Why So Many Global Companies Are Choosing Central Ohio

Google, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft have combined to invest more than $50 billion across Central Ohio, and Intel's $28 billion semiconductor plant in New Albany remains the largest single economic development project in Ohio history.

I get some version of this question from almost every client relocating for work: "Why is everyone building here?" It's a fair question. A decade ago, Central Ohio wasn't on most people's map for major corporate investment. Now it's one of the most active data center and manufacturing markets in the country, and that shift is reshaping the job market, the housing market, and the region's identity all at once.

Here's the honest, non-hype version of what's actually happening, tradeoffs included.

What's Actually Driving This Growth?

The short answer is land, power, and location. New Albany's International Business Park spans roughly 9,000 to 12,000 acres, and it's one of the largest strategically planned business parks in the country. Intel broke ground there on a $28 billion semiconductor fabrication project, the largest single economic development investment in Ohio history, with its first "fab" targeted to open in 2031.

Around that anchor, Google, Amazon Web Services, Meta, and Microsoft have all become major landowners in the region, combining for more than 5,000 acres of data center campuses. Amazon alone has invested more than $10.3 billion in Ohio since 2015 and owns roughly 39% of the total data center acreage in the Columbus market, making it the single largest landowner in the space. Google has invested more than $20 billion across New Albany, Columbus, and Lancaster specifically, and testified before Ohio's Joint Data Center Committee that the state's proactive approach to attracting the industry has been a major factor in why companies keep clustering here rather than spreading out to other states.

Licking County, just northeast of Columbus proper, has emerged as a particular hub within this boom. It now hosts more hyperscale data centers than any other county in Ohio, with Meta, Google, Amazon, QTS, and a forthcoming Microsoft campus all operating or under construction there. Microsoft alone has committed roughly $1 billion combined across three separate sites in the county.

What Does This Actually Mean for Jobs?

It's a mixed picture, and worth understanding honestly rather than through a press release. Data centers are capital-intensive but not always job-intensive; some large facilities operate with a relatively small permanent staff once construction wraps. Intel's project is different in that respect, chip fabrication requires a much larger, more specialized ongoing workforce, and the ripple effect has already started, with suppliers and supporting companies announcing plans to join Intel in New Albany and the wider region.

The state has backed this with real infrastructure investment. The Ohio Department of Transportation announced $90 million over the next decade specifically for roadway improvements in Delaware, Franklin, and Licking Counties to support the growth around the Intel site, reconstructing roadways and improving intersections to handle the demand. That kind of public investment is a reasonable signal that officials expect this growth to be durable rather than a short-term boom.

Is This Growth Actually Good for Homebuyers and Renters?

It cuts both ways, and it's worth being honest about the tradeoffs. On one hand, sustained corporate investment tends to support long-term home values and job growth, which benefits current homeowners and gives buyers more confidence that a purchase here will hold or grow in value. New Albany itself has attracted corporate presences across retail, financial, and hospitality sectors alongside the tech giants, which diversifies the local economy beyond just data centers.

On the other hand, this kind of growth has put real pressure on housing supply and affordability in specific pockets, particularly New Albany, Pataskala, and Johnstown, where out-of-state workers and investors have added competition for buyers already trying to navigate a tight market. It's also worth noting that data centers draw significant power and water resources, and some communities have raised legitimate questions about rising energy costs and environmental tradeoffs tied to the buildout, a debate that's still playing out at the state level.

Should This Growth Factor Into a Decision to Move Here?

For most buyers, yes, at least as one piece of a bigger picture. Sustained corporate investment at this scale is a meaningful vote of confidence in the region's long-term trajectory, and it's part of why Central Ohio continues to add residents faster than most Midwest metros. That said, it shouldn't be the only factor. Growth this fast comes with real tradeoffs, tighter inventory in specific suburbs, more competition for well-priced homes, and open questions about infrastructure and utility costs that are still being worked out.

The honest takeaway: this is a genuinely significant, multi-decade economic shift, not a fad, but it's also not a guarantee that every neighborhood or every buyer benefits equally. Understanding which specific areas are absorbing the growth, and which are staying relatively insulated, matters more than a headline number about billions invested.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much has Intel invested in its New Albany project? Intel's semiconductor fabrication project in New Albany is a $28 billion investment, described as the largest single economic development project in Ohio history. The first fabrication facility is targeted to open in 2031.

How much land do tech companies own in Central Ohio for data centers? Google, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft combined own more than 5,000 acres across the Central Ohio region, according to commercial real estate research. Amazon is the largest single landowner, holding roughly 39% of the total data center acreage.

Is this growth actually creating jobs in Central Ohio? It's mixed. Data centers are capital-intensive but not always heavily staffed once built, while Intel's chip fabrication project requires a larger, more specialized workforce and has already drawn supplier and supporting companies to the region.

Which Central Ohio suburbs are most affected by this growth? New Albany, Pataskala, and Johnstown have seen the most direct impact, with tighter housing inventory and increased buyer competition tied to workers and investors drawn by the nearby development.

Is Central Ohio's growth expected to continue? Yes, based on current infrastructure investment. The Ohio Department of Transportation has committed $90 million over the next decade specifically to support roadway capacity around the Intel site, a signal that officials expect the growth to be long-term rather than temporary.

If you're weighing a move to Central Ohio and want to understand how this growth might actually affect your specific neighborhood or timeline, I'd love to help you think through it honestly, tradeoffs included, rather than just repeating the headline investment numbers back to you.

This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. All real estate services are provided in compliance with Fair Housing laws, RESPA, TCPA, the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, and Ohio Real Estate Commission advertising regulations. Equal Housing Opportunity. Chrisi Hagan, Collins Lassiter Group, Red 1 Realty.