North Central Kansas County Profiles

2008
Cloud County

ROUGH DRAFT

Project funding support provided through Rural Business Tax

Credits from the Kansas Department of Commerce through
NCKCN an affiliate of North Central Regional Planning
Commission.

Advanced Manufacturing Institute

510 McCall Road
Manhattan, KS – 66502-5034
785-532-7044
785-532-7031
 CLOUD COUNTY

Section I
Overview of Cloud County

Cloud County is
one of 105 counties
of the sunflower
state located in the
north central part
of Kansas. The
county seat is the
City of Concordia.

2
 CLOUD COUNTY

County Profile - Cloud County, KS

Cloud County is one of the 105 counties in the state of Kansas. The 2007 populations
estimate lists the population to be 9,382. According to 2000 estimates, it has 715.63
square miles in land area and a population density of 14.3 people per square mile. The
average household size is 2.31 persons (2000) and median household income is
$32,706(2004) (US census Bureau).

Population Estimates

Cloud County has a population of 9,382 as of July 1, 2007 (US Census Bureau). The
population decreased by 8.63% from the year 2000 to 2007. As per the 2000 census
survey, population of the county was 10,268 with median age of 41.4 years. In 2000,
Cloud County had 17.6% of the population under the age of 15 years, 24.1% in the age
group 15 to 34 years, 30% in the age group 35 years to 59 years and 28.2% of the
population above 60 years of age.

Table 1: Population Estimates for Cloud County

Year Ending Cloud County Kansas
Population Estimates
July 1,2007 9,382 2,775,997
July 1,2006 9,429 2,755,817
July 1,2005 9,596 2,741,665
July 1,2004 9,623 2,730,828
July 1,2003 9,794 2,721,824
July 1,2002 9,887 2,712,383
July 1,2001 10,055 2,700,979
July 1,2000 10,225 2,692,890
Census 2000 April 1,2000 10,268 2,688,418
2000 to 2007 % change -8.63% 3.26%
1990 to 2000 % change -6.8% 8.5%
Source: US Census Bureau

3
 CLOUD COUNTY

3,000,000

2,500,000

2,000,000

1,500,000 Kansas

1,000,000

500,000

0
20,000
18,000
16,000
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
Cloud
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Source: US census Bureau

Figure 1: Population Change in the Last Century

Table 2: Sex and Age of Population (2000 Census)

SEX AND AGE Count Percentage
Male 4,880 47.5
Female 5,388 52.5
Under 5 years 506 4.9
5 to 9 years 597 5.8
10 to 14 years 709 6.9
15 to 19 years 960 9.3
20 to 24 years 590 5.7
25 to 34 years 935 9.1
35 to 44 years 1,309 12.7
45 to 54 years 1,271 12.4
55 to 59 years 500 4.9
60 to 64 years 507 4.9
65 to 74 years 950 9.3
75 to 84 years 893 8.7
85 years and over 541 5.3
Source: US Census Bureau

4
 CLOUD COUNTY

Household Income

Median household income in 2005 for Cloud County is $33,874 which is about 21% less
than the state median income. The median household income had declined by 9% from
1999 to 2005, but that rate is still less than the state median income decline rate of
9.9%

Table 3: Median Income in Cloud County

Median Income Cloud Kansas
Median household income in 2005 $33,874 $42,861
Median household income in 1999 (adj. for inflation1) $37,229 $47,622
5-year percent change 2000 to 2005 -9.0% -9.9%
Source: USDA ERS (www.ers.usda.gov) and US Census Bureau

$60,000 
$47,622 
$50,000  $42,861 
$33,874  $37,229 
$40,000 
$30,000  Cloud
$20,000 
Kansas
$10,000 
$0 
Median household income in 2005 Median household income in 1999

Figure 2: Median Income in Cloud County and Kansas

Poverty Rates
Current poverty rate for Cloud County is 12.6, which is slightly more than the state
poverty rate of 11.7. Cloud County’s poverty rate increased from 11.6 in 2000 to 12.6 in
2005. The poverty rate for Kansas in the same period went from 8.9 to 11.7.

