Will Columbus become largest Ohio metro? (Cleveland, Cincinnati: mortgage, loans, taxes)

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Yeah top five employers are paper pushers and government. How sustainable is that?

I really don't get your argument. First, these are individual employers, not industries. You can't really make any sweeping generalizations about the state of the economy based on these alone, as they aren't representative of the full makeup of the local conditions. Second, what type of economy is inherently stable with no risk whatsoever of being hit by a downturn? Certainly basing economies on manufacturing didn't work out. And Columbus has traditionally weathered bad economies nationally better than most places, which is actual evidence, rather than the random speculation here, that Columbus has a stronger, more diverse economic base than some want to believe. Now, I can't say that the city will never face a downturn, but what kind of downturn would affect Columbus, but not Ohio's other cities? Or what kind would hit it harder than other places that we have not yet seen in the historic record?

[Buckeye614]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Yeah top five employers are paper pushers and government. How sustainable is that?

Maybe you could elaborate on the point you're are trying to make and I don't mean that in an offensive way.

The top five largest private sector firms in Columbus are engaged in financial services, software development, data analytics, manufacturing, R&D, pharmaceuticals, and distribution. Coupled with the state government, education, medical centers, and public utility companies located here, objectively I would say that Columbus has a fairly diverse economy.

Sustainability can mean a lot of things. Are we talking about maintaining the current economic growth rate? Just, retaining our largest employers in the area and making sure they don't leave? Ensuring the largest employers maintain the same amount of workers at the same pay?

I am not an economist and don't have answers to those questions. From my layman's perspective Columbus certainly is not "recession-proof". Conversely I don't think there is reason to believe that the job market in the area will collapse anytime soon, at least no sooner than it would in any comparable midwest city.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by Buckeye614

Maybe you could elaborate on the point you're are trying to make and I don't mean that in an offensive way.

Certainly, I'm really not trying to rip on Columbus at all, I just am observing the economy at large. It just seems to me we have a lot of jobs now that don't actually accomplish anything of value (not to be offensive here either, I think that describes half of my own job really). Everyone I know has jobs that are mostly just navigating around some type of IRS regulations or making sure bureaucratic procedures are followed because the CEO just said this is how it needs to be done etc. Or even in the tech world which is "booming" by dollar amount standards, so much of it is just, in my opinion, not very useful in "real life."

Personally when I see so much prosperity coming from places with such intangible sources, I just question it. I'm not predicting a downfall necessarily, I just think that the only reason this type of economy is possible (for now) is because we built a lot of wealth earlier.

I guess this is more of a side comment and perhaps too "meta" for the thread question.

Columbus will almost certainly become Ohio's largest metro in the next 10 years probably (unless metros are redefined).

[InnovativeAmerican]

I'm curious: What's causing Columbus to grow so quickly? Why is it doing so much better compared to the rest of Ohio?

[cbusflyer]

Originally Posted by InnovativeAmerican

I'm curious: What's causing Columbus to grow so quickly? Why is it doing so much better compared to the rest of Ohio?

If you don't leave Ohio, chances are you move to Columbus. Young stable growth city. Honestly I think it appeals to a broader range of people from Ohio than any other city does in Ohio.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by cbusflyer

If you don't leave Ohio, chances are you move to Columbus. Young stable growth city. Honestly I think it appeals to a broader range of people from Ohio than any other city does in Ohio.

Hmm I don't know, I get the idea that lots of the rural population has been moving to Columbus. Cleveland and Cincinnati areas have long been less rural than central Ohio. I honestly dont know anyone from northeast Ohio who lives in Columbus who didnt go to Ohio state. Not saying that's the rule, but the large state university is a big reason.

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by Natural510

Pittsburgh reinvented itself as a hub for those same white collar industries, not because of its location on a shipping route. People aren’t moving to Cleveland or Cincinnati for port jobs, but they are moving to Columbus for some strange reason.

Yet, being a reinvented hub, for some reason, people aren't moving to Pittsburgh.

Still wouldn't discount the importance of a port, shipping route etc. and Cleveland has 4 interstates (71,77,80, 90).

[midwest1]

Originally Posted by Kamms

Yet, being a reinvented hub, for some reason, people aren't moving to Pittsburgh.

Still wouldn't discount the importance of a port, shipping route etc. and Cleveland has 4 interstates (71,77,80, 90).

Actually...people are moving to Cincinnati for "Port" jobs....

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrobe.../#4db3f88676b2

And the estimates for metro Cincinnati show that growth is accelerating, reaching .6% in 2017, not too shabby for a mature Midwest metro.

https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinna...in-latest.html

[Clever nickname here]

Originally Posted by InnovativeAmerican

I'm curious: What's causing Columbus to grow so quickly? Why is it doing so much better compared to the rest of Ohio?

Liberal magnet, with a major research university, in a mostly conservative area.

[Clever nickname here]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Yeah top five employers are paper pushers and government. How sustainable is that?

Seems low risk in recession. State government, a major research university with over 50K students, healthcare, insurance, which leaves finance as the only one of the top 5 that is a big economy risk.