COLUMBUS, Ohio — During the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission’s recent 2025 State of the Region, the preliminary results of the "Listen Survey Series" were released, in which residents were asked to offer their “opinions on experiences and services in the region.”

What You Need To Know

  • The results from the Listen Survey Series have been released

  • Central Ohio residents shared their economic concerns

  • They heard from more than 2,100 residents

  • They expressed concerns on housing, job opportunities and childcare

“The Leaders Listen Series is a set of short surveys produced by MORPC that periodically invites residents within the Central Ohio region to share their input,” An MORPC release reads. “The most current survey topic in the series is economic development, gathering insights from residents across the 15-county region.”

The survey had responses from more than 2,100 residents.

A major concern for residents, according to the survey, is housing affordability, with 73% feeling the prices are too high and 31% noting a lack of housing options.

Only 19% of people surveyed had optimistic views regarding the cost of living, and just 32% felt optimistic about the housing market’s future.

“More than half of residents (51%) believe increasing affordable housing supply is the most impactful economic development strategy—ranking higher than business attraction or small business support,” the release reads.

Residents surveyed also expressed concern about job opportunities. A little more than a third (36%) of people said there’s a lack of high-paying jobs. Just more than a quarter (26%) said there was a job shortage.

“However, 54% of residents feel optimistic about the region’s job outlook, likely fueled by recent large-scale employer announcements,” the release reads.

Child care affordability made it into the top three economic concerns for 27% of the people surveyed, according to the release.

While a significant majority of people wanted to improve area infrastructure, just 42% were willing to pay more in taxes to cover the cost, “signaling a preference for cost-effective or alternative funding solutions.”

“The survey results reinforce the critical role that housing, jobs and infrastructure investments play in shaping Central Ohio’s future,” the release reads. “Insights from Leaders Listen will guide regional planning efforts to ensure growth is equitable and sustainable.”