Newark's Steady Population Growth Leads Ohio Cities

 

Population estimates are in.

Newark is Ohio's 16th largest city and estimated to be growing, year over year, at a steady pace. In the 2020 Census, Newark was 18th.

Newark's pace leads Ohio cities. Newark's 0.67% pace is the largest percentage growth among the Top 20 in Ohio.

Newark remains Central Ohio's second largest city and has built it's spread over the third largest city, Dublin, by more than 2,000 people.

With multi-family apartments and single-family homes under construction in Newark, the population growth steady pace can be predicted to continue.

The steady growth is a positive sign for workforce development and economic development.

The source is World Population Review's 2025 report.

Talking Points for Thanksgiving Day Table

 

There’s a lot to talk about this Thanksgiving Day.  Be careful.  It’s always true but especially true this year, politics should stay out of the table talk. 

I’m in the industrial development business as a career. I subscribe to the point of view that everyone has a role in industrial development though.  Accept my humble list of things to consider as talking points for your Thanksgiving Day turkey time.

Homesick Ohioans.  The number one illness among former Ohioans is homesickness.  The antidote may very well be served at the family Thanksgiving table.  The reasons to move back to Ohio are more and more numerous.  Visiting grandma is good.  Job opportunities are the top draw to bring people back to Ohio.

Less People Moving Out.  Out migration is something demographers track.  Trends are trending in our state’s favor.  Many will be surprised to learn that Ohio is net positive for out migration in recent years.  As a state, we’re number one in improving this measure since 2015.  Ohio ranks eighth for retaining college students.  

More People Moving In.  We have seen some anecdotal trends in the last few years of more people moving into Ohio. My mind goes to new families I’ve come to know from New Jersey, California, and Missouri among those moving here in just the last year.  One report showed 87,000 job seekers moving to Ohio since 2019.

JobsOhio has tied the Ohio “Heart of it All” campaign to successful efforts to help connect opportunities for homesick Ohioans and people new to Ohio at FindYourOhio.com.

STEM Learning.  Ohio needs to fill jobs requiring STEM skills more than ever.  STEM careers span many growing industries in Ohio. It starts before kindergarten.  I’ve found that STEM learning experiences as a family are key.  Inspiration is the key to finding that STEM career path and the higher paying job it brings.  It happens in more than just our schools.

Reshoring Manufacturing. Reshoring of manufacturing is real and Ohio is high ranking in achieving investment from manufacturers.  Despite some tough economic factors this year, the list is growing.  Behr Paint opened in Licking County in April with the ability to make seven million gallons of latex paint a year.  Joby Aviation is hiring in Dayton.  Honda/LGES nears day one in Fayette County.  Ohio is a vital part of this national trend that has truly just begun.

Energy Independence.  Manufacturers need electricity.  Ohio is at the heart of our national energy independence.  80% of U.S. energy independence is owed to three states—Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.  We need to seize our strengths and emphasize that Ohio does have power.

Making Chips.  The semiconductor industry is a rollercoaster, and Ohioans have been on that rollercoaster now going on three years. Stay the course is what I say. We can’t forget that Intel is part of a ten-fold increase in investment in the chip making industry in the U.S. that is absolutely vital to our national security.

Bottom Line: The job opportunities promised, in both the high-profile projects as well as the less high-profile reshoring of manufacturing, are going to materialize over the next few years.  The end result of our collective efforts to prepare will be Ohio better seizing the opportunities that exist.  We all benefit.

It all could start at our Thanksgiving Day tables.  Happy Thanksgiving!

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This column is a regular development column for the Newark Advocate.

The March Madness of STEM Learning Hit Licking County

 

March Madness is upon us.  From my point of view, it’s already hit Licking County.  Three days of STEMfest! at The Works recently took place in downtown Newark and really brought a spotlight to how much STEM learning is part of our day to day.

STEMfest! has always been the science equivalent of a basketball tournament. Fueled by the energy of our kids learning about the value of science, technology, engineering, and math skills in a hands-on way, the 2024 edition didn’t disappoint.

Over 1,000 people went through the doors at The Works coupled with demonstrations by a dozen local manufacturers.  There were 100 teams from four counties, including students from public and private schools from most of Licking County’s school districts competing in industry challenges.

Our Licking County version of STEM learning has the greatest value because of local relevance.  There are places to learn STEM skills and there are places to work that need those STEM skills. 

Our industries crave STEM skills.  I’m glad to share just three examples on the Port Authority campus in Heath how STEM ties into their day, though it was really hard to stop at just three. 

Kaiser Aluminum’s hot rolled aluminum is a niche process that provides the strength essential to aircraft.  The metallurgical science involved is unique to Kaiser in Heath.

MISTRAS Group sees all of the metal for Space X rockets stream through their doors. Ultrasound, submersion, and x-ray techniques are the technologies behind their material testing processes.

Boeing inertial guidance systems require the precision ability to hit the equivalent accuracy of a pencil point on a football field.  Engineering aided by decimal point levels of math is what make their gyroscopes work.

STEM learning is what makes STEM careers happen.

Though inspiration for a STEM career can come from just about anywhere—that next door neighbor who tinkers in his garage to that aunt who leads a local manufacturer--it’s the school experience that counts. 

That’s why I’m impressed by Newark City Schools and their approach.  For more than a dozen years, Newark has embraced STEM in all grades.  Pre-engineering and robotics hit middle schools 10 years ago.  Advanced classes in engineering, math, computer science, and physics are now commonplace.  Newark’s STEM summer camp offerings are icing on the curriculum cake. 

Par Excellence STEM Academy is all-in on STEM too.  The school rebranded with STEM in a big way this school year.  Par has embraced engineering and project-based learning approaches that are already gathering attention.  National attention.  Later this month, Par’s elementary school students will meet one of our local company leaders to learn about brain tissue research.  Yes, brain tissue research is happening in Licking County and, now, it’s being demonstrated to fourth graders.

It’s important we keep introducing the next generation to the value of STEM learning and STEM careers.  The Works STEMfest! is a vehicle for that and has been for 15 years.

March Madness has already come to Licking County.

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This column is a regular development column for the Newark Advocate.