Are South Bend and St. Joseph County tough places for business?

Part of it is math — looking at tax rates and other costs — but it involves some intangibles, too. A place’s culture, the general attitudes of its people, and the way government conducts itself can be deciding factors when executives choose a new location for a plant or an office.

Rick Slagle, from his perspective as owner of South Bend-based Majority Builders and as a board member for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, backs the claim that it’s hard to do business here. As a result, he said, other parts of the state are outpacing this area in business growth.

“We could do better. We should be doing better,” Slagle said. “We have a lot to offer, but the outside world doesn’t quite agree with me yet.”

It’s difficult, though, to pinpoint many measurable reasons for why St. Joseph County doesn’t attract more investment.

Does that mean the county’s image in the business community is more perception than reality? Many say it doesn’t matter — perception is reality.

And just look at the results: While Indiana’s population has grown by more than 10 percent since 1999, the number of people living in St. Joseph County has budged by less than 1 percent. The county’s per-capita income trails the statewide average as well.

Elkhart County, for example, has seen population and business growth, and is widely regarded as a welcoming place for investment. Mishawaka, which is located inside St. Joseph County, also has experienced a development boom over the past few decades and doesn’t appear to suffer from the same stereotypes that hamper South Bend.