There is a current estimated labor supply of 27,402 persons available for industrial jobs in the labor market area.  In addition, from 1992 through 1996, 13,818 young persons in the area will become 18 years of age and potentially available for jobs.

Cloverport’s private wage and salary workers dominate the city workforce. They make up the largest segment of the city’s labor force at 76.4 percent in 1990. State Government employment was the next largest segment at 11.3 percent. However, a larger economic influence is felt with the indirect service related jobs that are created as a result of the increased demand that all economic base employers such as industries, schools, and the various medical services provide. The is evident as the service sector employed the largest percentage of workers from Cloverport at 34.2 percent in 1990.

Employment by occupation indicates the type of occupation for workers who live within Cloverport’s city limits, regardless of where they work. In 1990, the highest number of workers residing in Cloverport were in the Operator, Fabricator, and Laborer field at 31.9 percent of the total employed. Second and third were the Service fields and the Precision Product, Craft and Repair occupations at 18.5 and 12.1 percent respectively.

During that time period, the city’s workforce experienced a decrease of –14.3 percent, with decreases among several occupations. Such trends illustrate a major factor involved when a decline in population occurs. During the time period, four of the nine categories of occupations experienced decreases. Numerically, the two most severe declines occurred in the Operator, Fabricator, Laborer, and Transportation field and the Precision Product Craft and Repair field with losses of 59 and 23 jobs respectively.

The types of businesses that employ workers were generalized into sectors by the Census Bureau. These sectors were categorized for each employee living within Cloverport. As of 1990, the manufacturing sector prevailed in employment at 31.9 percent of the total. Service type industries employed the second largest number of workers at 25.7 percent of total employment. The third largest portion of workers were employed at retail trade establishments at 20.3 percent of the total.

Since 1980, five of the nine sectors decreased in employment levels. Heaviest losses were felt in Manufacturing sector during the time period, with the loss of –37.1 percent. The Wholesale Trade and Construction sectors also demonstrated losses, with declines of –100 and –26.1 percent respectively.

When employment levels decrease, an increase in unemployment occurs, which then can lead to a decrease in population as people leave an area in search of employment. In Cloverport’s case, the decreases in employment levels experienced during the 1980’s have continued during the first half of the 1990’s. Such figures are evidenced by the most recent population estimates, which still indicate a declining trend.

The above information was taken from the Cloverport Comprehensive Plan, written by the Cloverport Planning Commission, August 1998. Some charts and graphs were excluded and some text was rewritten to accommodate the exclusion of charts and graphs.