Best Hometowns 2024-25

Each year we celebrate communities across Ohio that make the Buckeye State such a special place to call home by bestowing our Best Hometowns honor. For 2024-25 we recognize Bryan, Hilliard, McConnelsville, Millersburg and Urbana. To determine the honorees, Ohio Magazine solicited nominations and conducted site visits across the state during the summer. The editors evaluated the nominees in six categories: Community Spirit, Education, Entertainment, Health and Safety, Business Environment and Culture and Heritage. To learn more about  Ohio Magazine’s Best Hometown honor, visit ohiomagazine.com/besthometowns.


Bryan: An effort to fill vacant buildings revived this city’s downtown, illustrating the sense of pride and spirit of collaboration in this community about 64 miles west of Toledo. Read about our Best Hometown 2024: Bryan.


Hilliard: This Columbus suburb offers a rich history and a small-town atmosphere, while its location along Interstate 270 has made it a destination for development. Read about our Best Hometown 2024: Hilliard.


McConnelsville: This historic river town offers a picturesque setting, a charming downtown and deep ties to the coal-mining heritage that shaped this part of Ohio. Read about our Best Hometown 2024: McConnelsville.


Millersburg: This illage in Holmes County offers a destination of its own as a well as a taste of the slower way of life practiced in the surrounding Amish and Mennonite communities. Read about our Best Hometown 2024: Millersburg.


Urbana:  Downtown redevelopment has made this Champaign County community a regional destination for those seeking fresh flavors and interesting finds. Read about our Best Hometown 2024: Urbana. 

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Ohio Magazine is available in a beautifully designed print issue that is published 7 times a year, along with Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter editions of LongWeekends magazine. Subscribe to Ohio Magazine and stay connected to beauty, adventure and fun across our state.