Marion County is a county in Ohio, United States, about 50 miles north of Columbus. It had a population of 65,359 at the 2020 census, an estimated 65,115 by 2025, and covers 404.4 square miles (1,050 km2) centred near 40°35′N 83°10′W.
Marion is the county seat and the county’s only city; its postal code is 43302. The county holds 1 city, 7 incorporated villages and about 41 smaller named communities across 15 townships, and it runs on Eastern Time. Its FIPS code is 39101.
Towns & Villages in Marion County
Marion County has 49 named places on record: 1 city, 7 incorporated villages and 41 smaller communities with no local government of their own. Village is Ohio’s term for an incorporated place too small to be a city; Unincorp. covers subdivisions, mobile-home parks and rural crossroads with no formal boundary.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion | City · seat | Marion | 35,999 | 43302 |
| Prospect | Village | Prospect | 1,067 | 43342 |
| La Rue | Village | Montgomery | 676 | 43332 |
| Caledonia | Village | Claridon | 560 | 43314 |
| New Bloomington | Village | Montgomery | 413 | 43341 |
| Morral | Village | Salt Rock | 373 | 43337 |
| Waldo | Village | Waldo | 326 | 43356 |
| Green Camp | Village | Green Camp | 310 | 43322 |
| Big Island | Unincorp. | Big Island | — | — |
| Brush Ridge | Unincorp. | Grand Prairie | — | — |
| Kirkpatrick | Unincorp. | Scott | — | — |
| Martel | Unincorp. | Tully | — | — |
| Air View Acres | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Bellaire Gardens | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Buckeye Trailer Park | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Carpenters Corners | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Centerville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Chateau Ridge | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Claridon | Unincorp. | Claridon | — | — |
| Colonial Acres | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Country Club Hills | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Crystal Lakes | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| DeCliff | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Eagle Creek | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Eaglewood | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Espyville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Fountain Place MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Gast Corner | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Grandview Estates | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Harrys Trailer Park | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Highlands of Marion | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Hunters Chase | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Lynn | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Meeker | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Newmans | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Oak Knoll | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Oakland MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Owens | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Pleasant Acres MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Quarry Estates | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| River Valley Estates | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Ruth | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Smith Corners | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Southern Estates | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| The Groves At Newmans Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Tobias | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Twin Oaks MH Park | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Wood Valley | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Yorkshire Terrace | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Four of these places have a confirmed township: Big Island (Big Island Township), Brush Ridge (Grand Prairie Township), Kirkpatrick (Scott Township) and Martel (Tully Township). The remaining subdivisions, trailer parks and rural crossroads on this list carry no separate township or population count in Census Bureau or county records — they are named places, not population centers with their own data.
Townships
Ohio’s 15 civil townships in Marion County range from Marion Township, which contains most of the city of Marion, down to rural Grand Township on the county’s northwest edge.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Marion | 43,796 | Marion (city) |
| Pleasant | 4,939 | — |
| Claridon | 2,777 | Caledonia |
| Montgomery | 2,064 | La Rue, New Bloomington |
| Prospect | 2,043 | Prospect |
| Richland | 1,784 | — |
| Grand Prairie | 1,586 | Brush Ridge |
| Big Island | 1,174 | Big Island |
| Waldo | 1,130 | Waldo |
| Green Camp | 1,080 | Green Camp |
| Tully | 834 | Martel |
| Salt Rock | 605 | Morral |
| Bowling Green | 603 | — |
| Scott | 571 | Kirkpatrick |
| Grand | 373 | — |
ZIP Codes
- 43302 — Marion (principal delivery ZIP)
- 43301, 43306, 43307 — Marion (post office box and business-address ZIPs)
- 43342 — Prospect
- 43332 — La Rue
- 43314 — Caledonia
- 43341 — New Bloomington
- 43337 — Morral
- 43356 — Waldo
- 43322 — Green Camp
The county’s roughly 40 unincorporated subdivisions and rural place names have no ZIP code of their own; mail there is delivered under the nearest village’s or Marion’s code.
