Columbus Region

The central region, or the Columbus Region, leads the Midwest in economic growth and is home to Columbus, the Ohio state capital; The Ohio State University; a growing fashion industry; smart mobility technology development; and world-renowned research institutions.

The 11 counties of the Columbus Region include:

• 2.1 million residents
• 1 million workers
• $130.8 billion economy

Highlights/trends:

• Columbus is the fastest growing metro area in the Midwest, leading the Midwest's largest metros in population, job, GDP and wage growth since 2010.
• In the past 10 years, the Columbus Region has added 144,599 new jobs, generated $8.9 billion of capital investment and raised personal per capita income by 24.4%. It is on pace to achieve its strongest ever decade of economic growth.
• Hundreds of businesses have announced expansions and locations since 2010, ranking it among the top metros for new and expanded facilities. Money magazine named Columbus the best big city in the Midwest.
• The Columbus Region ranks eighth among metro areas for the size of its millennial population, and has a median age of 35.6. More than 33% of residents hold a bachelor's degree.
• The Columbus Region has one of the highest concentrations of college students in the country. It is home to 53 universities and college campuses with more than 130,000 enrolled students.
• No single industry sector represents more than 19% of employment. Many widely recognizable brands, such as Scotts, Cardinal Health, Express, Nationwide and Abercrombie & Fitch, are headquartered here.
• Columbus is the emerging leader in the advancement of smart mobility. With a $40 million grant from USDOT, $10 million from Vulcan and half a billion dollars in dedicated public and private funds, the Columbus Region has become a real-world proving ground for autonomous and connected vehicles.

For more information, visit Columbus 2020.