Ohio population moves to Columbus

Columbus and its burgeoning suburb shift the center of gravity of the state’s population closer to mid-Ohio.

• The measure is the average of where the state’s 11.8 million people live, as calculated by the US Census Bureau.

How it works: If each Ohio weighed equally, the point would mark the perfect balance of a flat map of Ohio.

Why is this important: The dramatic change since 1950 is an illustration of the capital’s rapid growth combined with population decline in rural areas and in Cleveland, the state’s second largest city.

• The central Ohio region, which has 11 counties is now home to 2.2 million people.
• Franklin County first exceeded the population of Cuyahoga County in 2017.

And after: The Columbus area is expected to reach 3 million people by 2050.