Richland County, Ohio Business Directory & Community Resources

2026 Population Estimate: 124,829 | Official Website: https://www.richlandcountyoh.gov/

Richland County is a north-central Ohio county, centered on the city of Mansfield — a post-industrial city working to reinvent itself, historically known for manufacturing and currently known to many as the real-world setting for the iconic film The Shawshank Redemption (1994), which was filmed at the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, now operated as a historic attraction and one of Ohio's most popular film tourism destinations with the Ohio State Reformatory drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. The county is home to Ohio State University – Mansfield and North Central State College. Major employers include Avita Health System, Gorman-Rupp Company (pump manufacturing), and various manufacturers. The county also includes Mohican State Park to the east and the Carousel District in Mansfield — featuring the last four original carousels in the world.

▸ Key Industries & Major Employers
Manufacturing, healthcare, and retail.
Major employers include OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, OSU Mansfield campus, Amazon (large fulfillment center), Gorman-Rupp (pump manufacturing), and a broad manufacturing base including Thermo Fisher Scientific and Ohio Art.

▸ Notable Economic Development Initiatives
Richland Area Economic Development works with RGP Ohio on industrial recruitment. Amazon's fulfillment center is one of the county's largest private employers. A 2024 downtown Mansfield revitalization initiative targeted brownfield redevelopment in the former Westinghouse/Philco complex. The Richland Carrousel District drives heritage tourism.

▸ Infrastructure & Investment Highlights
I-71 provides primary north-south access. US-30 provides east-west connectivity. The Mansfield-Lahm Regional Airport supports business aviation. Norfolk Southern rail serves manufacturers. Broadband is expanding in rural areas.