Say hello to new neighbors; here’s how local counties are preparing for population growth in Ohio

OHIO — The Department of Development officials are projecting that the state of Ohio is in the beginning stages of a long-term population decline, according to a new report.

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The department predicts that 675,000 will leave the state by 2050, which is around a six percent drop.

Some counties, however, are projected to grow. Miami and Greene counties’ populations are expected to increase over the next 20 years, News Center 7′s Mason Fletcher reported on News Center 7 at 5:30.

“That’s surprising,” Greene County resident Vickie Richardson said.

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Richardson has lived in Greene County for over 10 years, and says the county could benefit from some improvements before welcoming new people.

“I think they just need to bring stuff here to Xenia to help the people here,” Richardson said.

The county agrees with Richardson.

“Greene County is in a unique position because of the amount of developable land. We have the ability to continue to grow long-term,” a spokesperson for the Greene County Department of Development said in a statement to News Center 7.

Miami County is expecting the same trend, projecting seven percent growth by 2050. Their Department of Development is already preparing, planning to add three subdivisions within the next five years.

“To prepare for the future we, like most counties in Ohio and across the United States, are looking at some workforce needs,” a spokesperson for the Miami County Department of Development said in a statement to News Center 7. “These include affordable housing, childcare, transportation, and a stable and prepared workforce. We have committees working on these issues to be sure our county is ready for the future.”

Miami County says they are planning on rolling out new growth strategies in the next few months.

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