Building a Diverse Economy Through Innovation

How Ohio’s largest county leverages education, infrastructure, and targeted development to drive sustainable growth

Franklin County, Ohio is a dynamic hub defined by its youthful energy and strong educational foundation. As the largest county in Ohio with a population exceeding 1.4 million, it has joined the exclusive club of counties with over one million residents nationwide. County Administrator Kenneth Wilson attributes much of this vibrancy to the area’s educational institutions.

“We are a county with a vibrancy fueled by youth. We have a younger population with many colleges and universities, with Ohio State University serving as an anchor,” Wilson explains. “People don’t really understand the flavor of Greater Franklin County until they come and experience it. All forecasts suggest we will continue to flourish population-wise.”

Beyond education, the county has cultivated surprising strengths in sectors not typically associated with the Midwest. “We are a fashion hub, which people don’t think of for Ohio. When we talk about fashion designers and producers, we have Designer Shoe Warehouse headquartered here. Limited Brands, known for Victoria’s Secret, is grounded in Columbus,” Wilson notes. This retail presence contributes to the county’s diverse economic landscape.

Cultural assets further distinguish Franklin County in the region. The area boasts the Franklin Park Conservatory, numerous art institutions, and a thriving culinary scene. “We are a foodie town with restaurants that could compete with anywhere in the country,” Wilson says. “It’s an open and smart community with a high number of college-educated individuals.” A combination of youth, education, cultural amenities, and unexpected industry strengths has positioned Franklin County as a growing force in the Midwest economic corridor.

Workforce Development

Franklin County has established targeted workforce development initiatives to address skills gaps in high-demand industries. “One of the things we focus on at the county is creating pre-apprenticeship opportunities in various sectors, whether in information technology or skilled trades,” Wilson says. The county’s strategic approach aligns with national workforce trends emphasizing alternative credential paths beyond traditional four-year degrees.

Transportation and logistics represent particularly promising sectors for the county’s workforce development efforts. “I recently attended a graduation for our Capital Transportation Road to Work program. In six weeks, participants can obtain their CDL licensure and enter the middle class with jobs paying $65,000 to $70,000 annually,” Wilson explains. 

The county’s geographic positioning strengthens its logistics advantage. “Because of our proximity—we’re one day’s drive to 80% of the U.S. population—we are a logistics hotbed. That’s what makes CDL licensure such a valuable credential to have,” Wilson notes. This strategic location has attracted major distribution operations and created steady demand for qualified drivers across various service models.

Franklin County’s approach reflects broader economic development principles that connect workforce training directly to regional strengths. The programs accommodate different lifestyle preferences within the transportation sector. “These opportunities can be over-the-road if you want to travel the country, regional if that fits your lifestyle better, or local if you want to be home every night with your family,” Wilson adds.

Supporting the Arts for Economic Development Through Culture

Franklin County has established a sustainable approach to arts funding that positions cultural programming as an economic driver rather than simply a quality-of-life enhancement. “We have a tradition of supporting art and public spaces programming. We’ve provided funding to the arts via general funds in a modest amount, but it’s been meaningful,” Wilson says. The county has moved beyond viewing arts funding as merely discretionary spending, instead incorporating it into its economic development framework.

Youth engagement represents a key component of the county’s arts strategy, creating pipelines for future creative professionals. “We’ve had award-winning programs such as the transit art program for youth. We’ve provided various grants through the Greater Columbus Arts Council to enable artists to become entrepreneurs and sell their products,” Wilson explains. These initiatives address both workforce development and small business growth within the creative sector.

What distinguishes Franklin County’s approach is the establishment of dedicated funding mechanisms that insulate arts programs from budget fluctuations. “One of the things that strengthens the arts is that leadership here secured an admissions fee on cultural and arts events and certain sports events. That has provided a dedicated funding source,” Wilson notes. 

The county has also prioritized quantifying the economic impact of cultural investments. “In Franklin County, we’ve been able to gather the facts to prove that arts are economic development, and our corporate community actively participates in supporting our arts,” Wilson adds. This data-driven approach strengthens the case for continued investment by framing arts funding as infrastructure development rather than discretionary spending, helping the sector maintain support even during challenging economic periods.

Next Generation Infrastructure and Smart Design

Innovation and multifunctionality are at the core of Franklin County’s approach to infrastructure development, particularly in its highway systems and urban planning initiatives. “Through our county engineer’s office, we support all infrastructure—roads and bridges—outside the city of Columbus, as well as other municipalities and townships,” Wilson explains. While maintaining these foundational systems, the county has simultaneously pursued transformative projects that reimagine what infrastructure can accomplish.

The centerpiece of this strategy is a major interstate renovation that will reshape the county’s transportation landscape for decades. “Currently, we have a major infrastructure rebuild that will take this community forward for the next 30-plus years. It’s called the I-70-71 project, a modernization of all our interchanges running through the heart of Franklin County,” Wilson says. 

What makes the project distinctive is its integration of green space and commercial development directly into the highway system. “There will be caps with park space blended into them, with the potential to become retail space,” Wilson notes. Such highway caps represent an innovative approach to urban design that mitigates the traditional dividing effect of interstate highways through urban areas.

The county has already proven this concept’s viability. “We have one of those caps that has been in place a long time, so we know it works. It crosses I-670 in the heart of our Short North district with retail built into it. You drive under it and don’t necessarily realize you’re driving under a steak restaurant or other businesses housed in this cap,” Wilson adds. The integration of transportation infrastructure with commercial and recreational spaces highlights how Franklin County is reimagining traditionally single-purpose infrastructure to maximize land use and create more cohesive urban environments.

Creating Affordable Options to Meet the Housing Challenge

Franklin County faces housing affordability pressures like those affecting metropolitan areas nationwide. “We have a housing challenge,” Wilson acknowledges. “But are we just sitting around admiring the problem? No.” The county has created sustainable funding streams to support affordable housing development, rather than relying solely on general fund allocations that can fluctuate with economic conditions.

A key innovation has been leveraging real estate transaction fees to fund affordable housing initiatives. “We have a conveyance fee that since 2019 has funded what we call a magnet fund. The conveyance fee is applied on real estate transactions, taking the benefit of these transactions and allowing those dollars to go toward creating affordable housing,” Wilson explains. This approach aligns with best practices in housing finance by creating dedicated revenue that grows alongside real estate activity.

The county targets these resources to address specific affordability gaps. “Most of our projects range from 60% of area median income up to 100% of area median income,” Wilson notes. The county is also undertaking a comprehensive review of its housing strategy. “Our board of commissioners will approve a contract to modernize and update our entire approach to housing and shelter, including the type of incentives we provide developers to create units.”

Wilson recognizes that housing patterns are evolving in response to affordability pressures. “You’re beginning to see more than one generation in a household. Young folks are going back to their parents’ houses or vice versa. That’s one way this housing crunch is being addressed,” he observes. The county also emphasizes the connection between housing and economic opportunity. “You can’t have sustainable affordable housing in your community unless you have workforce development and education programs to increase the amount of money people make to be able to pay their mortgage or lease payments.”

Spurring Economic Growth

Franklin County has developed a diversified economic development strategy focused on high-growth sectors that leverage the region’s existing strengths. “Our strongest targeted areas include information technology,” Wilson says. “We are a source of investments in data facilities for Meta, Google, Amazon Web Services, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.” 

The county has also positioned itself within the electric vehicle supply chain, a sector experiencing rapid growth nationwide. “Electronic vehicles are key—we have a significant LG Honda battery plant in our backyard to our south,” Wilson explains. Despite this pivot toward new automotive technologies, the county maintains its traditional manufacturing base. “We will never abandon automobile manufacturing. Honda is a very important part of Central Ohio’s economy, as well as the suppliers surrounding these areas.”

Healthcare represents another pillar of the county’s economic strategy. “Biomedical and healthcare will continue to be major growth areas for Franklin County,” Wilson notes, emphasizing that this focus capitalizes on the presence of educational institutions and research facilities that support healthcare innovation.

The county also benefits from a strong foundation in financial services. “A lot of our bread has been buttered in the finance, insurance, and real estate industries. Nationwide Insurance is one of our bedrock companies,” Wilson adds. 

Cumulatively, Franklin County’s approach demonstrates how mid-sized metropolitan regions can compete effectively in the national economy by identifying specific niches rather than attempting to replicate the exact development patterns of larger coastal tech hubs. By balancing established industries with emerging sectors, the county has created a resilient economic development framework that can adapt to changing market conditions.

Embracing Change and Lifelong Learning

County Administrator Wilson’s approach to county administration leverages continuous professional development and adaptive leadership—principles increasingly recognized as essential for effective public sector management in rapidly evolving communities.

“I’m a strong proponent of continuing education. It’s required in several occupations, but I believe any professional must constantly learn and evolve to stay on top of their game, because you don’t know it all,” Wilson explains.

He applies this learning mindset directly to his role overseeing county operations. “As county administrator, I constantly study public policy and examine best practices from across the country,” he says, describing the professionalization of county management, where administrators increasingly function as public sector executives rather than traditional bureaucrats.

The National Association of Counties has a saying that Wilson references: “If you’ve seen one county, you’ve seen one county.” This acknowledges the unique characteristics of each jurisdiction while still recognizing transferable solutions. “That doesn’t mean you can’t take best practices from another county and tailor them to your county’s characteristics. If you know your county’s culture, sometimes you need to change that culture,” Wilson notes.

His leadership style favors sustainable, incremental improvement over disruptive change. “You never want to have revolutionary change. You want natural evolutionary change rather than revolutionary change where you’re shaking the world,” Wilson says. Looking forward, he emphasizes adaptability as the county’s north star. “Redefining what it means to provide for the essential needs of 1.4 million residents of Franklin County. Learning to innovate to adjust to an environment with characteristics that aren’t necessarily parallel with issues we’ve dealt with in previous decades.”

Wilson distills his guidance for county employees and residents into a simple but powerful directive: “Embrace change and strive forward, resisting the temptation to look backward.” This forward-looking philosophy continues to guide Franklin County as it navigates complex challenges while building on its established strengths in education, infrastructure, housing, and economic development.

AT A GLANCE

Who: Franklin County

What: Ohio’s largest county with 1.4+ million residents, home to Ohio State University and a diverse economy spanning technology, automotive, healthcare, and financial services

Where: Central Ohio

Website: www.franklincountyohio.gov