavy Equipment Manufacturing
80 (23%)
Trailer Manufacturing
65 (19%)

Recent Notices

Wabash National

Lafayette · Trailer Manufacturing

Freight volume decline, fleet replacement cycle downturn

65

Jun 2025

Caterpillar Lafayette

Lafayette · Heavy Equipment Manufacturing

Production consolidation, demand softening in construction equipment

80

Sep 2023

Subaru of Indiana Automotive (SIA)

Lafayette · Auto Manufacturing

COVID-19 temporary production halt

200

Mar 2020

Source: Indiana DWD WARN. Federal WARN Act: 60-day notice for mass layoffs (50+ workers) at employers with 100+ employees.

Disruption scenarios

Exponential impact paths driven by the timeline

Exponential Impact Scenarios

Cross-signal alerts

When multiple risk signals converge on this county

Convergence Alerts

criticalAI-Economic Squeezestrength 65%
Economic 68/60AI 73/60Education 68/50

High economic disruption + rapid AI capability growth + education system stress creates a compound labor displacement risk. Industries face automation pressure while the workforce lacks retraining capacity.

Precedent: Rust Belt 2015-2020: manufacturing automation + trade disruption + inadequate workforce retraining led to persistent unemployment in affected counties.

Tippecanoe County: 3 dimensions converging above thresholds simultaneously.

Full economic profile

Demographics, employment, sectors, incentives

EVI: competitiveBASELINEMetro (RUCC 2)

Housing & Infrastructure

Median Home Value

$210K

Homeownership

48%

Median Rent

$1,000

Broadband Access

91.0%

Avg Commute

18 min

Labor Force Part.

65.0%

Lower homeownership reflects large student/renter population. West Lafayette housing tight near campus. Surrounding areas more affordable for families.

Employment by Sector

Education (Purdue)22%
Manufacturing (Subaru/Caterpillar)18%
Healthcare & Social12%
Research & Development8%
Retail/Accommodation7%

Population & Talent

Population

195K

Change Since 2020

+2.8%

Median Age

28.5

University-driven population growth. Purdue enrolls 50K+ students. Retention improving with Discovery Park and local startup ecosystem.

State Incentive Programs

Available incentives from IEDC for business attraction and expansion in Tippecanoe County.

Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE)

Tax Credit

Refundable income tax credits based on projected new payroll. Indiana's primary incentive for job creation. Credits calculated as a percentage of expected income tax withholdings from new employees over up to 10 years.

Max Benefit

Up to 100% of projected new payroll withholdings for up to 10 years

Eligibility

Companies creating new jobs in Indiana with above-average wages. Must demonstrate project would not occur in Indiana without incentive (but-for test).

Hoosier Business Investment (HBI) Tax Credit

Tax Credit

Non-refundable tax credit against Indiana income tax liability based on qualified capital investment. Supports companies making significant fixed-asset investments in Indiana facilities, equipment, and infrastructure.

Max Benefit

Up to 10% of qualified capital investment, carried forward up to 9 years

Eligibility

Companies making qualified capital investments of $1M+ in Indiana. Manufacturing, logistics, technology, and life sciences priorities.

Industrial Development Grant Fund (IDGF)

Grant

Performance-based grants for significant job creation and capital investment projects. Typically reserved for large-scale projects with transformative economic impact on a community.

Max Benefit

Negotiated; typically $1M-$50M for projects creating 100+ jobs

Eligibility

Major economic development projects creating substantial employment and capital investment. Competitive evaluation based on jobs, wages, investment, and community impact.

Skills Enhancement Fund (SEF)

Training

Grants to reimburse eligible training costs for new and existing employees. Supports workforce upskilling in advanced manufacturing, IT, and specialized technical skills.

Max Benefit

Up to $5,000 per employee trained; no cap on total employees

Eligibility

Indiana companies training employees in skills directly related to job functions. Priority for advanced manufacturing, IT, logistics, and life sciences sectors.

Headquarters Relocation Tax Credit

Tax Credit

Relocating a corporate headquarters to Indiana unlocks enhanced income tax credits. Designed for companies moving decision-making operations with high-wage executive and professional roles.

Max Benefit

Up to 100% of withholdings on relocated HQ employees for up to 10 years

Eligibility

Companies relocating corporate or divisional headquarters to Indiana. Must demonstrate significant executive/professional employment transfer.