Table 4: Poverty Estimates for Cloud County

Poverty Estimates Cloud 5-Year % Change Kansas
Poverty rate in 2005 12.6 -- 11.7
In 2000 11.6 8.6% 8.9
Poverty rate for children under 18 in 2005 17.8 -- 15.2
In 2000 15.5 14.8% 11.9
Source: US Census Bureau (Downloaded from www.stats.indiana.edu)

1
Value 2005 dollars term calculated using CPI inflation calculator available at Bureau of Labor Statistics website
http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl. The CPI inflation calculator uses the average Consumer Price Index for a given
calendar year. This data represents changes in prices of all goods and services purchased for consumption by urban
households. This index value has been calculated every year since 1913. For the current year, the latest monthly
index value is used (www.bls.gov).

5
 CL
LOUD COUN
NTY

Labor Force
F

Cloud County’s
C current unem mployment rate
r is 3.4%
% which is less than the state ra ate of
4.1%. The total labbor force foor the coun nty has incrreased by 8.1%
8 in the
e last five years
y
and by 9.3%
9 in the
e last ten yeears. Also, the numbe er of unempployed indivviduals has also
declined
d by 4.9% inn the last fivve years.

Table 5: Labor Force Annua

al Averages
s for Cloud
d County
Labor Foorce Annual Averages
A in 2007 Cloud County Kansas
Total Labo
or Force 5
5,647 1,478,781
5-year % change 8
8.1% 3.8%
10-yearr % change 9
9.3% 6.9%
Employedd 5
5,454 1,418,666
5-year % change 8
8.6% 5.0%
10-yearr % change 9
9.5% 6.7%
Unemployyed 193 60,115
5-year % change -
-4.9% -17.8%
10-yearr % change 3
3.8% 12.0%
Unemployyment Rate 3.4 4.1
5-year % change -1
12.8% -19.6%
10-yearr % change -
-5.6% 5.1%
Source: US Bureau of Laborr Statistics (Down
nloaded from ww
ww.stats.indiana.edu)

3%

Employed
Unemployed

97%

Figure 3: Employed
d and Unem
mployed La
abor Force
e in Cloud County

6
 CLOUD COUNTY

Educational Attainment

About 85 percent of the population above the age of 25 has at least a high school
degree. 23.3% of the population above the age of twenty-five had some college
education, and 24.3% hold some kind of college degree.

Table 6: Educational Attainment – Cloud County

Educational Attainment: Census Percent of Percent of
Cloud Kansas
2000 Population 25+ Population 25+
Total Population 25 and Older 6,909 100.0% 1,701,207 100.0%
Less Than 9th Grade 450 6.5% 88,124 5.2%
9th to 12th, No Diploma 550 8.0% 149,675 8.8%
High School Graduate (incl. equiv.) 2,631 38.1% 507,612 29.8%
Some College, No Degree 1,607 23.3% 417,722 24.6%
Associate Degree 425 6.2% 99,096 5.8%
Bachelor's Degree 731 10.6% 290,271 17.1%
Source: US Census Bureau

100%
7.50% 8.70% Graduate or Professional Degree
90%
10.60%
80% 17.10%
6.20% Bachelor's Degree
70% 5.80%
23.30% Associate Degree
60%
24.60%
50% Some College, No Degree
40%
38.10% High School Graduate (incl. 
30% 29.80% equiv.)
20% 9th to 12th, No Diploma
10% 8.00% 8.80%
0% 6.50% 5.20%
Cloud Kansas

Figure 4: Educational Attainment – Cloud County

7
 CLOUD COUNTY

Workers commuting to work

More than eighty-five percent of the labor force work in the county itself. The maximum
outflow of workers from Cloud County is to Saline County (about 127 workers commute
to Saline County for work) and Republic county (122 workers commute to republic
county for work).

