Downtown Marion Activity and Impact in 2025
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Downtown Marion, Inc continued to see strong community participation, business activity, and investment throughout 2025. Events, development projects, volunteer efforts, and local support all contributed to the continued growth and vitality of the downtown district.
Download the 2025 Profile Report below.
Community Programs, Initiatives & Event Engagement
Downtown Marion hosted 22 events during 2025, drawing a total special event attendance of 24,594 people. Events, programs, and initiatives across downtown contributed to an estimated economic impact of $491,880, calculated at $20 per person.
Community support also played an important role. Volunteers contributed 1,359 hours of service, representing an estimated value of $44,059 in volunteer time.
Business Growth and Development
Downtown Marion experienced continued business and development activity throughout the year.
In 2025:
7 new businesses opened
17 net new full-time jobs were created
26 net new part-time jobs were added
5 building rehabilitation projects took place
2 façade improvements were completed
Investment in downtown properties and infrastructure also continued, including:
$3,888,936 in private rehabilitation investment
$2,390,991 in public investment
The downtown district currently includes 195 housing units, with an average rent of $12.00 per square foot and a 10% downtown vacancy rate.
Community Profile
Several key indicators provide a snapshot of the Marion community:
Population: 35,927
Median Family Income: $45,829
Median Home Value: $105,900
Median Average Age: 38
Community Support and Online Engagement
Downtown Marion Inc. received support through several sources during the year:
$15,000 in private contributions
$7,400 in grant funds raised
$5,000 in member business support
Online engagement included:
15,994 Facebook followers
2,846 Instagram followers
6,203 website visits
Downtown Marion Inc. operates from 267 W. Center Street, Suite 220 in Marion, continuing its work to support downtown businesses, community programming, and development activity throughout the district.
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