ASHLAND — Ohio Magazine has awarded the cities of Ashland and Mount Vernon with the title of great places to live, work and visit in its 2025-2026 Best Hometowns issue.
The hometowns will be featured in the November/December and July/August 2026 issues. The three other honorees are the communities of Yellow Springs, Barnesville and Green.
The editors evaluated the nominees in six categories — community spirit, education, entertainment, health and safety, business environment and culture and heritage.
The nomination form opens March 1 and closes at the end of April.
Editors at Ohio Magazine then reach out to the mayor’s offices and visitor bureaus of nominated places and ask for an overview and success stories in those towns or villages.
Editors then visit the locations. They speak with shop owners and people in town; explore the streets and parks and check out restaurants.
After editors compile a profile on each town, they compare what stories from those towns stand out, then give out awards near the end of summer.
Editor Jim Vicker said places that are honored as great hometowns consistently have residents who treat people like friends and neighbors, no matter where they are from.
The best hometown title honors those values, and places that strive to strengthen their communities, Vicker said.
Vicker said he visited Ashland last winter and again this summer. He said the downtown area had “a lot of energy, even in the winter.” He also noted that the college in town brings a unique charm.
Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce President Amy Daubenspeck nominated Ashland, as she has done for the past several years.
Ashland has always been deserving, but everything happens at the right time and we are beyond excited to promote Ashland as the Best Hometown that we all know it to be.
Daubenspeck
Daubenspeck credited her team for helping secure the nomination by inviting Vicker to tour Ashland.
As for Mount Vernon, Vicker said he spoke with the mayor about how the city is trying to solve residential issues to continue to make Mount Vernon a welcoming place to live.
He also mentioned that Ariel Foundation Park continues to be a “show piece” 10 years after the Learning Stations Project was created.
Mount Vernon was previously featured in the 2017-2018 issue. Ohio Magazine has nominated hometowns since 2006.