Table 7: Workers* (Commuting to Work) Living in Cloud County

Workers* Living in County Pct Dist. Pct Dist.
Workers Kansas
in 2000 in County in State
Total 4,888 100 1,310,746 100.0%
Working in Cloud County 4,200 85.92% 1,214,739 92.7%
Working Elsewhere 688 14.08% 96,007 7.3%
Jefferson Co. CO 6 0.12% - -
Barber Co. KS 2 0.04% - -
Cherokee Co. KS 4 0.08% - -
Clay Co. KS 87 1.78% - -
Cowley Co. KS 2 0.04% - -
Dickinson Co. KS 16 0.33% - -
Doniphan Co. KS 3 0.06% - -
Douglas Co. KS 2 0.04% - -
Ellis Co. KS 2 0.04% - -
Franklin Co. KS 5 0.10% - -
Jewell Co. KS 2 0.04% - -
Johnson Co. KS 5 0.10% - -
Kingman Co. KS 4 0.08% - -
Marshall Co. KS 17 0.35% - -
Mitchell Co. KS 114 2.33% - -
Ottawa Co. KS 56 1.15% - -
Pottawatomie Co. KS 4 0.08% - -
Republic Co. KS 122 2.50% - -
Riley Co. KS 9 0.18% - -
Saline Co. KS 127 2.60% - -
Sedgwick Co. KS 11 0.23% - -
Shawnee Co. KS 7 0.14% - -
Washington Co. KS 28 0.57% - -
Jackson Co. MO 5 0.10% - -
Douglas Co. NE 1 0.02% - -
Franklin Co. NE 6 0.12% - -
Otoe Co. NE 2 0.04% - -
Thayer Co. NE 7 0.14% - -
Tulsa Co. OK 4 0.08% - -
Wood Co. WI 26 0.53% - -
Carbon Co. WY 2 0.04% - -
Source: US Census Bureau (* Includes only workers over 16 years old commuting to work)

8
 CLOUD COUNTY

-- Less than 1% of residence county population commutes

-- 1.0% -4.9% of residence county population commutes
-- 5.0% - 9.9% of residence county population commutes
-- 10.0% - 19.9% of residence county population commutes
-- 20% or more residence county population commutes

Figure 5: Workers Commute from Cloud County

9
 CLOUD COUNTY

The maximum inflow of workers to Cloud County is from Republic County. Around 203
workers commute to Cloud County from Republic County for work, and eighty-five come
from Clay County. In total 589 workers commute to Cloud County for work.

Table 8: People Working in Cloud County

People Working in County in Pct Dist. Pct Dist.
Cloud Kansas
2000 in County in State
Total 4,789 100.0% 1,317,070 100.0%
Living in County 4,200 87.7% 1,214,739 92.2%
Living Elsewhere 589 12.3% 102,331 7.8%
Clay Co. KS 85 - - -
Dickinson Co. KS 9 - - -
Greenwood Co. KS 6 - - -
Jewell Co. KS 19 - - -
Lincoln Co. KS 7 - - -
Lyon Co. KS 4 - - -
Marshall Co. KS 3 - - -
Mitchell Co. KS 42 - - -
Nemaha Co. KS 2 - - -
Osborne Co. KS 9 - - -
Ottawa Co. KS 58 - - -
Phillips Co. KS 3 - - -
Reno Co. KS 2 - - -
Republic Co. KS 203 - - -
Riley Co. KS 8 - - -
Russell Co. KS 2 - - -
Saline Co. KS 29 - - -
Smith Co. KS 3 - - -
Washington Co. KS 78 - - -
Erie Co. NY 17 - - -
Source: US Census Bureau (Includes only workers over 16 years old)

10
 CLOUD COUNTY

-- Less than 1% of residence county population commutes

-- 1.0% -4.9% of residence county population commutes
-- 5.0% - 9.9% of residence county population commutes
-- 10.0% - 19.9% of residence county population commutes
-- 20% or more residence county population commutes

Figure 6: Workers Commuting to Cloud County

11
 Section – II
Industry Analysis
 CLOUD COUNTY

Industry Analysis

Industry Totals for Cloud County

Industry employment has declined by 2.19% from 1990 to 2007 in Cloud County. Average pay (after adjusting for inflation)
has declined by 2.03%, and the county lost 31 establishments in the same period. The county had maximum number of
establishments in the year 1990 and the number has been declining steadily since. In 2007 there were a total of 335
establishments in the county with a total of 3889 jobs and annual average pay of $23,590.

