State of the Region
Central Ohio is defined as the 12 counties of the Chillicothe-Columbus-Marion Combined Statistical Area by the US Office of Management and Budget. The geography includes Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Knox, Licking, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Pickaway, Ross and Union Counties. Each county is unique, however, they are connected on a regional economic frame.
The central Ohio region is growing and adding jobs. Delaware, Fairfield, Union and Pickaway counties were reported among the fastest growing counties in the state in 2006. According to the US Census, the central Ohio region was the only growing region in the state of Ohio, and projections by the Ohio Department of Development predict an additional 440,000 people for the region by 2030.
Central Ohio is being recognized on a national scale as a budding star for technology, logistics and research. Major employers are distributed throughout the region. Honda is in Marysville, aeronautical turbine industries are in Knox County, State Farm Insurance is in Licking, intermodal yards are in Pickaway and Marion, and ethanol plants are being developed in Marion and Fayette. Downtown Columbus is experiencing a renaissance with new housing, a potential streetcar, and a new courthouse and baseball park. Expansion of US 33 is creating regional connections to Marysville and Lancaster, and expanding SR 161 is connecting Newark to New Albany.
The central Ohio location is perfect for reaching much of the national market in less than a day, and, with 24 universities and 117,000 university students, a skilled workforce is close at hand. A stable economy well diversified among financial, government, healthcare, logistic, and insurance sectors combined with affordable costs of living and recreational opportunities make central Ohio competitive. The agricultural base is finding diversity by addressing energy production as well as food production.
However, the challenges that face all of Ohio and the greater Great Lakes mega region also impact the competitiveness of the central Ohio. The challenges the region is facing with regards to a sluggish economy have elevated the need for private, non-profit, public and citizen groups to work together.
This State of the Region report is a dynamic anthology of partners and activities in central Ohio. This is a “living document” in which new partners and issues can be added, and updates on efforts can be announced and recorded. Rather than considering this a “first” State of the Region report, it should be thought of as a resource for learning about what efforts are underway and for building partnerships to advance central Ohio.
The report is organized around the concepts of People, Place and Prosperity. Benchmarking metrics are identified for baseline information. The concepts of People, Place and Prosperity are subdivided into issues. Potential or active organizations involved in the various issues are documented, and such documentation is accessible through the links at the bottom of this page. Many of these issues have overlapping focus, and many of the organizations are involved in multiple issues. The Issues Chart shows the relationship between the potential partners and the issues. While linkages are being forged at a rapid rate, there is opportunity for additional collaboration.
The 2008 State of the Region Summary Report is available here
or feel free to browse the following comprehensive State of the Region information:
