About Columbus
Columbus, Ohio is the 15th largest city in the United States and is the state capital of Ohio. The Columbus metropolitan area is home to The Ohio State University, other private universities and colleges, a number of large national businesses, leading high technology research institutions, and a progressive, open, and vibrant culture.
Columbus is a young and well-educated city, with a median age much lower than that for the general population of Ohio and a significant percentage of residents with college degrees. Since the mid-1940's, Columbus is the only city in the northeast quadrant of the United States that has grown consistently. Fortune Magazine rates greater Columbus among the top five U.S. cities in the number of its innovative firms and the quality of its labor force.
The business community in the Columbus metropolitan area features a blend of new companies and large, established corporations with reputations for excellence such as Cardinal Health, Limited Brands, Inc., Nationwide Insurance, Abercrombie & Fitch, Wendy's International, OCLC, Chemical Abstracts, Worthington Industries, and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. The area also has been the target of considerable recent investment and development. More than 40 Japanese-based companies, including Honda of America Mfg., Inc., have opened plants or offices in the central Ohio area.
Columbus is a racially, culturally, and ethnically diverse community that is nationally recognized for being friendly and welcoming of individuals of all backgrounds and viewpoints. Most of its current residents have themselves moved to the area, attracted by the educational opportunities offered by the colleges and universities in the area or by the job opportunities presented by Columbus’ growing economy.
The cultural atmosphere in the city is vibrant and ever-changing. Unique music and entertainment districts are found at locations downtown and throughout the city, including German Village, the Brewery District, the Arena District, the Short North, and the Ohio State University area. Columbus also is home to the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, the Columbus Museum of Art, Ballet Met, the Wexner Center, Thurber House, and many other arts and literary organizations.
The area offers both collegiate and professional sports. The Ohio State University hosts teams from colleges and universities across the nation. In addition, the Columbus Blue Jackets, a National Hockey League team, plays in a new downtown facility, the 18,600-seat Nationwide Arena, and the Columbus Crew, a Major League Soccer franchise, plays in the only dedicated pro soccer stadium in the country.