Table 9: Annual Covered Employment & Wages2 over Time (NAICS) – Cloud County
Average Pay in terms of 20073
Year Establishments Employment Average Annual Pay
dollars (adj*)
1990 366 3976 $15,177 $24,080
1991 366 3894 $14,810 $22,546
1992 357 3969 $15,194 $22,454
1993 349 3991 $15,762 $22,617
1994 352 4064 $16,130 $22,567
1995 352 3988 $16,512 $22,465
1996 350 3979 $17,046 $22,526
1997 361 4046 $17,508 $22,618

2
Covered Employment & Wages (CEW) also known as ES202 data are the product of a federal-state cooperative program, the Quarterly Census of Employment
and Wages (QCEW) program, also known as the ES-202 program. The data are derived from summaries of employment and total pay of workers covered by state
and federal unemployment insurance (UI) legislation and provided by State Workforce Agencies (SWAs). The summaries are a result of the administration of state
unemployment insurance programs that require most employers to pay quarterly taxes based on the employment and wages of workers covered by UI.
(www.bls.gov).

3
Average wages in 2007 dollars term calculated using CPI inflation calculator available at Bureau of Labor Statistics website http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl.
The CPI inflation calculator uses the average Consumer Price Index for a given calendar year. This data represents changes in prices of all goods and services
purchased for consumption by urban households. This index value has been calculated every year since 1913. For the current year, the latest monthly index value
is used (www.bls.gov).

13
 CLOUD COUNTY

Average Pay in terms of 20073

Year Establishments Employment Average Annual Pay
dollars (adj*)
1998 361 3982 $17,854 $22,711
1999 354 3929 $18,009 $22,413
2000 354 3864 $18,798 $22,634
2001 348 3774 $18,389 $21,529
2002 347 3723 $18,923 $21,810
2003 335 4037 $19,454 $21,922
2004 332 4040 $20,447 $22,443
2005 333 3942 $21,583 $22,893
2006 325 4016 $22,087 $22,716
2007 335 3889 $23,590 $23,590
Change from 1990 to 2007 -31.00 -87.00 8413.00 -489.74
Percent change from 1990 to 2007 -8.47% -2.19% 55.43% -2.03%
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) *adj = Adjusted for Inflation.

14
 CLOUD COUNTY

Establishments

366

366

361

361
370

357

354

354
352

352

350
349
360

348

347
350

335

335
333
332
340

325
330
320
310
300
Employment

4064

4046

4037

4040

4016
3991

3988

3982
3979
4100
3976

3969

3942
3929
3894

3889
4000

3864
3900

3774

3723
3800
3700
3600
3500
$24,080 

Average Pay in 

$23,590 
terms of 2007

$22,893 
$24,500 

$22,716 
$22,711 

$22,634 
$22,617 

$22,618 
$22,567 
$22,546 

$22,526 
$22,465 
$22,454 

$22,443 
$22,413 
$24,000 

$21,922 
$23,500 

$21,810 
$21,529 
$23,000 
$22,500 
$22,000 
$21,500 
$21,000 
$20,500 
$20,000 
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Figure 7: Changes in Establishments, Employment and Average Annual Wages in the Region

15
 CLOUD COUNTY

Jobs and Average Wages by Industry

Retail trade is the largest sector in Cloud County with 59 establishments and 527 jobs. The highest paying sector is the
Information sector with annual average wages of $40,859. Education Services also employs the same number of people
as Retail (i.e. 527). Other major employers in the county are the Accommodation & Food Services (410 jobs) and the
Manufacturing sector (397 jobs). Other high wage paying sectors are: Transportation & Warehousing (annual average
wages of $36,091) and Manufacturing sector (annual average wages of $33,899).

Table 10: Industry Distribution of Establishments, Jobs, and Average Wages – Cloud County
Industry Distribution of Establishments, Jobs & Average Wages (2007) Establishments Jobs Annual Average Wage
Total Covered Employment and Wages 335 3889 $23,590
Private 299 2998 $23,409
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 4 N N
Mining 1 N N
Utilities 2 N N
Construction 26 109 $23,009
Manufacturing 8 397 $33,899
Wholesale Trade 24 243 $29,938
Retail Trade 59 527 $19,759
Transportation and Warehousing 23 36 $36,091
Information 9 92 $40,859
Finance and Insurance 22 115 $30,353
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 10 37 $12,297
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 15 69 $30,139
Management of Companies and Enterprises N N N
Administrative and Support & Waste Management & Remediation Services 12 45 $18,074
Educational Services 5 527 $23,468
Health Care and Social Assistance 36 N N
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 5 21 $6,213
Accommodation and Food Services 21 410 $9,467
Other Services (except Public Administration) 33 120 $17,966
Public Administration 21 249 $21,589
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) N – Non-disclosed, NA- Not Applicable