Geography
Marion County sits on the till plains of west-central Ohio, a flat to gently rolling glaciated landscape that is part of the state’s Corn Belt. Of its 404.4 square miles, 0.4 square miles (0.1 percent) are water, and the county has no large natural lake. The Scioto River, which rises in neighboring Hardin County, crosses the western half of Marion County on its way south toward Columbus. The Olentangy River — still known locally by its old name, the Whetstone River, in this stretch — flows through the county’s eastern townships.
Crawford County lies to the north, Morrow County to the east, Delaware County to the south, Union County to the southwest, Hardin County to the west and Wyandot County to the northwest. Crawford County, Morrow County, Delaware County, Union County, Hardin County and Wyandot County all border Marion directly.
Demographics
Marion County had a population of 65,359 at the 2020 census, and the 2025 estimate puts the county at 65,115 residents, a slight decline. Marion, the county seat, and Prospect are the two largest communities, with Marion alone holding well over half the county’s population. Median household income runs $59,371, below Ohio’s statewide figure of $67,769. Population density works out to roughly 162 people per square mile of land, concentrated heavily around the city of Marion, with the surrounding townships far more sparsely settled.
Economy & Local Life
Manufacturing employs the most workers in the county, about 5,666 people, followed by health care and social assistance at 4,087 and retail trade at 3,093. Whirlpool Corporation runs a dryer plant in Marion with roughly 2,900 employees, described by the company as the largest dryer-manufacturing facility in the world. Other major Marion employers include Silverline Windows, Wyandot Snacks and Nucor Steel. Marion was historically a major popcorn-processing hub, and the county’s biggest annual event, the Marion Popcorn Festival, reflects that history — held downtown each September on the first weekend after Labor Day since 1981, it now draws over 250,000 visitors.
History
Ohio’s legislature authorized Marion County on 20 February 1820, and it was organized in 1824. The county is named for General Francis Marion, the Revolutionary War officer known as the “Swamp Fox,” who served in South Carolina and never set foot in Ohio.
Warren G. Harding, the 29th president of the United States, lived in Marion for most of his adult life and owned the Marion Star newspaper there. He ran his 1920 “front porch campaign” for president from his home in Marion, and he is buried at the Harding Tomb in the city. The Harding Home, where he conducted that campaign, is preserved as a historic site.
Getting There
US Route 23 is the county’s main through highway, running north–south across Marion. No interstate crosses the county directly. Ohio routes 4, 37, 47, 95, 98 and 100 also pass through.
- Columbus — about 50 miles south
- Delaware — about 25 miles south
- Bucyrus — about 20 miles north
- Kenton — about 25 miles west
John Glenn Columbus International Airport, about 50 miles south of Marion, is the nearest major commercial airport. Marion Municipal Airport, a general-aviation field on the city’s east side, handles private and charter traffic. Amtrak does not serve Marion County; long-distance passenger rail through Marion ended in the 1970s.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Marion County located?
It sits in west-central Ohio, about 50 miles north of Columbus, bordered by Crawford, Morrow, Delaware, Union, Hardin and Wyandot counties.
What is the population of Marion County?
65,359 at the 2020 census, with a 2025 estimate near 65,115.
How big is Marion County?
404.4 square miles (1,050 km2), of which 0.4 square miles are water.
What is the county seat of Marion County?
Marion is the county seat and the county’s only city.
How many towns and villages are in Marion County?
Seven incorporated villages — Caledonia, Green Camp, La Rue, Morral, New Bloomington, Prospect and Waldo — plus the city of Marion and roughly 41 smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes does Marion County use?
43301, 43302, 43306 and 43307 for Marion; 43314 for Caledonia; 43322 for Green Camp; 43332 for La Rue; 43337 for Morral; 43341 for New Bloomington; 43342 for Prospect; and 43356 for Waldo.
What is Marion County known for?
President Warren G. Harding’s home and 1920 front-porch campaign, and the Marion Popcorn Festival, held every September since 1981.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Ohio.