Economic growth continues for Brunswick, Medina County

BRUNSWICK — The city is positioned for continued growth and advancement in 2026, according to local economic officials. Brunswick Economic Development Director Grant Aungst and Medina County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Bethany Dentler gave an economic update on Brunswick's and Medina County's economy during a Northern Medina County Chamber Alliance luncheon on Wednesday. Brunswick's economy is doing well, is stable and is growing, Aungst said. Consumerism comprises about 76 percent of the entire economy in the United States, and consumers spending money help keep the economy afloat. "We're still doing pretty well, and why is that?" he said. "In Brunswick, we believe in small government and big ideas, and we really try to carry that through. We don't have a lot of waste; we really work hard; we work well with each other and we work well with others. That connection and interaction really pays dividends." The city reached a construction value of just over $168 million in 2025, and $99 million of that total comes from the construction of the new Brunswick High School, Aungst said. The figure does not include new machinery, additional hires and new startups that have come to the city. "The foundation built upon collaboration, innovation and community engagement will remain central to future development initiatives," he said. "Through sustained partnerships and focused connection, Brunswick will continue to confidently move forward for long-term economic growth and well-being of our community." The Medina County Economic Development Corporation tracked 316 company expansions or investment projects in all of Medina County in 2025, which is a 14 percent increase compared to the year prior, Dentler said. Medina County had $337 million in new capital investments last year, which is 35 percent higher than the previous year. "I think there had been a lot of uncertainty about the economy and what interest rates are going to do," she said. "Having some certainty, I think, has helped them unleash more capital investment. This continues to be an upward trend that we've seen since 2020 when the county only had $154 million in capital investments." In 2026, the county has already seen $17.5 million in capital investments by 28 companies that the Medina County Economic Development Corporation is tracking, Dentler said. "It's a decent start to the year," she said. "I know that there will be a lot of new investments that we'll be able to announce in the next few months." Unemployment rates continue to stay very low in Medina County, Dentler said. In December 2025, Medina County had a 2.9 percent unemployment rate, which was the third lowest of all Ohio counties. It is also below the 4.5 percent unemployment rate in the state and the 4.4 percent unemployment rate in the country. "You might say that's a great sign of a healthy economy, and while it is, it's also a sign that companies can't necessarily find the workers that they need," she said. Medina County has 97,500 people in the labor force, which is 600 fewer people than this time last year, Dentler said. Latest reports show that the county has 2,900 people seeking work. "I guess it's good news for businesses looking for employees, but it is actually very well short of the number of workers we actually need," she said. The Medina County Economic Development Corporation has an objective to build a stronger workforce pipeline to help address the labor shortage, Dentler said. "It means retaining the talent that our schools are graduating as well as partnering with workforce development organizations to bring people off the sidelines into the workforce," she said. "Talent availability is critical because it ultimately determines whether our existing business base here in the county can grow here and whether new companies will invest here." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.