A decline in unemployment the past few years indicates Grant County is perhaps positioned for economic growth, but Michael Hicks paints a dreary picture when discussing its long-term sustainability.
Hicks, a Ball State University Center for Business and Economic Research director, said enough jobs exist in the county, but with a significant number of employees commuting in from elsewhere, the county loses out on valuable tax dollars and is limited in its growth.
So why are commuters reluctant to purchase houses in the county? That depends on who you ask.
Hicks said the quality of schools in the county — albeit improved — still falls below the state average, national average and international level for developed countries and that ultimately turns potential homebuyers off.
"You have to craft a community that people want to live in," Hicks said. "You have to have above average schools, and if you don't, you'll hear people say, we don't want to do that because your demographics are too bad."
Hicks cited Miami County as a county where the median household income is below average yet the schools rank above average. He said if Miami County is capable of pulling that off than so is Grant County.
Grant County Economic Growth Council President Tim Eckerle defended the schools in the county, particularly Marion which he said offers diversity missing at virtually all of the top ranked public schools..
"We're not living in some ivory tower," said Eckerle, taking a shot at Hicks who lived in the Yorktown school district. "Diversity can mean lower scores, but the child will be prepared for better success in the real world."
Last year, Marion Community Schools improved significantly in grade and ranking. The school district as a whole received a B grade from the Indiana Department of Education after receiving an F just two years earlier. U.S. News and World Report rewarded Marion High School with a bronze medal.
A significant number of schools in the four other districts improved their grades, too, and that will potentially pay dividends down the road in attracting homeowners to the county.
"The education system and public schools are what attracts people to a community. It's an integral part," Eastbrook Superintendent Brett Garrett said.
Eckerle puts a premium on education, but he cites a housing survey conducted in 2007 as proof that other obstacles stand in the way of luring new residents to the county.
The Economic Growth Council spoke to 54 commuters, the majority of whom had college educations and above-average income, about why they live elsewhere. The commuters cited education as one of five deterrents, along with limited economic development, housing, shopping and higher paying jobs for spouses.
Their chief complaint about the county was its lack of entertainment and recreation compared to where they reside. They were also more concerned about the county's limited shopping options than its education system.
Marion Mayor Wayne Seybold said 75 percent of employees in Marion reside outside the city limits. That partially explains why the median household income in Marion is a paltry $30,000, nearly $17,000 below the state average. The median household income for the county as a whole is below state average but about $10,000 higher than Marion.
Seybold is pushing to annex 15 parcels into the city to improve its demographics and attract new jobs. He contends economic growth in Marion benefits the county as a whole.
Hicks argued that is a short-term solution for a county with enough jobs in place but not enough high-income residents.
"If you don't have good schools," Hicks said, "nothing else is going to happen."