Small-town charm.

• Author: Copeland, Beth
• Position: Employment growth in Indiana

Non-metropolitan areas of Indiana lead in job growth.

In the race to attract businesses, small communities are giving their bigger neighbors a run for the money. More and more, site selectors for businesses recognize the benefits of escaping the urban jungle for the wide-open spaces and homey atmosphere of a small town.

This trend is manifesting itself across the country, and small-town Indiana is no exception. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that between 1988 and 1995, jobs in Indiana increased by 15.6 percent. The portions of Indiana located outside the bureau's metropolitan statistical areas were out front with 16.8 percent job growth. Non-metropolitan areas added more than 24,000 manufacturing jobs during this period, while metro areas managed to add 16,700. It's easy to see that Indiana's small communities have proven to be attractive locations for expansions and new facilities.

"The No. 1 reason companies come here is the quality of life," Pam Sanders, director of economic development in Batesville, says about her community of 5,000 people.

Teresa McClure, executive director of the Greater Franklin Chamber of Commerce, echoes that sentiment about her own town. "This is the kind of community where people stick together," she says. The ties to traditional values and neighborliness that characterize small-town living are big drawing cards for businesses.

"Rural and smaller communities are committed to a strong work ethic," notes Dorinda Heiden, executive director of the Whitley County Economic Development Corp. This is a major strength all of these areas claim, and one of the hottest selling points for relocating businesses. In addition, the traditionally lower rural crime rates make security much less complex, and it makes an attractive environment for relocating employees.

There's less traffic,congestion in a small town, making it easier to get around. The air and the water tend to be cleaner, and environmental regulations may be less strict than in larger cities Congested with industry. For example, says Dan McIlrath Of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corp. in Crawfordsville, "Our environmental regulations are no more stringent than federal regulations."

Clean air, water and land are more than just quality-of-life factors, adds Jim Staton, president of the Jasper County Industrial Foundation. "It's pretty unlikely that you're going to buy into any great environmental liabilities or legacies" when purchasing rural property...