April 2026
The Columbus, OH market is gaining momentum as sustained top-tier economic development rankings, expanding advanced manufacturing and data center infrastructure, and strong population growth drive job creation, regional connectivity, and increasing demand for housing.
Site Selection Ranks Columbus Region Top 10 Metro Area For Economic Development Per Capita
What This Means For You: The Columbus region ranked as a top 10 metro area for economic development per capita for the 14th consecutive year. The region climbed to No. 7 in 2025 after ranking eighth in 2024 and ninth in 2023. The national ranking measures corporate project activity across metropolitan areas with populations greater than 1 million, categorized as Tier 1 metros.
Vertiv Adding 730 Jobs In $50M Expansion At Two Ohio Locations
What This Means For You: Vertiv Holdings Co. announced a $50 million plan to expand both its Westerville headquarters and a manufacturing plant in Ironton, creating a combined 730 jobs. The local company that makes power supplies, storage, cooling systems, and other infrastructure for data centers will add about 210 roles in engineering, sales, service, and logistics. The 45% expansion of the southern Ohio plant adds about 520 jobs making liquid cooling and chilled water systems needed by data centers because of the heat generated by computer servers. The addition is expected to open in the second quarter of 2027.
Texas-Based Buc-ee’s Sets Opening For First Ohio Store, To Create 200+ Jobs
What This Means For You: Cult favorite Texas-based convenience store chain Buc-ee’s opened its first Ohio travel center April 6, and city officials say the development already is sparking interest from other businesses looking to set up shop nearby. The Huber Heights location will create more than 200 new jobs for the community.
Anduril’s Ohio Plant Opens 3 Months Ahead of Schedule, Over 4000 Jobs Promised by 2035
What This Means For You: Announced in January 2024, Anduril’s $2 billion Pickaway County project opened at the end of March, three months ahead of schedule. Anduril’s Arsenal-1 will eventually span over 5 million square feet of manufacturing space near Rickenbacker Airport. Arsenal-1 will have seven production facilities when construction ends around 2035. Anduril promised to create 4,008 jobs by 2035, the largest single-site job creation investment in state history.
PPG To Invest $280M To Expand Delaware Manufacturing Site, Creating 100 Jobs
What This Means For You: The company is constructing a new 100,000-square-foot facility that will be dedicated to automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) coatings production. It will produce a range of paints and coatings for automotive OEMs to support growing demand. The new facility is expected to begin construction this year and be operational in 2028, pending local incentive approvals.
Columbus Area Outpaces Nation In Population Growth
What This Means For You: Columbus is the only metro area statewide to consistently outpace the national average for population growth over the past five years. Overall, the Columbus metro area’s population grew by 4.67% from 2020 to 2025. The national population growth average was 3.08% over that period.
Columbus Airports See Another Record-Breaking Year In Passengers For 2025
What This Means For You: John Glenn Columbus International Airport and Rickenbacker International Airport saw 9.36 million passengers in 2025. The airports also saw an increase in their number of flights with John Glenn International ranking among the country’s 50th busiest airports in flight growth at a 7.1%. The airports also announced new destinations for 2026 including Panama City Beach, Montreal, and Key West.
Aerospace Lubricants Announces Columbus Manufacturing Expansion, Creating 15 New Jobs
What This Means For You: A Columbus-founded manufacturer of synthetic lubricants is expanding its local operation with a $5 million investment and additional hiring. The company will modernize its facility, retain 37 positions, and add 15 new jobs. The new positions will focus on advanced manufacturing with annual average wages of roughly $92,000.
