The six communities participating in this study were originally selected because data from government sources, specifically the Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, indicated that they were seeing growth in jobs that exceeded their growth in working age population. Since the project began prior to the 2010 Census, selections were based on data from the 2000 Census and Census estimates.
The profiles below contain data from both the 2000 and 2010 Censuses, providing an indication of the direction of change that has been occurring in these communities over the last decade. Because the 2010 Census did not collect financial data, the numbers provided for median household income, per capita income and poverty are taken from the American Community Survey. The reliability of those data can vary significantly depending upon the size of the community, with data for smaller communities sometimes having very large confidence intervals. Thus, those numbers while providing a sense of the direction and magnitude of changes occurring between 2000 and 2010 should be read as statistical estimates rather than absolute fact. The relevant numbers appear in italics.
Profile of Participating Nebraska Communities: 2000 and 2010
Sidney (Cheyenne County) Sidney, Nebraska website
Sidney, with 6,282 residents, is home to Cabela's, a nationally prominent and highly successful retail sporting goods enterprise currently employing 1,300 workers in their home facility, with plans for expansion that will require an additional 700 workers over the next four years.
Wayne (Wayne County) Wayne, Nebraska website
Wayne is a small trade center of 5,583 located in close proximity to both a Metropolitan and a Micropolitan center, Wayne is home to a State University campus and has a significant manufacturing base.
Profile of Participating North Dakota Communities: 2000
Stanley (Mountrail County) Stanley, North Dakota Website
Stanley is a county seat community of 1,279 which is experiencing an employment boom related to oil production.
Underwood (McLean County) Underwood, North Dakota Website
Underwood is a community of 812 residents at the northern edge of the Bismarck labor shed and characterized by rapid growth in mining and energy generation, and expecting significant workforce turnover in the near future.
Profile of Participating South Dakota Communities: 2000
Hot Springs (Fall River County) Hot Springs, South Dakota Website
Hot Springs is a community located at the edge of the rapidly growing Black Hills region. A regional Veterans' service center and tourism are important economic opportunities.
Groton (Brown County) Groton, South Dakota Website
Groton is a community of 1,356 residents with a diversified economy located in a largely agricultural area.
