Could Dayton, Cincinnati become one metro area?

STAFF PHOTO

STAFF PHOTO

When Seattle-based digital commerce company SMITH chose to move its firm to Austin Landing, the company’s owner said the location between Cincinnati and Dayton was good fit for employee recruiting.

Business leaders in Southwest Ohio said they are hearing this more often as Dayton and Cincinnati continue to grow closer to becoming one metropolitan area as more companies locate between the two cities.

The middle region between the two metro areas is the fastest growing part of Southwest Ohio. By 2040, the U.S. Census Bureau projects that Butler and Warren counties will have the biggest gains in population, while Montgomery County will lose the most residents compared to its neighbors

RELATED: A combined Cincinnati-Dayton metropolitan comes closer to reality

It’s not clear how close the Cincinnati and Dayton metro areas are to getting the long-anticipated federal designation as one combined metro area, but in the practical sense, Southwest Ohio is increasingly behaving as one blended region.

About the Author