COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Delaware County’s population is growing rapidly, which is leading to some big investment plans.
According to the U.S. Census, more than 5,100 people moved to the county in 2023 alone. The county added more than 17,000 residents in the past four years alone. The county’s population is now approaching 232,000, a significant increase from its 2010 population of 174,000.
“We know Delaware County continues to grow rapidly … and we’re not seeing any signs of that slowing,” Gov. Mike DeWine said.
Located just north of Columbus, Delaware County’s recent population growth can be attributed to its location and employment opportunities. Chase in the Polaris area is Delaware County’s largest employer with more than 12,000 employees. Additional employment centers are located across the county line.
“We’re located between probably the two largest private employers in central Ohio, Honda and Intel,” Delaware County Commissioner Jeff Benton said. “Prior to Intel’s announcement, the east side of the county was pretty quiet, to be honest. Our border is a mile from Intel’s headquarters, so we’re going to see Intel’s headquarters.”
Rapid population growth has forced county leaders to develop a “smart growth” plan to provide basic infrastructure, such as waste disposal services, to new areas. The county’s master plan for sewer and water services calls for $265 million in improvements over 15 years.
“It’s been a very challenging job developing a strategy to bring sewer systems to various areas that currently don’t have sewer systems,” said Tiffany Maag, Delaware County Regional Sewerage Commissioner.
Earlier this month, Governor DeWine and Ohio Department of Transportation officials announced an extensive proposal to upgrade Route 23 between Interstate 270 and Waldo City. According to the Ohio Department of Transportation, traffic volume on that stretch is 30% higher than it was originally designed to be.
ODOT hopes to reduce the number of traffic stops on that section of road from 39 to fewer than seven. ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks said cost estimates for the proposal range from $1.4 billion to $1.9 billion.
“We’re all rushing this, but this isn’t going to happen overnight. This is going to take years,” Gov. DeWine said.
County engineers are also planning $150 million in road improvements over the next five years, in tandem with efforts to improve the county’s quality of life.
“Parks and trails and things like that are really important for businesses to grow and expand, and schools are probably just as important,” Benton said, “and we think we provide all of those things to attract businesses and help them grow.”
