Since the start of The Siouxland Initiative in 1988, Siouxland has had one of the strongest business climates in the nation. From 1988 to 2000, non-farm employment in Siouxland increased by 22,100 jobs for a growth rate of 40%. During this same time period, U.S. non-farm employment grew 25%.

In 2000, the two largest industry segments in Siouxland were Manufacturing and Services, accounting for 27% and 26% respectively.

From 1988 to 2000, the Manufacturing sector had the greatest increase in the number of jobs in Siouxland.

During this 13-year period, the number of manufacturing jobs nearly doubled, while the number of manufacturing jobs in the U.S. declined by 4%.

The growth rate in manufacturing jobs in Siouxland has been greater than the growth in other major communities in the Heartland:

Since 1988, our average wage in manufacturing has grown by 52%.