You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Ohio. Best sururbs in Ohio. Best counties in Ohio.
Etc., etc., etc.
But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Buckeye State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.
Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Ohio based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.
We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Ohio ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 15 Best Small Towns To Live In Ohio For 2024
- Mariemont
- Marble Cliff
- Sherwood
- St. Henry
- Ottawa Hills
- Minster
- Sixteen Mile Stand
- Fort Loramie
- Terrace Park
- New Bremen
- Coldwater
- Chagrin Falls
- Huber Ridge
- Amberley
- Fruit Hill
What’s the best small town in Ohio? Mariemont is the best small town in Ohio based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Mariemont, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.
But for the rest of you–keep reading, and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.
For more reading on the Buckeye State check out:
The 15 Best Small Towns In Ohio For 2024
1. Mariemont
/10
Population: 3,493
Median Income: $135,326 (16th Best)
Median Home Value: $596,790 (9th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.6%
2. Marble Cliff
Population: 1,009
Median Income: $124,318 (23rd Best)
Median Home Value: $749,425 (2nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.8%
3. Sherwood
/10
Population: 3,408
Median Income: $140,788 (13th Best)
Median Home Value: $317,206 (57th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.1%
4. St. Henry
/10
Population: 2,675
Median Income: $109,167 (35th Best)
Median Home Value: $342,811 (42nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.3%
5. Ottawa Hills
/10
Population: 4,782
Median Income: $171,250 (7th Best)
Median Home Value: $366,322 (35th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.3%
6. Minster
/10
Population: 3,042
Median Income: $103,939 (41st Best)
Median Home Value: $277,369 (82nd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.8%
7. Sixteen Mile Stand
/10
Population: 3,677
Median Income: $117,377 (28th Best)
Median Home Value: $688,696 (4th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.1%
8. Fort Loramie
/10
Population: 1,494
Median Income: $82,917 (90th Best)
Median Home Value: $289,501 (75th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.2%
9. Terrace Park
/10
Population: 2,150
Median Income: $198,000 (4th Best)
Median Home Value: $655,380 (6th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.2%
10. New Bremen
/10
Population: 2,846
Median Income: $85,238 (79th Best)
Median Home Value: $256,383 (103rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.0%
11. Coldwater
/10
Population: 4,511
Median Income: $76,384 (111th Best)
Median Home Value: $251,122 (113th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.0%
12. Chagrin Falls
/10
Population: 4,116
Median Income: $99,821 (49th Best)
Median Home Value: $442,782 (21st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%
13. Huber Ridge
/10
Population: 4,302
Median Income: $92,188 (62nd Best)
Median Home Value: $264,044 (91st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.0%
14. Amberley
/10
Population: 3,824
Median Income: $144,702 (12th Best)
Median Home Value: $510,047 (11th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.0%
15. Fruit Hill
/10
Population: 4,157
Median Income: $98,361 (50th Best)
Median Home Value: $272,145 (84th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.7%
Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Ohio
We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Ohio possible.
Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Lowest Unemployment Rates
- Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
- Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
- Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
- Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
- Commute Times (Lower is better)
We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 377 to be exact.
We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 377, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Ohio. Top of that list — Mariemont.
This is our tenth time ranking the best small places to live in Ohio.
Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones
We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these 15 small towns in Ohio are the best in which to live.
And who can argue with that?
The best small towns in Ohio are Mariemont, Marble Cliff, Sherwood, St. Henry, Ottawa Hills, Minster, Sixteen Mile Stand, Fort Loramie, Terrace Park, and New Bremen.
