Intel’s $20 billion Ohio One semiconductor campus in New Albany is already tightening inventory and pushing median prices well above Central Ohio norms. With full production not expected until 2030–2032, this is a slow-burn, decade-long demand driver, not a short-term spike, making New Albany one of the most closely watched markets in the region.
How is Intel’s Ohio One campus changing New Albany’s housing market and lifestyle?
Intel’s planned $20 billion semiconductor campus in New Albany is reshaping the local real estate market well before a single chip rolls off the line. With full production not expected until 2030–2032, inventory is already tight, prices are running significantly higher than the broader Columbus region, and the area’s identity is shifting toward a tech-adjacent economy that many analysts expect to sustain demand for a decade or more.
Here’s what buyers, sellers, and investors need to understand about what’s actually happening on the ground, and what’s still ahead.
What Intel’s Ohio One Project Actually Means for New Albany
The scale of this project is genuinely difficult to overstate. Intel’s Ohio One campus covers roughly 1,000 acres in New Albany, with a minimum committed investment of $20 billion for at least two semiconductor fabrication plants. According to NBC4, the project is expected to create 3,000 Intel manufacturing jobs and around 7,000 construction jobs, with tens of thousands more in the supplier ecosystem over time. Intel has also projected a contribution of roughly $2.8 billion to Ohio’s annual gross state product.
That’s why local and national analysts are calling this the foundation of a “Silicon Heartland.”
But here’s the part that matters most for anyone making a real estate decision today: the timeline has shifted. As of March 2025, Manufacturing Dive reported that the first fab building is now expected to complete construction around 2030, with production between 2030 and 2031. The second fab follows around 2031–2032. This is not a project that delivers its full economic punch next year, it’s a multi-phase buildout extending into the early 2030s.
That timeline is actually important context for how you should think about the market. Intel isn’t a short-term catalyst. It’s a structural, long-run demand driver. And the housing market is already pricing that in.
The funding picture behind the project
Ohio has committed roughly $2 billion in state incentives, including an onshoring grant with a December 31, 2028 performance benchmark. Federal CHIPS Act funding added approximately $1.5 billion specifically for Ohio One, awarded in late 2024, according to Hoodline. Despite Intel’s broader company challenges in recent years, the Springfield News-Sun reported that Intel has maintained its commitment to Ohio and has not walked back its pledged 3,000 plant jobs and $405 million annual payroll target.
Intel has also committed at least $100 million over 10 years to partnerships with Ohio universities, community colleges, and the U.S. National Science Foundation to build a semiconductor talent pipeline. That means STEM program expansion, internships, and a growing professional base with engineering and tech backgrounds, changes that will reshape the area’s identity over time, not just its job count.
New Albany’s Housing Market in 2026: What the Data Shows
New Albany was already a premium market before Intel broke ground. What the data shows now is a market that has pulled further ahead of the broader Columbus region, and one where inventory remains very constrained.
Recent local market data puts New Albany’s median sale price at $600,000, with homes spending a median of 49 days on market. Compare that to the broader Columbus region: according to an August 2026 practitioner report referencing Columbus REALTORS® July 2026 data, the Columbus region’s July 2026 median sales price was $350,000, up 2.3% year-over-year. New Albany is running at roughly 70% above that regional median.
Here’s how New Albany stacks up against other Central Ohio markets in the same trailing period:
| Area | Median Sale Price | Median Days on Market |
|---|---|---|
| Marysville | $393,750 | 63 |
| Hilliard | $399,500 | 30 |
| New Albany | $600,000 | 49 |
| Gahanna | $373,500 | 26 |
| Reynoldsburg | $284,990 | 44 |
| Pataskala | $394,500 | 48 |
| Obetz | $299,999 | 34 |
| Groveport | $311,000 | 40 |
These are area-level medians, an individual home’s value depends on condition, street, build year, and timing. But the gap between New Albany and its neighbors is hard to ignore.
Inventory is the story right now
Multiple data sources point to the same reality: New Albany has very few homes available. A snapshot from Houzeo’s New Albany housing demand page for March 2026 showed only about 30 active listings, roughly 2.1 months of supply, and homes selling at approximately 100% of list price in 38 days. Zillow’s New Albany market overview from mid-2026 listed around 47 homes for sale with a median list price near $633,767.
When you have that little inventory and that much anticipated demand, from Intel’s own hires, construction workers, engineering consultancies, and supplier companies already staffing up, buyers have limited negotiating leverage on price. That’s the environment you’re walking into right now.
I walk buyers through this dynamic regularly. The question isn’t whether New Albany is expensive, it clearly is. The question is whether the long-term demand story justifies the price you’re paying today. For many buyers and investors I work with, the answer comes down to their specific timeline and what they’re trying to accomplish.
If you want to understand how this compares to other major employer-driven market shifts in Central Ohio, my post on the Honda/LG battery plant’s impact on Central Ohio real estate covers similar dynamics playing out in the western corridor.
