Columbus, Ohio

Columbus ( kə-LUM-bəs) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a population of 905,748 at the 2020 census, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., second-most populous city in the Midwest (after Chicago), and third-most populous U.S. state capital (after Phoenix, Arizona, and Austin, Texas). The Columbus metropolitan area, with an estimated 2.23 million residents, is the largest metropolitan area entirely in Ohio and 32nd-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. Columbus is the county seat of Franklin County; it also extends into Delaware and Fairfield counties. Columbus originated as several Native American settlements along the Scioto River. The first European settlement was Franklinton, now a city neighborhood, in 1797. Columbus was founded in 1812 at the confluence of the Scioto and Olentangy rivers. It was planned as the state capital due to its central location and officially became the capital in 1816. The city grew steadily through the 19th century as a transportation and industrial hub via the National Road, Ohio and Erie Canal, and several railroads. Starting in the 1950s, Columbus experienced rapid suburban growth, becoming Ohio's largest city by area and population by the early 1990s. Columbus diversified economically in the late 20th century as a center for finance, insurance, education, and technology. In the 2020s, the city had become a major center for high technology, innovation, and advanced manufacturing, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence, robotics, and semiconductor device fabrication. Named in honor of the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, the city is known for its Italian-American influence. It hosts two major universities: The Ohio State University, the flagship of the University System of Ohio; and Pontifical College Josephinum, the only pontifical seminary in North America, reflective of the city's status as a center for the Roman Catholic...