Ohio's Affordability Edge Is Pulling Companies and Workers Out of High-Cost States

Ohio is emerging as a top destination for cost-driven relocations, capitalizing on a national affordability crisis that has pushed 38% of Americans to move due to rising housing costs, with 34% crossing state lines, according to a February 2026 survey. More than half of Gen Z respondents said they don't believe they'll ever afford to live in their ideal city — a sentiment that's reshaping where both workers and companies plant roots.

Ohio ranked No. 1 overall on CNBC's 2026 top states for business rankings, claiming the top spot for both cost of doing business and infrastructure, while placing 9th for cost of living. The state's tax structure is a major draw: Ohio is one of only six states with no corporate income tax, and it recently doubled its commercial activity tax exclusion threshold to $6 million, effectively exempting roughly 90% of Ohio-based businesses from that levy. For individuals, the cost of living runs 8% below the national average, with housing costs 14% lower than the U.S. norm.

The pitch is translating into landmark deals. California-based defense tech firm Anduril Industries committed to building a 5-million-square-foot drone manufacturing facility in Pickaway County — the largest job-creation project in state history — with projections of more than 4,000 jobs by 2035. Separately, global biotech giant Amgen expanded in New Albany, citing the Columbus region's infrastructure and skilled workforce. Both wins were facilitated by JobsOhio, the state's private economic development corporation.

JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef frames affordability not just as a quality-of-life metric but as a corporate strategy — arguing that when energy, tax, and construction costs are lower, the savings compound across an entire expansion plan. Ohio's logistics position reinforces the case: 60% of the U.S. and Canadian population sits within a single day's drive, giving manufacturers and distributors a structural edge. Ohio ranked 11th nationally for inbound domestic migration in 2024, a number Nauseef expects to climb as the cost gap between Ohio and coastal metros widens.