16
 CLOUD COUNTY

Establishments Jobs

Agriculture Mining
Utilities Construction
Manufacturing Wholesale Trade
Retail Trade Transportation & Warehousing
Information Finance & Insurance
Real Estate  Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
Management of Companies  Waste Management & Remediation
Educational Services Health Care and Social Assistance
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation Accommodation & Food Services
Other Services Public Administration

Figure 8: Establishments and Jobs in Various Industry Sectors in Cloud County

17
 CLOUD COUNTY

Agriculture
Annual Average Wage
Mining

$40,859 
Utilities
45000
Construction

$36,091 
$33,899 
40000 Manufacturing
Wholesale Trade

$30,353 

$30,139 
$29,938 
35000 Retail Trade
Transportation & Warehousing

$23,468 
$23,009 
30000 Information

$21,589 
$19,759 
Finance & Insurance

$18,074 

$17,966 
25000
Real Estate 
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
20000

$12,297 
Management of Companies 

$9,467 
15000 Waste Management & Remediation
Educational Services

$6,213 
10000 Health Care and Social Assistance
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
5000 Accommodation & Food Services
Other Services
0
0
0

0
0
Public Administration

Figure 9: Average Wage in Various Industries in the Clay County

18
 CLOUD COUNTY

Key Industries

Irrespective of the decline in total industry in recent years, Cloud County is home to some very well performing industries.
These industries may be a part of existing or emerging clusters. For identifying key industries and clusters, three criteria
were used:
1. Location Quotient – Location quotients (LQ) for industries at 6-digit NAICS level were calculated with US industry
employment as base. The cutoff for LQ was taken as 1.25 (based on previous studies, especially Cortright 2003).
2. Average Wages – Average wages at 6-digit NAICS codes were compared to US average wages. If any industry
has average wages 10% above the US average, it is considered to be a good performing industry.
3. Growth Rate – Growth rates for the employment were calculated over three year time period from 2003 to 20064,
growth rate above 5% was considered to be an indicator of good industry performance.
Any industry that satisfies one of these three conditions is either a good performing industry or an industry with good
potential for growth. There may or may not be a cluster existing in a region for every good performing industry, but if
there are good performing industries, a cluster may emerge in the near future. (For further details of methodology,
please see Appendix B.)

Growth Rates

Most of the industries with high growth rates are local instead of traded5 industries in Cloud County. The highest growth
rate is for the Outpatient Mental Health Centers (160.86%) and Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers (146.62%). The
Offices of Real Estate Agents also has a high growth rate of 141%.

4
There were two reasons for selecting 2003 base year. 1) The numbers were more likely to be free from 9/11 impacts as compared to 2001 or 2002 numbers. 2)
NAICS definitions changed in 2002, so it was very difficult to bridge between 2002 & 1997 codes for some industries.
5
Traded industries are defined as the ones exporting their goods and/or services outside their region. Local industries are the ones with all local (within the region)
dealings (Porter 2003).

19
 CLOUD COUNTY

Table 11: Top 10 Industries (6-digit NAICS) with Highest Growth Rates
Average Growth
NAICS NAICS Definition Establishments Employment Cluster
Wages Differentials
Outpatient Mental Health Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life
621420 1 71 $23,222 160.86%
Centers Sciences)
Wholesale Trade Agents and Local Household Goods &
425120 3 15 $29,483 146.62%
Brokers Services
Offices of Real Estate Agents Local Real Estate, Construction
531210 2 14 $16,656 141.01%
and Brokers & Development
Dry-cleaning and Laundry
812320 1 26 $14,910 86.63% Local Commercial Services
Services (except Coin-Operated)
Other Heavy and Civil
238210 1 15 $19,278 55.36% Energy (Fossil and renewable)
Engineering Construction
Exterminating and Pest Control
561710 2 11 $18,476 54.20% Local Commercial Services
Services
Construction Sand and Gravel
212321 1 3 $24,236 44.22% Mining
Mining
All Other Miscellaneous Store
453998 Retailers (except Tobacco 3 3 $7,385 44.22% None
Stores)
Nursery, Garden Center, and Local Household Goods &
444220 3 18 $10,718 37.00%
Farm Supply Stores Services
Local Retail Clothing &
448190 Other Clothing Stores 1 7 $6,503 32.64%
Accessories
Source: ES202 2006 data, IMPLAN MIG Group

