April 7, 2026 

Ohio Mayors Alliance Calls for Core Cities Strategy

New U.S. Census Bureau data showing slowed national population growth underscores a troubling reality for Ohio: without sustained growth in the Columbus metro area, Ohio’s population would have flatlined over the past year.

The numbers tell a longer story. Ohio's congressional delegation has shrunk from 24 seats in the 1960s to just 15 today, a loss of seats every decade that reflects not only diminished national political clout, but a steady erosion of long-term economic power.

The Ohio Mayors Alliance has released a new report outlining both the challenge and a path forward:

• By 2050, 74 of Ohio's 88 counties are projected to lose population
• Ohio's six largest metro areas generate over 80% of the state's $885 billion GDP
• Metro regions account for 76% of Ohio jobs and roughly 90% of state GDP
• Ohio is the only Midwestern state with three metro regions exceeding 2 million residents and three additional mid-sized metros exceeding 600,000

Unlike most states which depend on a single large metro to drive statewide growth, Ohio's balanced distribution of cities across its geography represents a distinctive competitive advantage. Rural counties proximate to urban centers consistently show higher GDP output and greater economic opportunity, underscoring the interdependency of city and countryside.

The report calls for a coordinated Core Cities Strategy that targets growth in communities built to absorb it by revitalizing legacy downtowns, leveraging existing infrastructure, and constraining sprawl into productive agricultural land.

Data Centers Not Driving Up Electricity Prices, New Research Finds

A new analysis from the Institute for Energy Research challenges a growing narrative that data centers are driving up electricity costs. A closer look at the data suggests that the relationship is far more nuanced.

Researchers analyzed U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data on electricity prices and sales across all 50 states, comparing those figures with state-level data center concentrations. The findings show no statistically significant correlation between the number of data centers in a state and either current electricity prices or long-term price trends.

In fact, the top 10 data center states, which include VA, TX, CA, IL and OH, report average electricity prices of 14.46¢/kWh, nearly identical to the 14.39¢/kWh average in all other states.

The analysis points to a more important takeaway: electricity prices are shaped primarily by system costs, fuel prices, and regulatory policy – not simply by demand from large users.

Electric grids are capital-intensive systems with significant fixed costs tied to generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure. These costs must be recovered regardless of how much electricity is used.

In states where electricity demand has stagnated or declined, those fixed costs are spread across fewer kilowatt hours, which puts upward pressure on rates. Conversely, in regions experiencing growth, expanding demand can help distribute costs across a larger base of customers—potentially moderating rate increases when paired with needed infrastructure investment and planning.

Fuel costs, along with state policy decisions around generation mix, environmental compliance, and grid modernization also play a significant role in determining electricity prices. These factors often have a more direct and measurable impact than the presence of individual large-load customers.

Ohio, which ranks among the top data center states nationally, sits at the center of this discussion as policymakers consider how to meet increasing electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and broader economic growth.

The question facing Ohio is not simply whether demand is increasing, but how that demand is integrated into the system—including the pace of new generation development, transmission upgrades, and coordination with utilities and grid operators.

Ohio Housing Finance Agency Finalizes OLIHTC Guidelines

ODOT's TRAC Approves $123.1 Million for Major Transportation Projects

Access our curated list of federal grants, including the USDOT Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant (up to $25 million) and the DHS Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Grant (up to $150 million).