If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in Ohio:
- Jeffersonville
- Drexel
- Manchester
For more Ohio reading, check out:
Best Small Towns In Ohio
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Value | Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mariemont, OH | 3,493 | $135,326 | 1.6% | |
| 2 | Marble Cliff, OH | 1,009 | $124,318 | 1.8% | |
| 3 | Sherwood, OH | 3,408 | $140,788 | 5.1% | |
| 4 | St. Henry, OH | 2,675 | $109,167 | 0.3% | |
| 5 | Ottawa Hills, OH | 4,782 | $171,250 | 5.3% | |
| 6 | Minster, OH | 3,042 | $103,939 | 0.8% | |
| 7 | Sixteen Mile Stand, OH | 3,677 | $117,377 | 2.1% | |
| 8 | Fort Loramie, OH | 1,494 | $82,917 | 1.2% | |
| 9 | Terrace Park, OH | 2,150 | $198,000 | 1.2% | |
| 10 | New Bremen, OH | 2,846 | $85,238 | 1.0% | |
| 11 | Coldwater, OH | 4,511 | $76,384 | 1.0% | |
| 12 | Chagrin Falls, OH | 4,116 | $99,821 | 3.6% | |
| 13 | Huber Ridge, OH | 4,302 | $92,188 | 2.0% | |
| 14 | Amberley, OH | 3,824 | $144,702 | 5.0% | |
| 15 | Fruit Hill, OH | 4,157 | $98,361 | 2.7% | |
| 16 | Wetherington, OH | 1,237 | $188,368 | 0.0% | |
| 17 | Loveland Park, OH | 1,824 | $119,547 | 0.0% | |
| 18 | Miami Heights, OH | 4,585 | $118,258 | 2.1% | |
| 19 | Gambier, OH | 2,000 | $90,625 | 3.7% | |
| 20 | Kings Mills, OH | 1,159 | $125,655 | 1.6% | |
| 21 | Dillonvale, OH | 3,316 | $82,619 | 2.2% | |
| 22 | Hunter, OH | 4,304 | $106,346 | 0.0% | |
| 23 | Minerva Park, OH | 1,894 | $120,640 | 2.5% | |
| 24 | Greentown, OH | 3,541 | $116,736 | 4.3% | |
| 25 | Arlington, OH | 1,613 | $84,234 | 1.3% | |
| 26 | New Baltimore, OH | 1,457 | $130,625 | 0.0% | |
| 27 | New California, OH | 1,909 | $167,946 | 1.6% | |
| 28 | Doyle, OH | 3,049 | $70,000 | 3.0% | |
| 29 | Brooklyn Heights, OH | 1,500 | $96,458 | 1.4% | |
| 30 | Granville South, OH | 1,168 | $127,083 | 0.0% | |
| 31 | Silver Lake, OH | 2,621 | $131,012 | 3.3% | |
| 32 | Cherry Grove, OH | 4,170 | $104,063 | 1.6% | |
| 33 | Versailles, OH | 2,945 | $69,327 | 1.5% | |
| 34 | South Russell, OH | 3,966 | $175,343 | 2.7% | |
| 35 | Plain City, OH | 3,644 | $86,512 | 1.2% | |
| 36 | Gates Mills, OH | 2,158 | $214,219 | 4.6% | |
| 37 | Fort Recovery, OH | 1,955 | $64,013 | 2.6% | |
| 38 | Bratenahl, OH | 1,422 | $162,625 | 1.4% | |
| 39 | Yellow Springs, OH | 3,739 | $77,750 | 4.3% | |
| 40 | Kalida, OH | 1,575 | $97,171 | 1.6% | |
| 41 | Pleasant Run Farm, OH | 4,016 | $82,303 | 0.7% | |
| 42 | Evendale, OH | 2,663 | $158,618 | 2.2% | |
| 43 | Taylor Creek, OH | 3,986 | $92,174 | 1.5% | |
| 44 | Beechwood Trails, OH | 2,905 | $114,375 | 1.1% | |
| 45 | Four Bridges, OH | 3,511 | $137,143 | 3.8% | |
| 46 | Moreland Hills, OH | 3,440 | $199,279 | 5.4% | |
