Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is the <a href="/facts/List_of_capitals_in_the_United_States/RMAd1LFl">capital</a> and <a href="/facts/List_of_cities_in_Ohio/d9hGxANN">most populous city</a> of the U.S. state of <a href="/facts/Ohio/YutCnTlh">Ohio</a>. With a population of 905,748 at the <a href="/facts/2020_United_States_census/dTEm5TRr">2020 census</a>, it is the <a href="/facts/List_of_United_States_cities_by_population/rcYY6hsJ">14th-most populous city</a> in the U.S., second-most populous city in the <a href="/facts/Midwestern_United_States/VanHjkw2">Midwest</a> (after <a href="/facts/Chicago/yPMokrXH">Chicago</a>), and third-most populous U.S. state capital (after <a href="/facts/Phoenix%2c_Arizona/MFvp5Upw">Phoenix, Arizona</a>, and <a href="/facts/Austin%2c_Texas/xpVP4t98">Austin, Texas</a>), while the <a href="/facts/Columbus_metropolitan_area%2c_Ohio/mNN7A98q">Columbus metropolitan area</a> with an estimated 2.23 million residents is the <a href="/facts/Ohio_statistical_areas/yuvYGcbD">largest metropolitan area</a> entirely in Ohio and <a href="/facts/Metropolitan_statistical_area/Y2yX0KJg">32nd-largest metropolitan area</a> in the U.S. Columbus is the <a href="/facts/County_seat/ItAWPoWw">county seat</a> of <a href="/facts/Franklin_County%2c_Ohio/SgG0AHyH">Franklin County</a>; it also extends into <a href="/facts/Delaware_County%2c_Ohio/Xm91XFEL">Delaware</a> and <a href="/facts/Fairfield_County%2c_Ohio/hNUgJDDs">Fairfield</a> counties.
Columbus originated as several Native American settlements along the <a href="/facts/Scioto_River/GGC2wK3M">Scioto River</a>. <a href="/facts/Franklinton_(Columbus%2c_Ohio)/LyeRr7LE">Franklinton</a>, now a city neighborhood, became the first European settlement in 1797. The city was founded in 1812 at the confluence of the Scioto and <a href="/facts/Olentangy_River/3IY6YyBV">Olentangy</a> rivers and was planned as the state capital. Named after Italian explorer <a href="/facts/Christopher_Columbus/8hLAb46S">Christopher Columbus</a>, it assumed the role of capital in 1816 and became the county seat in 1824. Despite periods of flooding and economic downturns, the city grew steadily through industrialization. Beginning in the 1950s, Columbus experienced rapid expansion, becoming Ohio's largest city by land and population by the early 1990s. Growth has continued into the 21st century, with major redevelopment in neighborhoods across the city, including <a href="/facts/Downtown_Columbus%2c_Ohio/caSp0lCr">downtown</a>.
Columbus has a diverse economy. The metropolitan area is home to the <a href="/facts/Battelle_Memorial_Institute/9AMw4Pal">Battelle Memorial Institute</a>, the world's largest private research and development foundation; <a href="/facts/Chemical_Abstracts_Service/CVLrS5IJ">Chemical Abstracts Service</a>, the world's largest clearinghouse of chemical information; and the <a href="/facts/Ohio_State_University/jfSr6u6u">Ohio State University</a>, one of the <a href="/facts/List_of_United_States_public_university_campuses_by_enrollment/1KqUHvR9">largest universities in the United States</a>. The Greater Columbus area is further home to the headquarters of <a href="/facts/Fortune_500/BLeHWymz">Fortune 500</a> companies <a href="/facts/Cardinal_Health/GQAp0DqX">Cardinal Health</a>, <a href="/facts/Nationwide_Mutual_Insurance_Company/WjTRQdyq">Nationwide</a>, <a href="/facts/American_Electric_Power/BKerkov8">American Electric Power</a>, <a href="/facts/Huntington_Bancshares/UBNEYsq2">Huntington Bancshares</a> and <a href="/facts/Vertiv/DLgCGsAG">Vertiv</a>. It hosts cultural institutions such as the <a href="/facts/Columbus_Museum_of_Art/UF3eJzsx">Columbus Museum of Art</a>, <a href="/facts/COSI/CNhVt8rU">COSI</a>, <a href="/facts/Franklin_Park_Conservatory/NcY7RjQp">Franklin Park Conservatory</a> and <a href="/facts/Ohio_Theatre_(Columbus%2c_Ohio)/avHyvUtr">Ohio Theatre</a>. The city's major league professional sports teams include the <a href="/facts/Columbus_Blue_Jackets/SedVneGp">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> (<a href="/facts/National_Hockey_League/sLo4QAS8">NHL</a>) and <a href="/facts/Columbus_Crew/2yn12oSJ">Columbus Crew</a> (<a href="/facts/Major_League_Soccer/LAwJ4VLr">MLS</a>).

Columbus, Ohio open-in-new

Columbus, Ohio