Marion, OH — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Ohio·Marion

Marion County · Marion · population 35,576

AffordabilityInvestors
Marion, OH
Image: Wikipedia · Marion, Ohio
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
74
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Marion stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 6.6% in the last year. averaging 7.0% annual growth over 5 years.

Median home $169,625
1-year +6.6%
5-yr CAGR +7.0%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$170k$64k$101k$139k$176k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
85/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 11.7
Buy

At a 11.7 price-to-rent ratio, buying generally beats renting in Marion on a long-enough horizon. The headline math is that one year of mortgage payments approximates 11.7 years of rent — well below the 15+ threshold where ownership starts to dominate.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
80 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
74 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
41 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
86 · w10%
Long thesis

Marion has averaged 7.0% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+6.6% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.

Short thesis

Marion's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Marion

Marion is a city in Marion County, Ohio, with an estimated population of 35,576. The median home value in Marion is $169,625 as of 2026-04, up 6.6% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.0% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Marion average $1,211 per month. The composite momentum score is 74 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Trend still working: prices up 6.6% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
●Affordable AND rising: median home $169,625 with positive recent direction — rare combination most of the country can’t offer.
●Healthy 5-year run: +7.0% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Marion (Wikipedia)

Marion is a city in Marion County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in north-central Ohio, approximately 50 miles (80 km) north of Columbus. The population was 35,999 at the 2020 census, down slightly from 36,837 at the 2010 census. It is the largest city in Marion County and the principal city of the Marion micropolitan area. It is also part of the larger Columbus–Marion–Zanesville, OH Combined Statistical Area.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Marion County right now.

NWS active alerts (OH)Ohio Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Marion County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Marion

Fremont, OH73 · RisingParma Heights, OH72 · RisingAshland, OH74 · RisingLima, OH73 · Rising

Run the numbers for Marion

ToolCan I afford Marion?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Marion rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Marion to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolMarion cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
36° / 21°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
83° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
178
~49% of year
Annual precip
39″ rain
28″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Marion listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Marion area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
72%
Humid climate
Median household income
$67,800
Ohio state median
Top industries (state-level)
ManufacturingHealthcareFinance

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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