20
 CLOUD COUNTY

Location Quotient

The sector Brick and Structural Clay Tile Manufacturing (NAICS 327121) has the highest LQ of 290.64 in Cloud County.
The Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (NAICS 332999) has LQ of 124.30. There are three sectors
that have a high LQ and are part of the Biomedical/Biotechnical Cluster. These sectors are

Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing

Outpatient Mental Health Centers
Other Residential Care Facilities

This is an indicator that the Biomedical/Biotechnical Cluster exists or is in process of formation in Cloud County.

Table 12: Top 10 Industries (6-digit NAICS) with Highest Location Quotients
NAICS NAICS Definition Establishments Employment Average Location Cluster
Brick and Structural Clay Tile W Q ti t
327121 1 109 $35,978 290.64 Glass and Ceramics
Manufacturing
Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Fabricated Metal Product
332999 0.3 216 $30,402 124.30
Product Manufacturing Manufacturing Sub Cluster
Farm and Garden Machinery and Agribusiness, Food Processing
423820 1 102 $33,007 36.88
Equipment Merchant Wholesalers and Technology
624210 Community Food Services 1 16 $26,597 22.19 Local Health Services
Surgical Appliance and Supplies Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life
339113 1 44 $31,076 18.14
Manufacturing Sciences)
General Line Grocery Merchant Local Food and Beverages
424410 2 106 $28,235 17.45
Wholesalers Processing & Distribution
Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life
621420 Outpatient Mental Health Centers 1 71 $23,222 16.20
Sciences)
Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life
623990 Other Residential Care Facilities 1 68 $14,788 14.98
Sciences)
Other Personal and Household Goods
811490 Repair and Maintenance (includes 1 12 $23,773 14.78 Defense and Security
Gun Repair and Maintenance)
Primary Metal Manufacturing
331513 Steel Foundries, except Investment 1 8 $33,292 13.77
Sub Cluster
Source: ES202 2006 data, IMPLAN MIG Group

21
 CLOUD COUNTY

Wages above National Averages

The county’s Vocational Rehabilitation Services (NAICS) have average wages around 137% higher than the national
averages. This may be because of two reasons – this sector is a well performing industry with higher profits and they pay
higher wages, or there is shortage of labor so to retain employees they have to pay higher wages.

Table 13: Top 10 Industries (6-digit NAICS) with Wages above National Averages
Wages
Average
NAICS NAICS Definition Establishments Employment compared Cluster
Wages
to nation6
624310 Vocational Rehabilitation 1 4 $52,997 137.50% Local Health Services
Services
522130 Credit Unions 1 1 $69,192 93.00% Local Financial Services
443112 Radio, Television, and Other 1 3 $39,192 38.55% Local Household Goods & Services
Electronics Stores
624410 Child Day Care Services 1 16 $23,522 37.77% Local Personal Services (Non-
Medical)
443111 Household Appliance Stores 1 5 $37,422 17.91% Local Household Goods & Services
624210 Community Food Services 1 16 $26,597 16.97% Local Health Services
446110 Pharmacies and Drug Stores 3 30 $35,416 10.37% Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life
Sciences)
488410 Motor Vehicle Towing 1 7 $31,803 8.53% Transportation & Logistics
444110 Home Centers 3 17 $27,747 5.21% Local Household Goods & Services
311611 Animal, except Poultry, 1 4 $32,505 4.61% Agribusiness, Food Processing &
Slaughtering Technology
Source: ES202 2006 data, IMPLAN MIG Group

6
Wages compared to nation – the difference in county & national average wages for particular industry as percentage of national average.

22
 CLOUD COUNTY

Shift Share Analysis

Shift share analysis breaks down changes in employment (growth or decline) over a period of time into three components:
National growth share, Industry mix share and local share. This analysis is used to account for the competitiveness of a
region’s industries and to analyze the local economic base7.