What This Means If You’re Buying, Selling, or Investing
For buyers eyeing New Albany
The case for buying in New Albany today rests on that long-run demand story. Even with full production not arriving until 2030–2032, construction firms, engineering consultancies, and supplier companies are already relocating workers to the area. According to Hoodline’s Intel delay coverage, New Albany, nearby Gahanna, and parts of Westerville and Pataskala are already common relocation targets for this incoming workforce.
That means the demand pressure isn’t a future event, it’s already in motion. The risk for buyers is overpaying in a tight market. The risk of waiting is that inventory stays constrained and prices continue to move. Neither answer is automatic, and your specific situation, budget, timeline, how long you plan to hold, determines which risk matters more to you.
For a broader look at how I help buyers navigate Central Ohio’s competitive submarkets, see my overview of understanding the Columbus real estate market.
For sellers in New Albany
If you own in New Albany, the combination of limited inventory and sustained demand gives you real pricing power, but that doesn’t mean every home sells itself. Condition, positioning, and timing still matter. The Intel story gives the market a structural floor that most Columbus suburbs don’t have, but homes that are priced aggressively without justification still sit. I’ve seen that play out even in tight markets.
Your specific number depends on your home’s condition, location within New Albany, and current inventory levels at the time you list. A local market analysis will give you a much clearer picture than any general estimate.
For investors
Real estate has historically been one of the most reliable ways to build long-term wealth, and Intel’s Ohio One project is exactly the kind of structural economic shift that tends to underpin multi-decade appreciation cycles. The slow buildout timeline, extending into the early 2030s, actually works in an investor’s favor: it means sustained demand rather than a boom-and-bust cycle tied to a single hiring event.
The adjacent markets are worth watching too. Pataskala, Gahanna, and parts of Westerville offer lower entry points for investors who want exposure to the Intel demand story without paying New Albany’s $600,000 median. My post on smart real estate investment opportunities in Central Ohio covers how I think about positioning across the region.
Every situation is different, and the only way to know which approach fits your goals is to run the numbers with someone who knows this market. That’s exactly the kind of conversation I have with investors before they make any move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Intel really still coming to New Albany, and when will the chip plants actually open?
Yes, Intel has maintained its commitment to the Ohio One campus despite broader company challenges and timeline adjustments. As of early 2026, the most recent public communications indicate the first fab building is expected to complete construction around 2030, with production beginning between 2030 and 2031. The second fab follows around 2031–2032. Federal CHIPS Act funding of approximately $1.5 billion for Ohio One was awarded in late 2024, which reinforces the project’s staying power.
How is the Intel project affecting home prices in New Albany compared to the rest of Columbus?
New Albany’s median sale price is currently around $600,000 based on recent local market data, compared to a Columbus-region July 2026 median of $350,000, a gap of roughly 70%. Multiple data sources, including portal snapshots and local practitioner reports, confirm that New Albany is running well above the regional norm, with very limited inventory and homes selling close to list price. The Intel demand story is one factor, but New Albany was already a premium market before the announcement.
How tight is inventory in New Albany in 2026, and are homes still selling at or near asking price?
Inventory remains very constrained. A March 2026 snapshot showed roughly 30 active listings, about 2.1 months of supply, and homes selling at approximately 100% of list price in 38 days. Mid-2026 portal data showed around 47 homes for sale. That’s a thin market where buyers have limited options and relatively little leverage on price, conditions that Intel-related demand is expected to sustain.
If I buy in New Albany now, what kind of long-term demand could Intel and its suppliers create?
Intel’s Ohio One buildout is a multi-phase project extending into the early 2030s, which local analysts view as a structural, long-run demand driver rather than a short-term spike. Beyond Intel’s own 3,000 manufacturing jobs, the supplier ecosystem, construction employment, and Intel’s $100 million commitment to Ohio university and community college partnerships are expected to bring a sustained wave of engineering and tech-adjacent professionals to the area over the next decade. That’s a longer demand runway than most single-employer announcements create.
Will New Albany stay a luxury market once Intel starts hiring, or will more affordable options emerge nearby?
New Albany’s existing price floor and limited land availability make a dramatic shift toward affordability unlikely within the community itself. What’s more probable is that adjacent markets, Pataskala, Gahanna, and parts of Westerville, absorb some of the demand from buyers who want proximity to the Intel campus without the New Albany price tag. Those markets are worth evaluating carefully if your budget doesn’t stretch to New Albany’s $600,000 median. The right answer depends on your priorities, and that’s a conversation worth having before you start touring homes.
New Albany’s Intel story is real, it’s long-term, and it’s already moving the market. Whether you’re buying, selling, or positioning an investment, the details of your situation determine your best move, and that’s where local expertise makes the difference.
I’ve spent nearly 30 years helping buyers, sellers, and investors navigate Central Ohio’s submarkets, and New Albany is one of the most dynamic I’ve seen. If you want to understand what the numbers mean for your specific situation, reach out for a free home valuation or consultation, no pressure, just honest guidance on what this market means for you.
Equal Housing Opportunity. Aftab Syed is licensed in Ohio as an Associate Broker (RE/MAX Connection), regulated by the Ohio Division of Real Estate & Professional Licensing. This article is general market information only, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm your own numbers with your title company, tax advisor, or lender.
