Data from the Illinois Department of Employment Security shows that jobs in Christian County have dropped by nearly 18% in the last quarter-century.  This is despite a population decrease of only around 5% in the county.  New facility and road projects have sought to create more job opportunities, but they have only slightly impacted the current numbers.

The Christian County Economic Development Corporation has worked to facilitate new projects like the aforementioned ones along with other job-creating endeavors.  The organization’s Executive Director, Matt Hart, says the drop came in a steady decline in the 2010s.

Hart cites – among other factors – an aging population for the trends and says they have implications on local governments’ revenue through income taxes. 

Businesses like Dollar General and Sloan Implement have expanded their footprint into Christian County, and the CCEDC looks to build on these steps. 

More information on the Christian County Economic Development Corporation is available at www.christiancountyedc.com.

Matt Hart appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.