Let’s face it—One list of the most beautiful and charming small towns in Ohio isn’t enough. While some of these towns are larger in population than others, each town undeniably has a delightful sense of quirkiness and a hearty dose of small town charm. The following are 14 more of what we consider to be the most beautiful, charming small towns in Ohio.
- Chagrin Falls
Wendy Soucie/Flickr This Cuyahoga County village is the epitome of charm. The town’s name is derived from the waterfalls of the Chagrin River. Chagrin Falls (pictured) flows in the heart of the town, which was established in 1845.
- Granville
Vasenka Photography/Flickr Known for its historic architecture and New England character, this Licking County village is home to the historic Avery Downer House, The Buxton Inn, The Granville Inn and Denison University. Additionally, it is the location of the prehistoric Alligator Effigy Mound, built by people of the Fort Ancient culture.
- Medina
BasicGov/Flickr One of the more larger towns on this list, Medina is yet another one of Ohio’s most charming and picturesque towns. In 2009, CNNMoney deemed Medina the 40th most desirable American city to live in. Although it is home to several family entertainment centers, museums and other unique destinations such as Castle Noel, Medina has maintained its small town charm throughout its years of growth.
- Greenville
J. Stephen Conn/Flickr Greenville is home to the historic Fort Greene Ville and Bear’s Mill. It is also home to the Garst Museum, which features the largest known collections of memorabilia of Annie Oakley and Lowell Thomas. (Both Oakley and Thomas were born close to what is now Greenville.)
- Upper Sandusky
OZinOH/Flickr Serving as the county seat of Wyandot County along the Sandusky River, the town of Upper Sandusky derived its name from an earlier Wyandot Indian village of the same name. Rich in history, Upper Sandusky was home to the Wyandotte Native Americans until 1842.
- Hudson
cmcbrown/Flickr A charming part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area, Hudson was the childhood home of John Brown and a city in which the Underground Railroad passed through. In 2010, America’s Promise Alliance named Hudson one of the “100 Best Communities for Young People.”
- Peninsula
Charles Carper/Flickr Also part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area, this charming village sits in the middle of the stunningly beautiful Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Additionally, the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail runs close to downtown Peninsula, making Peninsula a popular stop for many bikers and hikers, as it is one of the only towns between Akron and Cleveland.
- Milan
Jason/Flickr Milan is the proud home of the birthplace of the famous American inventor Thomas A. Edison (pictured.) Milan is a village in both Erie and Huron counties.
- Geneva
Mark K./Flickr This charming Ashtabula County town features the smallest covered bridge in America (pictured.) Geneva was named after Geneva, New York and was incorporated as a city in 1958, although it was originally settled in 1805.
- Oxford
Brandon C/Flickr This picturesque college town is home to the beautiful campus of Miami University (pictured.) Oxford covers a total area of about six and a half square miles.
- West Liberty
J. Todd Poling/Flickr Located in Logan County, this beautiful town is home to the stunning Piatt Castles and Ohio Caverns. Additionally, the West Liberty Cemetery contains an uncommonly large number of veteran gravesides.
- Sugarcreek
Pat Cletch Williams/Flickr “The Little Switzerland of Ohio” covers a total area of a little more than three and a half square miles. It’s a popular tourist destination for anyone looking to explore Ohio’s Amish Country.
- Amherst
cmh2315fl/Flickr Close to Lake Erie, this charming historic city in Lorain County covers about seven square miles. Pictured is the 1905 Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway (LS&MS) freight depot.
- Willoughby
Ed Chadwick/Flickr Low unemployment rates and good weather make this Lake County town an ideal place to live. The average summertime temperature here is 73 degrees, (so it’s basically the perfect place to live.) Additional fun fact: Willoughby is the only town in America that has belonged, at one time or other, to six counties (Washington, Jefferson, Trumbull, Geauga, Cuyahoga, and Lake.)
Do you call any of these towns “home?” What other beautiful, charming small towns are there in Ohio?
Wendy Soucie/Flickr
This Cuyahoga County village is the epitome of charm. The town’s name is derived from the waterfalls of the Chagrin River. Chagrin Falls (pictured) flows in the heart of the town, which was established in 1845.
Vasenka Photography/Flickr
Known for its historic architecture and New England character, this Licking County village is home to the historic Avery Downer House, The Buxton Inn, The Granville Inn and Denison University. Additionally, it is the location of the prehistoric Alligator Effigy Mound, built by people of the Fort Ancient culture.
BasicGov/Flickr
One of the more larger towns on this list, Medina is yet another one of Ohio’s most charming and picturesque towns. In 2009, CNNMoney deemed Medina the 40th most desirable American city to live in. Although it is home to several family entertainment centers, museums and other unique destinations such as Castle Noel, Medina has maintained its small town charm throughout its years of growth.
J. Stephen Conn/Flickr
Greenville is home to the historic Fort Greene Ville and Bear’s Mill. It is also home to the Garst Museum, which features the largest known collections of memorabilia of Annie Oakley and Lowell Thomas. (Both Oakley and Thomas were born close to what is now Greenville.)
OZinOH/Flickr
Serving as the county seat of Wyandot County along the Sandusky River, the town of Upper Sandusky derived its name from an earlier Wyandot Indian village of the same name. Rich in history, Upper Sandusky was home to the Wyandotte Native Americans until 1842.
cmcbrown/Flickr
A charming part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area, Hudson was the childhood home of John Brown and a city in which the Underground Railroad passed through. In 2010, America’s Promise Alliance named Hudson one of the “100 Best Communities for Young People.”
Charles Carper/Flickr
Also part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area, this charming village sits in the middle of the stunningly beautiful Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Additionally, the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail runs close to downtown Peninsula, making Peninsula a popular stop for many bikers and hikers, as it is one of the only towns between Akron and Cleveland.
Jason/Flickr
Milan is the proud home of the birthplace of the famous American inventor Thomas A. Edison (pictured.) Milan is a village in both Erie and Huron counties.
Mark K./Flickr
This charming Ashtabula County town features the smallest covered bridge in America (pictured.) Geneva was named after Geneva, New York and was incorporated as a city in 1958, although it was originally settled in 1805.
Brandon C/Flickr
This picturesque college town is home to the beautiful campus of Miami University (pictured.) Oxford covers a total area of about six and a half square miles.
J. Todd Poling/Flickr
Located in Logan County, this beautiful town is home to the stunning Piatt Castles and Ohio Caverns. Additionally, the West Liberty Cemetery contains an uncommonly large number of veteran gravesides.
Pat Cletch Williams/Flickr
“The Little Switzerland of Ohio” covers a total area of a little more than three and a half square miles. It’s a popular tourist destination for anyone looking to explore Ohio’s Amish Country.
cmh2315fl/Flickr
Close to Lake Erie, this charming historic city in Lorain County covers about seven square miles. Pictured is the 1905 Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway (LS&MS) freight depot.
Ed Chadwick/Flickr
Low unemployment rates and good weather make this Lake County town an ideal place to live. The average summertime temperature here is 73 degrees, (so it’s basically the perfect place to live.) Additional fun fact: Willoughby is the only town in America that has belonged, at one time or other, to six counties (Washington, Jefferson, Trumbull, Geauga, Cuyahoga, and Lake.)
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