Data Center Tax Exemptions

Exemption

Sales tax exemptions on qualifying data center equipment, electricity, and infrastructure purchases. Indiana's incentive to attract hyperscale and enterprise data center investment along I-65/I-70 corridors.

Max Benefit

100% sales tax exemption on qualified data center equipment and power (50+ year incentive period for qualifying investments of $750M+)

Eligibility

Data center operators investing $25M+ in qualified equipment. Tiered benefits based on investment level. Must create minimum employment.

Purdue University anchor creates an innovation-driven economy. High bachelor's attainment reflects student population. Discovery Park District and Purdue Research Park generate R&D-intensive startups. Subaru plant provides manufacturing stability.

Sources

Census ACS 5-Year 2023: Tippecanoe CountyBLS LAUS: Lafayette-West Lafayette MSAGreater Lafayette Commerce

Grant matches

Federal funding aligned to county levers

Best-Fit Incentive Programs

State programs matched to Tippecanoe County's industry mix, workforce needs, and recommended actions.

Skills Enhancement Fund (SEF)
TrainingUp to $5,000 per employee trained; no cap on total employees
72
  • +Matches manufacturing focus
  • +Matches technology focus
  • +Funds 7 recommended actions

Recommended for: Targeted Poverty Reduction in Highest-Need Areas, Pre-emptive Reskilling Pipeline: Auto assembly, Sector-Aligned K-12 + Community College Pipeline

Hoosier Business Investment (HBI) Tax Credit
Tax CreditUp to 10% of qualified capital investment, carried forward up to 9 years
60
  • +Matches manufacturing focus
  • +Matches technology focus
  • +Funds 6 recommended actions

Recommended for: Reduce Education (Purdue) Concentration Risk, Convert AI Vulnerability into First-Mover Advantage, Mitigate SK hynix $3.87B semiconductor facility Concentration Risk

Data Center Tax Exemptions
Exemption100% sales tax exemption on qualified data center equipment and power (50+ year incentive period for qualifying investments of $750M+)
45
  • +Matches technology focus
  • +Funds 3 recommended actions

Recommended for: Convert AI Vulnerability into First-Mover Advantage, Anchor Employer AI Co-Investment Compact, Leverage Broadband Advantage for AI Sector Growth

Industrial Development Grant Fund (IDGF)
GrantNegotiated; typically $1M-$50M for projects creating 100+ jobs
35
  • +Funds 9 recommended actions
  • +County scale supports large-project grants

Recommended for: Reduce Education (Purdue) Concentration Risk, Convert AI Vulnerability into First-Mover Advantage, Targeted Poverty Reduction in Highest-Need Areas

Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE)
Tax CreditUp to 100% of projected new payroll withholdings for up to 10 years
30
  • +Funds 6 recommended actions

Recommended for: Reduce Education (Purdue) Concentration Risk, Convert AI Vulnerability into First-Mover Advantage, Mitigate SK hynix $3.87B semiconductor facility Concentration Risk

Target industries

Sectors prioritized by the county strategy

Sectors aligned with the county’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and AI impact assessment.

1.Advanced Manufacturing & Robotics

AI mixed

Subaru of Indiana Automotive (only Subaru plant outside Japan), Caterpillar, Wabash National. Purdue Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

2.Semiconductor & Microelectronics

AI tailwind

SkyWater Technology ($1.8B CHIPS Act fab planned for W. Lafayette). Purdue SCALE semiconductor design center. National security priority.

3.Aerospace & Propulsion

AI tailwind

Rolls-Royce test facility, Purdue Zucrow Labs (largest academic propulsion lab). GE Aviation testing. Space technology incubation.

4.AgTech & Food Science

AI tailwind

Purdue Agriculture (#1 US ag school), Corteva Agriscience research, Beck's Hybrids R&D. AI precision agriculture leadership.

5.Deep Tech & University Spinouts

AI tailwind

Purdue Research Foundation, Purdue Foundry (200+ startups). Quantum computing (IUQN), hypersonics, cybersecurity research.

Best-case opportunities

What this county wins in the preferred future

Sources

Government, academic, and live data feeds

Census QuickFacts: Tippecanoe CountyGreater Lafayette CommercePurdue Research Foundation
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