Mercer County Community Profile

Mercer County has a proud cooperative workforce, friendly people, a low crime rate, a low cost of living, and abundant recreation areas - all the advantages of small-town living. Its proximity to metropolitan areas enables residents to have the best of both worlds.

Mercer County has unparalleled market access, having more than half of the nation's major markets within a day's driving distance, including 24 top industrial markets. Half of Canada's metropolitan centers also lie within a day's drive.

Interstates 79 and 80 intersect within the county and State Route 60 offers direct access to the Pittsburgh International Airport. The county's strategic location helps area industries remain competitive in the national and international marketplaces.

Mercer County's leading industries include Wheatland Tube, Armco/Sawhill Tubular, Sharon Tube, and Damascus Bishop - all pipe and tube industries; Werner Co., a leader in the production of aluminum ladders and aluminum extrusions; Trinity Industries, a railroad car manufacturer; and General Electric Transportation Systems, a manufacturer of diesel locomotive engines. In addition, a complement of diversified manufacturers in Mercer County forge new markets for goods produced in the area.

"Pride that Shows" has become the proud slogan for the Mercer County workforce, which totals nearly 55,000 persons. The Interstate highway network expands the workforce to 300,000 within a seven-county area. The Pennsylvania Job Center and West Central Job Training Partnership assist businesses with training employees and screening prospective workers.

According to The Herald (Sharon, PA), Mercer County's best asset is its people: "Nowhere could anyone find people who are more diversified in work skills and professions; more friendly; more cooperative, and more willing to be good neighbors, especially to visitors or anyone moving in - be they businesses, industries, or residents. "

The county has a $50 million tourism base, attracting visitors from a multi-state area and the province of Ontario, Canada. In the summer of 1994, the first phase of the Grove City Factory Shops, a 400,000-square-foot factory outlet mall, opened in Springfield Township. The Factory Shops, which employs 500 persons, is expected to attract 2 million visitors annually.

Mercer County has the seventh lowest crime rate among 343 metropolitan areas with a population of 50,000 or more, according to the Places Rated Almanac 1993; it ranks 8th in housing costs and 59th in cost of living

Outstanding educational opportunities exist in public and private schools in the county, and at advanced educational institutions such as Grove City, Thiel, and Westminster colleges; Penn State, Shenango Campus; and nearby Slippery Rock University in Butler County.

Mercer County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, leaders in economic development financing, offer a wide array of low-interest loan incentives. The Penn Northwest Development Corporation in Mercer networks with its supporting members, and local, regional and Common wealth of PA industrial development specialists to offer financial packaging, site and facility inventories, and site location assistance.

Population (1990 Census)

Population - 121,003

Population Under 18 years - 23.5% - 28,378

Population 65 Years and Over - 17.2% - 20,777

Economic Centers of Population

Greenville Area - 21,110

Grove City Area - 17,107

Mercer Area - 11,649

Sandy Lake/ Stoneboro - 10,895

Shenango Valley - 60,242

Top 20 Employers

Horizon Hospital Systems, Inc.

Sharon Regional Health System

Trinity Industries Inc

Werner Ladder Co.

Pennsylvania State Government

Armco Inc.

Cooper Industries Inc.

John Maneely Co

First National Bank of PA

Mercer County

General Electric Co

United Community Hospital

Grove City College

George Junior Republic, Inc

Sharon School District

Sharon Tube Company

Grove City Area School District

Preston Trucking Company Inc

FL Industries Inc

Best Wings USA Inc

Financial Institutions

First National Bank of Pennsylvania

PNC Bank

First Western Bank F S B

Integra Bank/North

Mellon Bank/North

Mercer County State Bank

Greenville Savings Bank

Ellwood Federal Savings Bank

Regional Utilities

Pennsylvania Power Company

National Fuel Gas, Peoples Natural Gas

People's Natural Gas - CNG

Shenango Valley Water Company

Bell Atlantic

Transportation

Interstate Highways

Junction of I-79 & I-80

Interstate 80 - Exits 1, 2 & 3A

Interstate 79 - Exits 31, 33 & 34

PA Route 60

Rail

Conrail Bessemer & Lake Erie

Air Service

Pittsburgh International - 50 minutes

Cleveland International - 1 1/4 hour

Youngstown/Warren Regional - 30 minutes

Greenville - 2700' runway

Grove City Airport 4600' runway

Venango Regional - 5200' runway

Medical Facilities

Horizon Hospital System - 236 beds

Sharon Regional Health System - 290 beds

United Community Hospital - 128 beds

Recreational & Cultural Facilities

Shenango River Lake - 3650 Acres

Lake Wilhelm - 1850 acres

Sandy Lake - 75 acres

Pymatuning Reservoir - 14,500 acres

Historical Sites, Facilities, museums

Greenville Symphony Orchestra

McKeever Environmental Learning Center - -A consortium of Slippery Rock University. Clarion State College. Edinboro University. Indiana University of PA, PA Department of Education. PA DER. and Sandy Creek Conservancy Center

Public/Private Golf Courses - 10

Education & Training

12 Public School Districts

2 Parochial Schools

Pennsylvania Business Institute

Mercer County Career Center

Thiel College

Grove City College

Westminster College

Slippery Rock University

Penn State Shenango Campus

Sharon Regional Health System School of Nursing

Employment/Employer Assistance

PA Job Center

West Central Job Partnership

Private Industry Council

Mercer County School/Business Partnership

Workforce Characteristics

Total Workforce (10/94) 54,000

Non-Agricultural Employment 44,800

Goods Producing Industries 11,800

Service Producing Industries 33,000

Motels/Hotels

Accommodations - Rooms

Raddison Exit 1 I-80 - 754 rooms

Holiday Inn Exit 1 I-80 - 180 rooms

Howard Johnson's Lodge Exit 2 I-80 - 102 rooms

Comfort Inn Exit 1 I-80 - 62 rooms

Cianci Motor Lodge - Greenville - 26 rooms

Royal Motel - Hermitage - 26 rooms

Collins Motel - Mercer - 13 rooms

Park Motel - Grove City - 14 rooms

Mercer Motel - Mercer - 17 rooms

Flagg Inn Exit 34 I-79 - 20 rooms

Total - 611 rooms

Country Inns/ Bed and Breakfast

Tara-A-Country Inn - Clark - 27 rooms

Magoffin Inn - Mercer - 9 rooms

Phillips House Bed and Breakfast - Greenville - 4 rooms

Snow Goose Inn - Grove City - 4 rooms

LynnRose Bed & Breakfast - 4 rooms

Total - 48 rooms

Industrial Development Assistance

Coordinated economic development assistance is available to support industrial expansion and relocation requirements including site/ facility inventories, workforce assessment, financial packaging, training and technical needs

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