The City of Terre Haute has made a commitment to population decline. Local leaders have placed all their bets on tourism and taxation to potentially offset the continued exodus of residents from Terre Haute.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has shown the steady, drip, drip, drip, of jobs and the workforce from the Terre Haute Metro Area for the last 18 years.

Unemployment is at a record low, but so is the workforce.

Residents are leaving the area to find better places to live.

The pursuit of higher paying manufacturing jobs and Quality of Life for the amount of tax dollar paid is contributing to the decline.

Year	Period	labor force	employment	unemployment	unemployment rate
2002	Annual	81778	76907	4871	6.0
2003	Annual	80652	75765	4887	6.1
2004	Annual	81179	75221	5958	7.3
2005	Annual	80539	74989	5550	6.9
2006	Annual	80725	75757	4968	6.2
2007	Annual	79686	75311	4375	5.5
2008	Annual	80271	74932	5339	6.7
2009	Annual	81359	72712	8647	10.6
2010	Annual	81208	72315	8893	11.0
2011	Annual	80220	72077	8143	10.2
2012	Annual	79261	71460	7801	9.8
2013	Annual	78234	71017	7217	9.2
2014	Annual	77828	71998	5830	7.5
2015	Annual	77221	72537	4684	6.1
2016	Annual	77800	73623	4177	5.4
2017	Annual	76963	73710	3253	4.2
2018	Annual	77281	73888	3393	4.4
2019	Annual	73884	70692	3192	4.3
2020	Annual	72365	66880	5485	7.6
2021	Annual	71270	68343	2927	4.1

Terre Haute has invested its Tax capitol on the potential growth as a tourist destination. This has been evident since Terre Haute launched its See You in Terre Haute 2025 campaign back in Aug, 2019.

The current and never ending political regime has envisioned the City as the Regional Tourist destination that will keep the City afloat.

Government Employees and Health Care workers are the largest employers in the greater Terre Haute Metro area.

See You In Terre Haute