Team NEO and the Vibrant Economy Indicators.

As JobsOhio's exclusive regional partner, Team NEO helps companies stay, grow, and choose Northeast Ohio, creating jobs and expanding opportunities across the region's 14 counties.

We work directly with businesses and site selectors, providing the data, regional context, and connections (to sites, talent, incentives, and other resources) they need to evaluate opportunities.

We also work alongside local economic development organizations and other regional partners to prepare sites, strengthen talent pipelines, and position the 14-county region as a premier business destination.

Economic intelligence drives all of it

Team NEO's research team analyzes the forces shaping the regional economy and translates that into custom market analysis, helping businesses and partners see what the data means for growth and competitiveness. The Vibrant Economy Indicators (VEI) puts that intelligence on one public platform, giving businesses, site selectors, and regional partners a place to explore the data themselves and a starting point for deeper, tailored analysis.

Whether you're evaluating Northeast Ohio for the first time, growing a business already here, or working alongside us as an economic development partner, let's talk about what's next.

VEI measures economic performance across Team NEO's 14-county Northeast Ohio region, including Cleveland, Akron, and Canton, using more than 600 indicators organized around six pillars: Talent, Equity, Innovation, Resilience, Competitiveness, and Prosperity.

Talent, Equity, Innovation, and Resilience measure the factors that drive economic growth. Competitiveness and Prosperity show how those factors translate into long-term performance and the region's ability to help people, businesses, and communities thrive.

VEI also benchmarks Northeast Ohio against 12 peer markets across three tiers:

Nearby: Cincinnati, Columbus, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh

Competitive: Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, and Houston

Aspirational: Austin, Boston, New York, and San Francisco

These comparisons provide context for individual measures and show where Northeast Ohio leads, where it is keeping pace, and where competitive gaps remain.

Why it matters

Northeast Ohio competes with markets nationwide for business, investment, and talent. Whether you're evaluating the region for the first time or working to strengthen it from within, VEI gives you a shared, credible foundation for choosing where to invest, expand, or grow.

Where the data comes from

The numbers are sourced from federal agencies, university research centers, industry associations, and proprietary regional sources, then normalized into a common framework so a metric in Northeast Ohio can be compared cleanly to the same metric in Austin or Pittsburgh. Team NEO's research team reviews and updates indicators on a regular cadence, with methodology and source notes attached to each one.

Strengths, gaps, and progress

VEI presents Northeast Ohio’s performance as the data shows it. The indicators highlight competitive strengths, identify areas where the region has room to improve, and track how conditions change over time.

No single measure tells the region's entire economic story.

Viewed together, and in comparison, with peer markets, the indicators give businesses and regional partners the context to make informed decisions and focus action where it can have the greatest impact.

Put the data to work

VEI is the beginning, not the end of the analysis. Talk with Team NEO's research team about custom analysis and a regional solution built around your investment, expansion, or site-selection needs.