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Living in
Marion.
About
Life in Marion
If you're considering Marion, understand that you're looking at a smaller Midwest city working through economic changes rather than a growth destination. The cost of living is genuinely affordable—median home values hover around $85,000 and rent averages $805 monthly, which matters if you're budget-conscious. Manufacturing still anchors the local economy, producing automotive parts and other industrial goods, and unemployment sits at a reasonable 4.5%, but job diversity may be limited depending on your field.
Marion at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
29.6%
Foreign-Born
3.9%
Broadband Internet
86.1%
of households
Population Growth
-0.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Marion: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Marion, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (40.1%), and 5.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.3%
of residents
65 and Older
18.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
39.8%
of households
Married Couples
28.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.17
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 24% below IN average
Rent, home values, and income in Marion
In Marion, rent runs 24% below the IN average, and home values are 61% below the IN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
38.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.7%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$815
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
58.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1957
median year built
Vacant Homes
15.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $139,170 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts above IN average
Unemployment in Marion
Unemployment in Marion is 0.9 percentage points higher than the IN average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Marion Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18 min avg
How Marion residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Marion, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 82% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 38 mi
Fort Wayne International Airport (FWA)
Regional airport · few flights486k passengers boarded in 2025
- 67 mi
Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
Medium hub5.2M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 50% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Marion runs 50% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
163.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,524.4
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Marion Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 5 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
69.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Grant County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Grant County, which includes Marion, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 5 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $52,000 |
| 2024 | 5 | Hail | $44,000 |
| 2023 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $16,500 |
| 2022 | 5 | Winter Storm | $7,000 |
| 2021 | 8 | Winter Weather | $6,000 |
| 2020 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 13 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 3 | Winter Weather | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Grant County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Wabash County, IN (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 22 miles from Marion) is typically good — 323 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
34
Good Days
323
per year
Moderate Days
27
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Wabash County, IN (22 mi away)
Climate82°F summers, 20°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Marion has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and cold winters (avg low 20°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
60°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
36°/20°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
41.8"
Annual Snowfall
24.5"
Hot Days/Year
14
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
126
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
123
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 18°F | 2.85" |
| Feb | 37°F | 20°F | 2.15" |
| Mar | 48°F | 28°F | 2.87" |
| Apr | 61°F | 38°F | 4.10" |
| May | 72°F | 49°F | 4.76" |
| Jun | 81°F | 59°F | 4.42" |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 4.33" |
| Aug | 82°F | 61°F | 3.93" |
| Sep | 77°F | 53°F | 3.39" |
| Oct | 64°F | 42°F | 3.12" |
| Nov | 50°F | 32°F | 3.26" |
| Dec | 38°F | 23°F | 2.58" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Marion
Marion has 2 hospitals, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
8.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
VA N. Indiana Healthcare System
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available
Marion General Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Marion
Marion's student/teacher ratio is 15.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 16.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
16.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Marion
Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,974 students · in-state tuition $33,314 · 67% graduate · median earnings $65,692 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, 98 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Marion
Marion has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park (98 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park
National Historical Park
98 mi awayPublic Libraries in Marion
Marion Public Library
600 South Washington Street, Marion
Cities Near Marion
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Marion?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Marion FAQ
Is Marion, Indiana affordable?⌄
Marion's median rent is $805/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $43,343/year. Median home value is $85,300.
Is Marion, Indiana safe?⌄
Marion's violent crime rate was 163 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1524 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Marion, Indiana?⌄
Marion has an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Marion, Indiana?⌄
The cost of living in Marion is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $805/month and median household income is $43,343/year. The median home value is $85,300. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Marion, Indiana?⌄
The average commute in Marion is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from