Hamilton County Ranks Among Top U.S. Counties for Business Attraction

Like other urban, Midwestern counties, Hamilton County has lost manufacturing jobs over the past few decades as a result of global business trends that have little to do with whether or not it is a good place to do business. Mergers and acquisitions, lean manufacturing, off-shoring jobs and process automation have taken their toll.

In spite of that, the news for Hamilton County isn't all bad. A recent study by Expansion Management magazine and the nonpartisan National Policy Research Council ranked the county among the top 20 mid-size counties in the United States for attracting new companies. It was one of just 60 counties to earn a mention out of 3,141 nationwide.

Business attraction - the practice of promoting a community as a great place for new business locations - is difficult to track. Economic development officials don't always know all of the companies that decide to call their community home. Expansion Management and the National Policy Research Council developed their rankings based on a first-ever analysis of data collected on 19 million companies for the past eight years.

"For the metros and counties that ranked high in this study, it represents the best of all possible validation that their local economies are on the right track," said the article, written by Chief Editor Bill King.

"There's probably not a better vote of confidence than knowing that, when faced with a decision of where in the entire United States to locate a new facility or branch office, the consensus of millions of business executives was to choose these locations for a significant business investment," it continued. "In a very real sense, this is a reflection of the marketplace at work."

The only other Ohio county that made the grade was Franklin, home to Columbus, which ranked No. 16 among large counties.

"Hamilton County's ranking is great news," commissioners President Todd Portune said. "It speaks to how attractive we are as a community and encourages us to continue with the improvements and enhancements in our business environment that we are making and that are making Hamilton County a business magnet."

Hamilton County Development Co., a private, nonprofit corporation, administers the programs of Hamilton County's Economic Development Office as well as the SBA 504 and Ohio Regional 166 loan programs. It also operates the largest business incubator in the region.

"It is gratifying that not only our economic development efforts but our results are being recognized by a national publication and resource such as Expansion Management magazine," said David K. Main, president of Hamilton County Development Co.

HCDC's primary focus is on business retention because historically the majority of new jobs and investment have come from companies that are already here.

However, it also promotes business attraction in a variety of ways, including through collaboration with local and state officials. For instance, Hamilton County helps fund the Partnership for Cincinnati USA, a regional marketing effort aimed at attracting new businesses.

In addition, HCDC develops marketing materials, maintains a comprehensive website and a database of available properties, administers tax incentive programs and meets with consultants who help companies decide where to establish new facilities. These efforts have helped Hamilton County replace lost manufacturing jobs with new-economy jobs that have a better chance of providing employment in the long term.

To see the complete text of Expansion Management's article, click Expansion Management Article.