MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—Marion has been named one of Ohio Magazine’s five Best Hometowns for 2026, recognizing the city as one of the state’s premier places to live, work, and visit.
Marion joins Loveland, Marietta, Massillon, and Tiffin in receiving this year’s honor. All five communities will be featured online and in Ohio Magazine’s annual Best Hometowns issues for November/December 2026 and July/August 2027.
To determine the 2026 honorees, Ohio Magazine solicited statewide nominations in the spring and conducted site visits throughout the summer. Editors evaluated finalists across six categories: Community Spirit, Education, Entertainment, Health and Safety, Business Environment, and Culture and Heritage.
Ohio Magazine selected Marion in part for its downtown redevelopment successes and its deep historical roots, notably as the home, presidential library and museum, and final resting place of President Warren G. Harding.
“Building on Marion’s 2025 Strongest Town designation, having Ohio Magazine recognize Marion as a great place to live, work, and visit highlights what I know to be true as the mayor of this great city,” Marion Mayor Bill Collins said. “Being named Best Hometown gives us an opportunity to focus, once again, on the positive aspects of our community.”
Local downtown developer Luke Henry, owner of Henry Development Group, noted that the honor reflects years of dedicated collaboration across the community.
“It takes many quiet years of people working together, working hard, working toward a vision of a better community, before the outside world notices,” Henry said. “The outside world is noticing Marion, Ohio, and now we have one more reason to be proud of our hometown.”
Bev Ford of the Marion Area Convention and Visitors Bureau emphasized that the recognition offers a powerful platform to attract state and regional travelers.
“Having this Best Hometown designation from Ohio Magazine underscores that Marion is a destination worth discovering,” Ford said.
The recognition adds to a growing list of accolades for Marion, highlighting its ongoing revitalization, historic downtown, cultural attractions, and thriving local business community.