National growth share

This is the share of growth (decline) in local employment that can be attributed to growth (decline) in employment
at the national level.
National Growth Share = Employment in base year * National employment growth rate

Industry mix share

This is the growth (decline) in employment in the region that can be attributed to the growth (decline) in that
particular industry at the national level.
Industry Mix Share = Employment in base year *(Industry’s National Growth rate – National employment
growth rate)

Local share
This is the share of growth (decline) in employment in a region that can be attributed to the competitiveness of a
region.
Local Share = Employment in base year *(Region’s industry growth rate – National Industry growth rate)

The industry with the highest local share in growth is the Outpatient Mental Health Centers. The employment in the sector
increased by 67 and all of the 67 jobs were due to local growth (Table 14). The second highest growth in employment was
in the Limited Service Restaurants. In this industry there was a net growth of 44 jobs, of which 43 were attributable to local
growth in the region.

7
Pennstate (2003) Using Employment data to better understand your local economy.

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 CLOUD COUNTY

Table 14: Industries with Highest Local Share of Growth – Shift Share Analysis Cloud County
NAICS NAICS Definition Net Growth National Growth Share Industry Mix Share Local Share
621420 Outpatient Mental Health Centers 67 0 0 67
722211 Limited-Service Restaurants 70 6 4 60
623110 Nursing Care Facilities 44 10 -9 43
327121 Brick and Structural Clay Tile Manufacturing 34 4 0 30
517110 Wired Telecommunications Carriers 20 2 -7 25
812320 Drycleaning and Laundry Services (except Coin- 22 0 0 22
Operated)
722110 Full-Service Restaurants 30 5 3 22
423820 Farm and Garden Machinery and Equipment 21 4 -4 20
447110 Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores 19 3 -3 19
424410 General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers 20 5 -2 18
624210 Community Food Services 14 0 0 14
624410 Child Day Care Services 14 0 0 14
425120 Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers 14 0 0 14
531210 Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers 13 0 0 13
444220 Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Stores 11 0 -1 11
447190 Other Gasoline Stations 10 0 -1 11
238210 Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 11 0 0 11
221111 Hydroelectric Power Generation 7 0 -2 9
237130 Power and Communication Line and Related 10 1 1 8
Structures Construction
441110 New Car Dealers 7 3 -4 8
Data Source: ES202 data, IMPLAN MIG group

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Clusters in Cloud County

Traded Clusters

The wages, growth rate & LQ numbers do not point to the existence of any one cluster in Cloud County. Instead, they
indicate a number of clusters that may exist or emerge in the county. The Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Visitor
cluster has a high growth rate of about 91%, but has wages lower than nation and a LQ value of 1.27. Similarly, the Glass
and Ceramics cluster has a high LQ of 12.08, a growth rate of 13.27% but wages lower than the nation. The Advanced
Materials sector seems to be an emerging cluster with a growth rate of 52.40% and LQ of 1.80, though the wages are
considerably lower than the national average wages (about 50% less). Even though these clusters are low wage paying,
investments into these sectors should still be considered to make them more competitive.

Table 15: Clusters in Cloud County

Average Wages
Wages Growth
Cluster Establishments Employment compared to LQ
Rate
National Average
Advanced Materials 3.3 269 $30,540 -50.21% 52.40% 1.80
Agribusiness, Food Processing and Technology 13.6 183 $27,641 -18.77% -0.89% 2.06
Apparel and Textiles 0 0 N N N 0.00
Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Visitor 8.3 168 $8,936 -72.75% 91.29% 1.27
Biomedical/Biotechnical (Life Sciences) 20 671 $21,435 -48.85% -1.96% 2.10
Business and Financial Services 24 84 $30,730 -59.61% 1.64% 0.26
Chemicals and Chemical-Based Products 1 109 $35,978 -35.11% 13.27% 1.65
Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing 0 0 N N N 0.00
Defense and Security 4 79 $33,781 -48.59% -3.16% 0.70
Education and Knowledge Cluster 4 32 $16,053 -63.37% -5.57% 0.51
Electrical Equipment, Appliance and Component 1 1 $14,857 -70.20% 0.00% 0.08
Manufacturing
Energy (Fossil and Renewable) 22 169 $19,658 -67.10% -22.64% 0.81
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 0.3 216 $30,402 -30.80% -4.11% 5.20
Forest and Wood Products 2.3 25 $25,471 -36.21% 1.37% 0.34
Glass and Ceramics 1 109 $35,978 -15.63% 13.27% 12.08

