Measuring the health, vitality, and well-being of a community is a complex but important endeavor, one that requires a wealth of data, ongoing collaboration across sectors, and a strong commitment to continuous evaluation and learning. As the Columbus region continues to grow and evolve, it’s essential that members of the community—including civic, business, nonprofit, and neighborhood leaders—have access to community information and knowledge, so that together we can create responsive and sustainable solutions to the complex challenges facing our region.
Today, The Columbus Foundation released a new community research report, Benchmarking Central Ohio 2024. Commissioned by The Columbus Foundation and developed in partnership with the Columbus-based firm Scioto Analysis, this year’s report examines five key areas: population vitality, economic strength, personal prosperity, lifelong learning, and community well-being. Within these five key areas are dozens of indicators, ranging from housing affordability and small business ownership to pre-K enrollment and air quality. The 2024 report is the latest in a series of community benchmarking reports commissioned by The Columbus Foundation, starting in 2007.
“This report, now in its eighth edition, shows our commitment to providing information about and for our community. It is essential to regularly examine the region’s health, economic competitiveness, and quality of life so that we as a community can respond to pressing challenges and emerging opportunities,” said Doug Kridler, President and CEO of The Columbus Foundation.
Similar to an annual physical—during which a physician examines a patient’s overall health by gathering health information and monitoring changes over time—the Benchmarking Central Ohio reports track and assess how the Columbus region is doing across indicators over time and how the region compares to other metropolitan areas in the United States. The 2024 study compares the Columbus metropolitan region to 22 other metropolitan areas, including peer communities of similar size and geography and high-performing communities.
The Columbus Foundation has long invested in community research to help enhance community knowledge across a range of important issues, such as mental healthcare, digital equity and inclusion, youth services, aging populations, and homelessness. This research serves to educate the community, inform regional priorities, identify local assets and pain points, and help local nonprofits determine where to focus their programming.
“Research is an extremely valuable resource that, when used strategically, can help us better understand our community’s strengths, weaknesses, inequities, and possibilities,” said Matt Martin, Director of Community Research at The Columbus Foundation. “By creating a shared understanding of our community’s challenges and opportunities, research can help galvanize impactful actions, policies, and investments that ultimately improve people’s lives.”
The Benchmarking Central Ohio 2024 report shows that the Columbus metropolitan region ranks towards the top across several indicators, including preschool enrollment, women in corporate leadership, and rates of volunteerism and library usage. However, the report also raises areas of concern, such as high poverty rates and public health challenges like infant mortality and overdose deaths. Viewed holistically, the data in the report reveal a multifaceted landscape of the community’s strengths, challenges, and potential.
In a world where the pace of change seems to continually accelerate, community research serves as a vital source of information that provides meaningful measurements of a community’s progress and areas of improvement. As we look toward our region’s future, The Columbus Foundation remains committed to advancing community knowledge by investing in research that helps guide and inform community priorities and investments.
