For first time ever, Columbus ranks No. 1 in U.S. for growth and infrastructure; Ohio ranks No. 2 in states

Depending on how you view the world, it could be a good time to not only be an Ohioan, but to be a resident of Columbus.

Since 2021, 195 companies have chosen to locate, relocate, or expand in the Columbus region. Over $38 billion in capital investment has been generated in our city, and 28,000 jobs have been created.

As a result, Columbus is now the number one city in the U.S. for Growth and Infrastructure, according to Site Selection Magazine’s Global Groundwork Index 2025.

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This marks the first time Columbus has been ranked this high. Last year, the city came at number 3. 

“Columbus is emblematic of high performance in both infrastructure investment and corporate end-user project activity in this year’s Global Groundwork Index by metros and states in the heartland,” said Site Selection Editor in Chief Adam Bruns, “with two of our top three metro regions in Ohio and several more of the top seven in neighboring Indiana.”

Cincinnati is also on the list, ranked number 3, and Ohio ranked number 3 among all U.S. states.

According to The City of Columbus’ press release, a reason why our infrastructure momentum is going strong is because of the Columbus War Room, which is a coordinated effort to secure competitive federal grants. “By uniting public and private leaders, the War Room has helped the Columbus Region secure $116 million in federal funding for key projects such as Lancaster’s Industrial Complex, Columbus Regional Airport Authority’s Terminal Grant and COTA’s West Broad Corridor expansion. These funds are now fueling transportation, mobility and utility upgrades that are strengthening the region’s competitiveness for future business investment,” The City said.

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