The OKI Regional Council of Governments was designated in 1973 as the metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the Cincinnati region, which is home to two million people, an international airport, and a major amusement park. Two projects of national and regional significance are underway, the Brent Spence Bridge and the Eastern Corridor studies.
In 2010, OKI's eight county region's population was 1,999,474. This eight county region includes four counties in Ohio: Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren; three counties in Kentucky: Boone, Campbell, and Kenton; and one county in Indiana, Dearborn County. By 2040, OKI and the state data centers expect the region to grow to 2.23 million people.
Much of the regional growth is contained in Warren, Butler, and Boone County.
The region's industry drivers include: Procter and Gamble (P&G), new General Electric (GE) technology centers, University of Cincinnati Medical Center and associated health care facilities, Fifth Third Bank, Citibank, Macy's, Great American Insurance, and Kroger Supermarkets. There are also a multitude of smaller manufacturing firms in Mason in Warren County, a city ranked 24 in the top 100 best places to live by CNN.
The OKI region alone contains about 500 lane miles of freeways, over 200 lane miles of limited access expressways, a major north-south freight corridor that moves truck and rail vehicles, the Ohio River barge corridor, and one international airport. Most congestion in the area occurs on facilities moving vehicles in and out of the downtown area.
Within the region, most large residences are located in the suburbs. Young adult populations are primarily centered in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood and Newport, KY. Elderly populations are more concentrated in areas like Clermont County and in other suburban areas. Fewer than nine percent of the households are zero-car households, and the median housing costs range from $200 to $220 thousand. Property sales taxes are considered low throughout the region.
