POWERING OHIO'S GROWTH: WHY INVESTMENT CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE

Written by: Stephanie Morris, Jake Lord, Zach Zechman & Mack Schlembach

Ohio is emerging as one of the most competitive destinations for advanced manufacturing, logistics and technology investment.

Our capital markets analysis examines how JobsOhio, the state’s economic development organization, is helping drive billions in fixed asset investment, thousands of new jobs and long-term real estate demand across the state.

While investment activity is occurring statewide, Central Ohio has become the focal point of large-scale capital deployment. The Columbus region benefits from several structural advantages, including a metro population of 2.3 million, a labor force exceeding 1.2 million workers, $18.4 billion in annual manufacturing output and access to 43% of the U.S. population within a one-day drive.

These fundamentals, combined with strong public-private partnerships and a business-friendly development environment, continue to attract transformational investments such as Intel’s $28 billion semiconductor expansion and Anduril’s next-generation manufacturing campus near Rickenbacker.

But the momentum extends beyond Columbus. Cincinnati and Cleveland continue to see steady investment across logistics, manufacturing, healthcare and technology sectors, reinforcing Ohio’s position as a diversified growth market.

The report also explores:

• How JobsOhio incentives are influencing capital deployment

• Why Ohio’s workforce and infrastructure continue to attract large-scale projects

• Which regions are seeing the greatest investment activity

• What these trends mean for commercial real estate and economic growth

  
  

Download the full report to explore the data, market insights and investment trends shaping Ohio’s future.

Regional Investment Trends | 2026 Report