| 47 | Sheffield, OH | 4,225 | $101,173 | 2.4% | |
| 48 | Fairfax, OH | 1,661 | $70,750 | 3.9% | |
| 49 | Choctaw Lake, OH | 2,180 | $116,250 | 0.7% | |
| 50 | Mogadore, OH | 3,838 | $80,099 | 2.7% | |
| 51 | Commercial Point, OH | 3,033 | $102,689 | 0.8% | |
| 52 | Bluffton, OH | 3,540 | $74,620 | 5.7% | |
| 53 | Holland, OH | 1,561 | $64,000 | 2.6% | |
| 54 | Smithville, OH | 1,357 | $69,063 | 2.3% | |
| 55 | Bolivar, OH | 1,007 | $67,717 | 1.0% | |
| 56 | Lake Darby, OH | 4,569 | $90,083 | 2.0% | |
| 57 | Ne, OH | 2,691 | $90,339 | 4.8% | |
| 58 | Mayfield, OH | 3,344 | $104,940 | 8.2% | |
| 59 | Ottawa, OH | 4,447 | $61,379 | 0.0% | |
| 60 | North Zanesville, OH | 2,633 | $100,156 | 3.1% | |
| 61 | Dalton, OH | 1,703 | $60,833 | 1.3% | |
| 62 | Blue Jay, OH | 1,815 | $110,714 | 0.0% | |
| 63 | Elmore, OH | 1,601 | $69,583 | 0.0% | |
| 64 | Day Heights, OH | 2,282 | $80,375 | 3.8% | |
| 65 | Hiram, OH | 1,264 | $90,772 | 8.1% | |
| 66 | Enon, OH | 2,509 | $77,697 | 2.3% | |
| 67 | Boston Heights, OH | 1,242 | $109,545 | 4.6% | |
| 68 | Harbor Hills, OH | 1,635 | $79,423 | 3.0% | |
| 69 | Haskins, OH | 1,249 | $100,156 | 3.2% | |
| 70 | Hartville, OH | 3,318 | $63,873 | 1.0% | |
| 71 | Anna, OH | 1,625 | $80,833 | 9.7% | |
| 72 | Pandora, OH | 1,479 | $64,708 | 2.1% | |
| 73 | Five Points, OH | 1,652 | $133,603 | 7.6% | |
| 74 | Elida, OH | 2,174 | $85,682 | 6.1% | |
| 75 | Curtice, OH | 1,501 | $96,207 | 0.5% | |
| 76 | Milan, OH | 1,855 | $90,145 | 3.4% | |
| 77 | Mulberry, OH | 4,071 | $67,838 | 2.6% | |
| 78 | Mccomb, OH | 1,567 | $61,382 | 1.5% | |
| 79 | Coldstream, OH | 1,502 | $225,833 | 3.3% | |
| 80 | Glandorf, OH | 1,028 | $91,667 | 0.8% | |
| 81 | Mount Repose, OH | 3,752 | $92,264 | 5.1% | |
| 82 | Lake Lakengren, OH | 3,504 | $83,722 | 1.2% | |
| 83 | New Concord, OH | 2,593 | $74,485 | 2.3% | |
| 84 | Lake Mohawk, OH | 1,474 | $84,514 | 0.0% | |
| 85 | St. Bernard, OH | 4,026 | $69,840 | 2.7% | |
| 86 | Greenhills, OH | 3,703 | $71,979 | 2.0% | |
| 87 | Mcdonald, OH | 3,160 | $75,315 | 2.5% | |
| 88 | Richfield, OH | 3,719 | $72,625 | 2.4% | |
| 89 | Westfield Center, OH | 1,312 | $107,604 | 5.7% | |
| 90 | Glendale, OH | 2,154 | $100,313 | 4.0% | |
| 91 | Lucasville, OH | 1,849 | $76,250 | 2.6% | |
| 92 | Devola, OH | 2,669 | $79,290 | 4.4% | |
| 93 | Shadyside, OH | 3,514 | $53,505 | 1.4% | |
| 94 | Orange, OH | 3,432 | $150,729 | 9.3% | |
| 95 | Waynesville, OH | 2,709 | $60,804 | 5.3% | |
| 96 | Green Meadows, OH | 2,191 | $76,083 | 7.1% | |
| 97 | Poland, OH | 2,573 | $82,024 | 5.5% | |
| 98 | Thornport, OH | 1,040 | $110,000 | 3.3% | |
| 99 | Valley View, OH | 1,912 | $93,352 | 7.6% | |
| 100 | Whitehouse, OH | 4,771 | $76,923 | 2.3% |