Ohio Facts
Major Economic Force
Track Record of Proven Business Success
World-Class Access
Outstanding Workforce
- If Ohio was a separate country, it would have the 26th largest economy in the world.
- 11.5 million residents make Ohio the 7th-most populous state.
- Ohio is 7th in Gross Domestic Product ($466.3 billion)
(the net value of goods and services produced)
Major Economic Force
- For the fourth year in a row, Ohio ranked 1st in the United States in the number of major private investments. In addition, 12 Ohio cities ranked in the top ten in their tiers in 2008.
- Ohio has the lowest capital investment tax rate in the Midwest
- There were 25,054 new Ohio employer firms in 2007.
- Ohio is 5th in the nation in the number of Fortune 500 headquarters (27) and 5th in the number of Fortune 1000 headquarters (61).
- Ohio ranked 7th in the U.S. exports in 2008, exporting more than $45 billion, which is a 6.87% increase over 2007.
Track Record of Proven Business Success
- Companies located in Ohio are within one day's drive of 62% of all U.S. manufacturing facilities and within 600 miles of 59.5% of the U.S. population.
- More than 1,000 international companies operate in Ohio, employing 181,200 people.
- Ohio is 4th in the nation in airports (519, including 180 public airports, six international airports, and three air cargo hubs).
- Ohio is 4th in active rail lines (5,350 miles and 36 freight railroads).
- Ohio is 4th in the nation in maritime tonnage moved (nine ports on Lake Erie, 16 terminals on the Ohio River, and 700 miles of navigable waterways).
- Ohio is 6th in the nation in interstate highways (1,574 miles; eight interstate highways).
- The freight traffic through Ohio's water ports on Lake Erie and the Ohio River exceeds the amount that goes through the Panama Canal.
World-Class Access
- Ohio's labor pool of 5.9 million workers is among the largest in the country, larger than the total population of 35 states.
- Ohio ranks 3rd in the nation for total manufacturing employment.
- Ohio's median household income was $46,296, as reported in the 2005-2007 American Community Survey.
Outstanding Workforce
- Since its inception, Ohio Third Frontier has been instrumental in the creation or retention of 7,757 direct jobs in Ohio and the creation, attraction, or commercialization of 514 new companies.
- Ohio's private sector spent $5.9 billion on R&D.
- Ohio has 13 hospitals named in the 2007 U.S. News and World Report's America's Best Hospitals (the Cleveland Clinic was ranked the best cardiac center in the country for the last 12 consecutive years).
- In 2005, 61% of all academic research expenditures in Ohio were directed to life sciences; 21% supported engineering.
- Ohio's private, for-profit companies employ 192,000 science, math and engineering professionals.
- Ohio has the largest independent machining laboratory in the nation (TechSolve).
- Ohio hosts the Edison Welding Institute, TechSolve, Inc., and five other technology centers across the state.
Infrastructure to Support Innovation
- Ohio is 1st in the U.S. for plastics and rubber products employment.
- Ohio is 1st in value added for production of plastics.
- Ohio is 1st in plastics and rubber production and employment; frozen specialty food production; production of electrical equipment and appliances; and value-added metalworking equipment.
- Ohio is 1st in the nation in the production of primary metals, producing 12.3% of the total U.S. production.
- Ohio is the largest exporter of glass and glassware, shipping 12% of total U.S. exports.
- Ohio is 2nd in the nation in motor vehicle production, fabricated metal products, and research funding for materials engineering.
- Ohio is the 2nd largest exporter of automotive and rubber goods.
- Ohio ranks 3rd in the U.S. in manufacturing production output and manufacturing employment.
- Ohio is 3rd in the U.S. in manufacturing production output and manufacturing employment.
- Ohio is 3rd in the U.S. in manufacturing Gross State Product, with 18.2% of total GSP directly related to manufacturing.
- Ohio is the 3rd-largest exporter of iron and steel products.
- Ohio is the 4th-largest exporter of plastics.
- Ohio has 16,401 establishments engaged in manufacturing, ranking Ohio 4th nationally.
- Ohio is the 5th largest exporter of machinery.
- Ohio's two leading export commodities are motor vehicles and machinery.
- Ohio's motor vehicle industry produces $19.3 billion, or 13.4% of total U.S. output.
Balanced Industry Portfolio
- Ohio has 14 metropolitan areas and 29 micropolitan areas that provide residents with one of the largest numbers of diverse living environments in the nation.
- Ohio has six metropolitan areas ranked in the top 100 Liveable Places in the United States, according to Places Rated Almanac.
- Ohio's arts and festival attendance ranks 2nd in the nation.
- Ohio's symphonies are continually ranked tops in the U.S.
- Ohio has seven metropolitan areas ranked in the top 100 Best Art and Cultural Amenities, according to Places Rated Almanac.
- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is ranked as the No. 1 favorite zoo in America. The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens ranks 7th.
- Ohio is home to seven major league sports teams.
- Ohio is home to 74 state parks.
- Ohio had 53,577,927 visitors to state parks and recreation areas, the 3rd-highest attendance rate in the nation.
- Ohio has 12 designated scenic rivers.
- COSI Columbus was named the No. 1 science center in the country for families in 2008 by Parent Magazine
- With 205 Institutions of higher education, Ohio is ranked 5th in the nation.
- Ohio has three of the top 10 libraries in the nation. Columbus Metropolitan Library is ranked as the top library in the country, with Cuyahoga County Public Library ranked 2nd. The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is ranked as 10th best in the nation.
- Ohio ranks 6th in public K-12 enrollment with 1,906,873 students.
- Ohio has outstanding health care resources; three of the top 20 pediatric hospitals in the nation are located in Ohio.