The Buchanan County Economic Development Commission is partnering with Iowa Workforce Development and Iowa Economic Development Authority to complete a Laborshed employment study for the Buchanan County area.
This study will geographically define which communities contribute to the county’s workforce, regardless of political boundaries. This defined area is called a Laborshed area and it’s based upon commuting patterns.
The purpose of this Laborshed study is to measure the availability and characteristics of Buchanan County area workers. Laborshed studies are useful tools for economic development teams and existing or prospective employers to understand the local labor market, make informed expansion and site selection decisions, and maintain/recruit a high-quality workforce.
The Laborshed boundary is based on the place of residence of individuals commuting into Buchanan County area for employment. For the success of this study, they will be sending letters to employers in the County asking that they provide them with aggregate counts of their employees’ residential ZIP codes. This reporting will give an understanding of where each community’s workforce resides.