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Information Technology and Telecommunications 7 68 $48,250 -36.22% 23.61% 0.40

Machinery Manufacturing 1 1 $14,857 -72.60% 0.00% 0.03
Mining 1 3 $24,236 -56.08% 44.22% 0.54
Primary Metal Manufacturing 1 8 $33,292 -39.27% -10.07% 0.65
Printing and Publishing 5 43 $16,088 -69.11% -0.76% 0.65
Transportation and Logistics 18 57 $30,096 -28.55% -1.70% 0.43
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing 0 0 N N N 0.00
Total All Industries 294 3112 $22,052 -48.00% 0.74% 1.00
Data Source: ES202 data, IMPLAN MIG group
Highlighted cells represent values higher than specified criteria values

Printing and Publishing Advanced Materials Transportation and 

0.65 1.8 Logistics Electrical Equip, 
Primary Metal Mfg Agribusiness 0.43 Appliance & Component 
0.65 2.06 Energy  Mfg
0.81 0.08

Arts & Entertainment
1.27

Biomedical/Biotechnical 
Glass and Ceramics Business and Financial 
2.1
12.08 Services
0.26
Chemicals 
Fabricated  1.65
Metal Product  Defense and Security
Mfg 0.7
5.2
Forest and Wood  Education and 
Products Mining Knowledge Cluster
0.34 0.54 Machinery Mfg IT & Telecom 0.51
0.03 0.4

Figure 10: Location Quotients for Various Clusters in Cloud County

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Figure 11: Traded Clusters in Cloud County

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 CLOUD COUNTY

Figure 12: Traded Cluster Location Quotients for Cloud County

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 CLOUD COUNTY

Local Clusters

Cloud County doesn’t have a very clearly defined local cluster except for a few clusters that have high LQ and growth
rates, but none of the clusters have wages above the national averages. The Local Food and Beverages Processing &
Distribution cluster has the highest LQ of 2.52 but a negative growth rate and wages less than the national averages. The
Local Logistical Services has the highest growth rate of about 26% but a relatively low LQ of 0.27. Other cluster with high
growth rates are Local Personal Services (Non-Medical) with a growth rate of 13.56% and Local Commercial Services
with a growth rate of about 19%. The clusters with LQ higher than the stated conditional value (of 1.25) are the Local
Retail Clothing & Accessories cluster with LQ of 1.64, Local Financial Services (LQ 1.46) and Local Hospitality (LQ 1.26).

Table 16: Local Clusters in Cloud County

Average Average Wages
Growth
Cluster Establishments Employment Wages compared to LQ
Rate
National Average
Local Commercial Services 7 59 $14,086 -66.04% 19.01% 0.25
Local Community & Civic Organizations 7 31 $19,022 -37.19% 6.04% 0.78
Local Education & Training 0 0 N N N 0.00
Local Entertainment & Media 4 11 $16,705 -32.31% -19.39% 0.42
Local Financial Services 9 80 $30,198 -41.03% -0.82% 1.46
Local Food and Beverages Processing & 14 363 $20,516 -19.16% -6.28% 2.52
Distribution
Local Health Services 21 91 $32,618 -32.07% -5.84% 0.62
Local Hospitality 18.3 333 $8,391 -41.06% -2.83% 1.26
Local Household Goods & Services 30 92 $20,425 -46.03% 6.11% 0.65
Local Industrial Products & Services 1 1 $22,346 -58.48% #DIV/0! 0.07
Local Logistical Services 1 4 $17,324 -38.58% 25.99% 0.27
Local Motor Vehicle Products & Services 17 98 $25,094 -31.82% -4.64% 1.18
Local Personal Services (Non-Medical) 8 41 $19,015 -22.71% 13.56% 0.64
Local Real Estate, Construction & Development 18 82 $25,321 -47.72% 4.43% 0.78
Local Retail Clothing & Accessories 9 203 $17,215 -13.68% -7.08% 1.64
Local Utilities 3 5 $15,698 -64.86% -23.11% 0.44
Data Source: ES202 data, IMPLAN MIG group
Highlighted cells represent values higher than specified criteria values

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Figure 13: Local Clusters in Cloud County

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