Ocala is a proven manufacturing and distribution market, home to local, regional and Fortune 500 companies. The Ocala Metro is home to approximately 200 manufacturers with more than 9,000 employees and was ranked in the top 20 of all Metros for Manufacturing Output Growth and the top 20 of all Metros for Manufacturing Employment Growth.
Among products Made in Marion are fire apparatus, prepared foods, missile control systems, storage products, and medical devices. Two recent announcements include Artemis Plastics opening a 2nd medical device manufacturing facility and Cardinal LG recently opening a 2nd facility and beginning work on an additional 30,000 SF R&D facility.
Of the six major trucking arteries in the State of Florida – I-75, Florida Turnpike, US 301, US 27, I-95 & I-4 – four run through Ocala. This results in 70% of all truck traffic in Florida traveling in Ocala. Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville can be reached in under two hours. This connectivity has attracted national tenants and enabled the new FedEx Ground Hub to eventually be the largest in the FedEx system, processing 70,000 packages/hour.
Ocala is one of the fastest-growing metros and is #1 among the top 200 largest metros in 12-month job growth (Milken Institute, January 2021). The distribution and manufacturing base, complemented by population growth that is outpacing much of the nation, is drawing more companies and employees to the market.
OCALA IS RANKED AMONG THE TOP METROS IN THE US
- Top 20 of all Metros for Manufacturing Output Growth
- Top 20 of all Metros for Manufacturing Employment Growth
- 10th Fastest Growing (rate)
- 48th Fastest Growing (quantity)
- US News & World Report 2022 Best Places Lists
- #4 Safest Places to Live
- #6 Fastest Growing Metro
- #6 Best Places to Retire
- #16 Small Metros/#58 Overall
