Columbus Region Ranks No. 5 Metro Area by Site Selection Magazine

Columbus, OH – Moving up two spots from its ranking last year, the Columbus Region took the No. 5 spot on Site Selection magazine’s ‘Top 10 Metro Areas’ list, boasting 108 new and expanded facilities in 2015. The Region has been in Site Selection’s ‘Top 10 Metros’ list four years in a row, climbing in the rankings with each year. In years 2012, 2013 and 2014 the Columbus Region ranked No. 10, No. 8 and No. 7 respectively.

Ohio repeated for the fourth time its second-place finish in the Governors Cup for number of projects at 517. The state took the No. 3 spot in the per capita ranking.

“The Columbus Region’s continued rise on this list year after year is a testament to the tireless teamwork, effort and collaboration among state and local economic development partners,” said Kenny McDonald, president and chief economic officer, One Columbus. “This ranking puts the Columbus Region on center stage as one of the strongest and vibrant economies in the U.S.”

The Columbus Region earned the ranking among peer metropolitan areas with populations greater than 1 million, with Chicago, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth and Cincinnati occupying the top four spots. New facilities and expansions included in the analyses had to meet at least one of the three criteria: involve a capital investment of at least U.S. $1 million, create at least 20 new jobs, or add at least 20,000 square feet of new floor area.

For the fourth consecutive year, Ohio’s 517 new projects earned the state the No. 2 spot in Site Selection’s overall Governors Cup state ranking – second only to Texas. Ohio also took the third-place spot in the per capital ranking, with Kentucky and Nebraska taking the top one and two spots respectively.

In addition to Columbus, other Ohio cities recognized include Akron, Cincinnati, Dayton, Findlay, Lima, and Wooster.