DELAWARE — Delaware County’s labor force has grown by about 13,000 people in four years, major employers are investing hundreds of millions of dollars, and unemployment remains among the lowest in Ohio.
Delaware Source recently asked Delaware County Economic Development Administrator Chad Smith what those numbers say about where the county’s economy has been — and where it’s headed.
From the sheer growth in labor force, a consistently low unemployment rate, large corporate expansions and more, Smith’s consensus was that Delaware County has consistently stayed on the right economic track.
Delaware County’s labor force has grown 11%
Smith described Delaware County’s economy and labor force as “considerably larger than they were five years ago.”
The county’s civilian labor force grew from roughly 117,000 people in 2021 to nearly 130,000 in 2025, an increase of about 11%, Smith said. Employment among county residents grew at a similar rate.
Meanwhile, unemployment remains low.
Delaware County’s unemployment rate stood at 2.9% in July, tying Madison, Shelby and Van Wert counties for the 10th-lowest rate in Ohio, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Holmes County recorded the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.3%, while Trumbull County had the highest at 5%.
Smith attributed Delaware County’s labor and economic growth partly to its population growth, along with its location within the Columbus region, highly educated workforce and quality of life.
He added that the county is also benefiting from major Central Ohio investments in advanced manufacturing, semiconductors and digital infrastructure.
“Our focus is making sure the county captures its share of that growth by supporting existing businesses, preparing sites and infrastructure, strengthening workforce partnerships and targeting industries that provide strong wages and long-term economic value,” Smith said.
More than $300 million in investment brings 440 jobs
Smith described 2026 as an “exceptionally strong year for manufacturing investment” in Delaware County.
PPG Industries announced a $280 million expansion expected to create about 100 jobs, while Wieland Onda plans a $15 million expansion that will also add about 100 jobs.
Sam Dong Ohio also announced a more than $13 million expansion expected to create 30 jobs while retaining 154 existing positions.
Vertiv also announced an investment expected to create 210 jobs in Westerville.
Together, the four projects represent more than $300 million in announced investment and approximately 440 new jobs, Smith said.
“They also demonstrate the importance of business retention and expansion — helping companies that are already invested in Delaware County choose our community again for their next investment,” he said.
The county’s low unemployment rate is a sign of economic strength, Smith said, but it also presents a challenge for the companies looking to expand.
“With PPG and Wieland Onda each planning to add approximately 100 jobs, workforce development has to extend beyond simply connecting employers with unemployed workers,” Smith said.
“It includes attracting workers, upgrading the skills of our existing workforce and creating stronger connections between employers and students entering the workforce.”
The county’s economic development department primarily serves as a coordinator in that process, connecting employers with organizations including OhioMeansJobs, Job and Family Services, the Delaware Area Career Center, Columbus State Community College and the Greater Ohio Workforce Board.
“We also recognize that the labor market is regional, so our strategy must leverage the broader Columbus region through One Columbus and JobsOhio while continuing to expand opportunities for Delaware County residents,” Smith said.
Wrangling in the tech industry
Delaware County is also preparing its workforce for continued growth in data centers, advanced manufacturing and other technology-related industries.
Smith said the county views digital infrastructure and advanced manufacturing as pieces of a larger regional economy.
“The opportunities extend well beyond jobs directly inside data centers to electricians, HVAC and cooling specialists, network technicians, skilled trades, engineers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers,” he said.
“Wieland Onda is a great local example. Its new Delaware facility will manufacture data-center cooling equipment and create 100 jobs.”
The county created the Delaware County Workforce Alliance to better connect that kind of economic growth with local education and workforce resources, Smith said.
The alliance includes school districts, higher education, the Delaware Area Career Center and small businesses to make sure that these expansions are connected with the workforce and educational opportunities/resources that are already available.
Columbus State, for example, offers programs in data center technology, semiconductors, electromechanical engineering and advanced manufacturing.
“These skills align well with the industries Delaware County is positioning itself to attract, including advanced manufacturing, technology, research and development and life sciences,” Smith said.
Rather than duplicate the work already being done by education and workforce organizations, Smith said his department aims to connect those resources with employers.
“The goal is to create a strong feedback loop: Employers tell us what skills they need, we bring the appropriate workforce and education partners to the table, and together we identify training, recruitment and funding resources that can meet those needs,” Smith said.
Those resources can include career and technical education, industry credentials, apprenticeships, work-based learning and programs to improve the skills of existing workers.
County prioritizes sites, infrastructure for future growth
Smith said the county’s economic development strategy will continue to focus on business retention and expansion, site readiness and infrastructure, workforce development and targeted business attraction and entrepreneurship.
He said site readiness is particularly important right now, pointing to the Delaware County commissioners’ recent purchase of approximately 140 acres at U.S. Route 42 and Sawmill Parkway.
“The acquisition helps protect infrastructure investments the county has made in this area over the past two decades and allows us to position the property comprehensively rather than see it develop piecemeal,” Smith said.
“The objective is intentional development that creates quality jobs, strengthens the commercial tax base and helps reduce pressure on our schools.”
The county also plans to continue working with existing employers and supporting entrepreneurship through the Delaware Entrepreneurial Center at Ohio Wesleyan University, Rev1 Ventures and other organizations.
“The common theme is smart, strategic growth that expands economic opportunity while protecting the qualities that make Delaware County attractive,” Smith said.
Smith said it is important to understand that the county is in an important economic transition period.
For years, he said, the local economy was driven largely by residential and population growth. While that growth continues, Smith believes the county now has an opportunity to use its growing population to build a stronger employment base.
Recent investments by PPG, Sam Dong and Wieland Onda demonstrate that transition, he said.
“Our goal isn’t simply more development; it is the right jobs in the right places,” Smith said. “Creating opportunities for residents to work closer to home, strengthening our communities and tax base, and positioning Delaware County to participate fully in Central Ohio’s continued economic growth.”
