The top rising cities for startups in Ohio
Top places in OhioAugust 15, 2019
Ohio is one of the cheapest places to live in the United States. It is actually ranking at a remarkable 9th place on the 2016 CNBC annual listing. Everything is affordable in the state of Ohio, whether we’re talking about housing, healthcare or groceries. In fact, Cleveland was recently proclaimed as one of the 10 best places to live with less than $40,000 a year. The same statistics also included Columbus (ranked 57th) and Cleveland (84), with Toledo (71), Dayton (75) and Youngstown (87) as top rising cities for startups in Ohio. Columbus moving companies also recommend The Heart Of It All, as our state is also known because it’s the seventh-largest state economy. An astounding 23 of the Fortune 500 companies have found home here. But enough statistics for now. Let’s have a look at the top rising cities for startups in Ohio:

1. Top rising cities for startups in Ohio: Columbus
- Major VC Deals: Sollis Therapeutics, Root Insurance, 2Checkout
- Cost of Doing Business: 2% below the national average
Cheaper business costs are a major advantage for many of these emerging top rising cities for startups in Ohio. This is possible because business costs for labor, rent, taxes, and energy are 12% below the U.S. average. SafeChain’s CEO says he finds senior engineering talent for his Columbus company at half the price it would cost in San Francisco or New York. The number of funds per citizen in Columbus is among the highest of any city in the US. It is perfect for starting a business because the labor is cheaper, commercial movers Columbus Ohio will move you swiftly at affordable rates, cost of living is low and more and more entrepreneurs are turning from the Silicon Valley and venturing out to find more affordable markets.
2. Dublin
Central Ohio has always been popular as one of the best places to live in the US. Ranking high at sixth place on the Niche list of the top rising cities for startups in Ohio, a suburb in Columbus is growing strong with a little over 43,000 residents. It has a strong economy and the residents benefit from it – taking home on average $114,183 per household. It is in a very close range to downtown Columbus, with a commute time of just 22 minutes. Golf is also really popular in Dublin, and the Muirfield Village Golf Club and Hayden Falls are famous places.
3. Bexley
Bexley is another great place on our top rising cities for startups in Ohio. The amazing suburb of only 13,500 people is a true reflection of why Columbus, the state’s capital, has quickly become the new best place to live in The Heart Of It All. Just like with Dublin, citizens of Bexley enjoy one of the shortest commute times, at only 17 minutes. Bexley homes average is at $284,600.
4. West Chester
The 2017 Money Magazine list of 100 Best Places to Live in America placed West Chester at a high 56th place. As with other towns in the battleground state, West Chester is one of the top rising cities for startups in Ohio, because of its proximity to Columbus, attractive costs of living, labor, and housing. This suburb located in Butler County, Cincinnati has been awarded this ranking the sixth time in 12 years! A strong local economy has experienced a shift from farming to a busy business community. So now is the right time to move to this wonderful town! It has a great education system with a strong high school graduation rate of 91.9%. It has witnessed a high median household income of $81,767. Statistics are projecting its job growth to be at 6.2 percent. Median home value is $203,200.

5. Top rising cities for startups in Ohio: Upper Arlington
The suburb of Upper Arlington in Columbus is widely regarded as one of the top rising cities for startups in Ohio. The crime rate is low, just like the unemployment rate, which is great news for entrepreneurs. Average household income is surprisingly high for such a small community, at $98,618. That is almost the double of the national average. Despite it has a population of 34,500 people, Upper Arlington is still a close-knit community. How is that possible you may ask? The community has deliberately made a conscious decision to remain small. And you best believe it they had multiple opportunities to grow over the years. So if you decide to choose to start a business here, maybe it’s best to keep your company on the smaller side.

6. Hudson
Hudson is a suburb in Summit County, Cleveland with a population of 22,400. Don’t let the size of this small community fool you for a second. They place a lot of emphasis on education and quality living. Hudson’s school system has a perfect score of 10 on GreatSchools, with more than two-thirds of its citizens older than 25 boasting at least a bachelor’s degree! If that’s not impressive, we don’t know what is. There’s your educated workforce in a very charming yet affordable area. Even more so, the Hudson experiences almost non-existent crime. Downtown Hudson has plenty of small shops and restaurants that form the local economy. This contributes to the fact that its households can bring in more than double the national average – $124,529 per year. Now note that houses in this area sell for $295,000 on average.
7. Last on our top rising cities for startups in Ohio is Mason!
Last up on our list of top rising cities for startups in Ohio is Mason, a suburb with 31,700 people in Warren County, Cincinnati. Mason’s charm is a well-known secret that has not been skipped by many Best Places to Live lists. What’s to love? Start with some of the most attractive tax rates. The sales tax is at 6.5 percent. And income tax is at an astonishing 1.12 percent. Mason’s families bring into their households $86,994 on average. The city’s school system scores a perfect 10 on GreatSchools, just like Hudson. It also has a strong and diversified economy.

Final thoughts
It’s easy to see why Ohio, as a state, is known to have the biggest bang for your buck. So, entrepreneurs, what are you waiting for? Explore the top rising cities for startups in the Ohio market and you are sure to score a great opportunity for growing or relocating your business. Good luck!