Ohio was the first state carved out of the Northwest Territory and was admitted to the union in 1803 as the 17th state. Ohio’s named for the Ohio River which flows along its south eastern border with Pennsylvania and West Virginia and its southern border with Kentucky. The word Ohio comes from the Iroquoian language and means ‘great water.’ 

According to the website, Ohio History Central, “By the time the first European explorers arrived in North America in the late 1400s, the original indigenous people had inhabited what is today the State of Ohio for over 14,000 years.” American Indian tribes and nations built and sustained rich and productive societies for centuries prior to European settlements across the beautiful and fertile land of Ohio.

Columbus is the capital of Ohio and its largest city. Located in the center of Ohio, Columbus, is the home to many large employers including Ohio State University, Nationwide, Cardinal Health, JP Morgan Chase and Huntington Bancshares. Additionally, Intel is planning to invest $20 billion to build a computer chip factory in nearby New Albany and will join other technology giants like Google, AWS, and Meta that all have data centers in the area as well. Many are starting to refer to this area as the Silicone Heartland. The future looks bright in Franklin County. 

Cleveland, located on the southern shores of Lake Erie (the north coast to locals) is Ohio’s second largest city. Cleveland and its metropolitan area is home to several corporations, professional services firms, and world-renowned healthcare institutions including Eaton Corporation, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Sherwin Williams, Parker Hannifin, the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals of Cleveland, and Jones Day. Once home to titan’s of industry like John D.Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil and the namesake of Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, Cleveland is diversifying its economy and has experienced growth with technology start-ups and tourism.

Cincinnati,or the Queen City, is located in the southwestern corner of Ohio. The greater metropolitan area is home to several top notch colleges and universities including the University of Cincinnati, Miami University, and Xavier University, which adds to the young vibe of the area. Like residents of Cleveland and Columbus, Cincinnati residents love their college and professional sports teams. Opening day for the Cincinnati Reds is an all-day celebration

Ohio is the seventh largest state in the United States, with a population of 11,799,448 people (U.S Census Bureau, 2020). A majority of Ohioans live in or near one of the three largest metropolitan areas: Franklin County, located in central Ohio; Cuyahoga County, located in Northeast Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie; or Hamilton County located in Southwest Ohio along the banks of the Ohio River. Overall, about 70 percent of Ohio’s population is considered urban, while 30 percent of its population is considered rural.

Ohio is one of the most affordable states to live in the U.S. The median home cost is $179,700 versus the national median home cost of $291,700.

Generally speaking, the entire state of Ohio experiences the same climate. Residents enjoy the four seasons and adapt their outdoor activities accordingly. During spring and winter you will see some disparities in temperature across the state because of Lake Erie’s water temperatures. Most residents agree that fall and summer are the best seasons in Ohio.

The southern third of the state will have a more temperate climate in winter and spring. But spring can also produce some undesirable storms throughout the state

Ohio is home to 137 colleges and universities. Here’s a selection of the some to the top institutions:

Ohio State University

Ohio University

Oberlin

Kenyon

Miami University

Case Western Reserve University

Ohio has several excellent public school districts throughout the state. According to Niche, here are the top five high schools in Ohio:

Walnut Hills High School

Ottawa Hills High School

Wyoming High School

Bexley High School

Solon High School

Comfortable way of life.

1. Strong economy that is diversifying with skilled jobs.

2. Variety of real estate available for first time buyers and those buying “second homes.”

3. Public schools and private schools are nationally ranked

4. World-class healthcare

5. Ohio’s the heart of it all with 60 percent of all U.S. households within 600 miles of Ohio, and more than 50 percent of the Canadian market is within the same range (USDA.gov)