Columbus population growth boosted by immigration
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Central Ohio's population continues to grow, thanks largely to international migration.
Why it matters: As Ohio birth rates decline and life expectancy lags behind other states, our region is relying on migration to drive population growth and the resulting productivity, creativity and tax dollars.
State of play: The Columbus metro area grew by 1.4% from 2023 to 2024, adding around 30,300 people, according to new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
- Local growth outpaced national growth (1%) for the fourth year in a row.
By the numbers: Natural growth explains some of the local increase. Our region had around 26,000 births from 2023 to 2024, compared to around 18,000 deaths.
- But according to the new census estimates, the metro area drew 23,395 international migrants last year, accounting for about 77% of our growth.
Zoom out: Not every Ohio city is experiencing the rapid growth seen in Columbus.
- Cleveland's Cuyahoga County, for instance, grew by just 2,000 people between 2023 and 2024.
The big picture: The number of people living in U.S. metros rose by almost 3.2 million between 2023 and 2024, and most areas can thank international migration for the population boost.
- "All of the nation's 387 metro areas had positive net international migration between 2023 and 2024, and it accounted for nearly 2.7 million of the total population gain in metro areas," the Census Bureau said in a statement accompanying the new data.