As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, it includes the counties of Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Hocking, Licking, Madison, Morrow, Perry, Pickaway, and Union.

It includes the Micropolitan Statistical Areas of Athens, Bellefontaine, Cambridge, Chillicothe, Marion, Mount Vernon, Washington Court House, and Zanesville, due to strong ties with Columbus.

[6] The population of the CSA was 2,544,048 at the 2020 census, 26th largest in the nation and ranking second in Ohio behind the Cleveland-Akron-Canton combined statistical area.

New Albany was selected by Intel for their newest semiconductor fabrication plant, which will open in 2025 and is expected to become "the largest silicon manufacturing location on the planet.

Their operating stores include DSW, Filene's Basement, American Signature, Rooms Today and Value City.

Smaller chains Charley's Grilled Subs, City Barbeque, and Steak Escape are Columbus-based as well.

The Online Computer Library Center (owner of the Dewey Decimal System) is located across from Cardinal on the other side I-270.

Sterling Commerce (acquired by IBM in 2010) was headquartered near Dublin, adjacent to a large Qwest (now CenturyLink) facility.

[12] In 2011, a start up founded by two locals gave Central Ohio its own social networking website, Cbusr.com.

[13] Cbusr attracts more than 35,000 active monthly users ranging from entrepreneurs and creative professionals to musicians who meet online and connect offline at events.

The two Interstates combine downtown for about 1.5 mi (2.4 km) in an area locally known as "The Split", which is a major traffic congestion point within Columbus, especially during rush hour.

Due to its central location within Ohio and abundance of outbound roadways, nearly all of the state's destinations are within a 2- or 3-hour drive of Columbus.

John Glenn Columbus International provides service to Toronto, Canada and Cancun, Mexico (on a seasonal basis), as well as to most domestic destinations, including all the major hubs.

John Glenn Columbus International Airport continues to be a home to NetJets, the world's largest fractional ownership air carrier.

According to a 2005 market survey, Port Columbus International Airport attracts about 50% of its passengers from outside its 60-mile (97 km) radius primary service region.

Allegiant Air offers nonstop service from Rickenbacker to various Florida destinations and seasonally to other cities such as Jacksonville, Myrtle Beach, New Orleans, and Savannah GA. Ohio State University Don Scott Airport and Bolton Field are significant general-aviation facilities in the Columbus area.

Columbus maintains a widespread municipal bus service called the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA).

[24] Cycling as transportation is steadily increasing in Columbus with its relatively flat terrain, intact urban neighborhoods, large student population, and off-road bike paths.

Columbus also hosts urban cycling "off-shots" with messenger-style "alleycat" races as well as unorganized group rides, a monthly Critical Mass ride,[28] bicycle polo, art showings, movie nights, and a variety of bicycle-friendly businesses and events throughout the year.

Dozens of institutions of higher education can be found in the area, the largest of which is Ohio State University in Columbus.

Collections found here include thousands of antique and modern children's toys, a train display, and a miniature circus.

Throughout the summer, the Actors' Theatre offers free performances of Shakespearean plays in an open-air amphitheatre located in German Village.

Most area theaters including the Ohio, Palace, Southern, Riffe, Lincoln, Drexel, McCoy Center for the Arts, and Hinson Amphitheater are owned and operated or managed by the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts, a nonprofit formed in 1969 to save the Ohio Theatre from demolition.

Comfest (officially The Community Festival) is arguably the largest free, non-corporate urban music and arts festival in the United States featuring 6 stages of music over 3 days in downtown's Goodale Park and has occurred annually in late June since 1972.

Upper Arlington hosts its own arts festival annually on Labor Day, taking up a large portion of Northam Park.

The Columbus Clippers, which are the Cleveland Guardians Triple-A minor league baseball team, play at Huntington Park, which opened in early 2009.

Since 1976, Dublin has been the site of the PGA Tour's Memorial Tournament at the Muirfield Village golf course, designed by Jack Nicklaus.

Organized baseball and softball leagues are regularly played at Berliner Park in South Columbus, as well as at local fields throughout the area.

The Columbus area is also home to the high school rugby state championships, which features both a boys and girls competition.

The Hocking Hills region also includes parts of the Wayne National Forest, which makes for good Leaf peeping in the autumn.