Main image courtesy of Wikipedia.

London, Ohio is a small, tight knit community that serves as the county seat for Madison, Ohio. Like most Ohio towns, London has good schools, good jobs, and is an easy commute from the city. 

For those looking for a place to raise a family or build a career, London has many benefits. Family oriented and friendly, London is one of Ohio’s hidden treasures and is sure to charm visitors.

Moving to London will bring you in close proximity to their many delicious pizza shops and will ensure you have a supportive community surrounding you--and that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Read on for the 25 reasons why you should move to London, Ohio right now.

A Brief History of London

The Beginning of a Close Knit City

In order to understand why modern day London is the way it is, we have to look back in time to see how this charming town got its start.

There are two possible origins of the city’s name. Some believe that the settlers who first began building there named it after the English city of the same name as an homage to their roots. Others contend that the name was derived from the London Company, but whatever the origins, the name stuck.

The town, established to serve as the Madison County seat, was established in 1811. Over the next few years, residents worked diligently to build the United Methodist Church. An orphanage was then built near the church, run by church attendees, and grew so large that eventually the church had to build storage to hold the gallons of human milk needed to keep the kids fed.

The construction of two railroads in the mid 1800s led to an increase in the population, a growth spurt that led to London’s economic development. Livestock auctions became London’s speciality, drawing people from around the country. 

A secondary growth spurt followed at the tail end of the 20th century when many Columbus residents sought to escape the fast-growing city lifestyle for the relative peace of London. London’s proximity to the city is definitely one of its best features, enabling residents to easily commute to city jobs without having to put up with city life.

Reasons to Move to London, Ohio

Create a Beautiful Life In This Close Community

To start, London is close to Columbus, Ohio’s capital, which makes it easy to commute to work. In addition to the jobs that the city offers, Columbus is also a tourist hotspot with plenty of attractions not far from London.

London’s distance from the city is enough to ensure that London has good air quality year round. Good air quality is an important factor in health, measuring the pollutants in the air that contribute to illness, lung irritation, and long term health complaints. 

London has a small city government housed in City Hall, with an Administration Office where citizens can go for information regarding city events and with other questions. If necessary, they can even get you in touch with the Mayor’s Office--in such a small town, you’re likely to get the chance to meet the mayor eventually.

London has the departments typical of any city, with fire, police, parks and recreation, and streets departments where local government officials work and oversee the city. There are also many ways for citizens to get involved with local government, which is as easy as contacting the city directors or getting in touch through the city’s website.

Columbus is Ohio’s most populous city, with a population of around 900,000 people, contributing to the hustle and bustle of the city. London, however, is a very small community of around 10,000 people--this close knit community contributes to an atmosphere of warmth and friendliness perfect for families.

London’s small size has quite a few benefits. The schools, located in the well-ranking London City School District, have small class sizes that facilitate close teacher student relationships and help ensure that students receive one-on-one attention when needed.

With a graduation rate of 90-94% (around 10% higher than the state average), London City School District prepares its students for higher education as well as providing valuable education for future careers.

In addition to a good graduation rate, London’s school district scored an A- on Niche’s rating system for health and safety. This takes into account absenteeism, suspensions, expulsions, and survey responses from parents and students regarding the school environment.

Those looking to attend a college or university will find that London has an ample amount of higher education opportunities to choose from. Four-year universities in the vicinity include Ohio State University, Wright State University, Wittenberg University, and University of Dayton. Sinclair, Clark State, and Columbus State Community College are some of the nearby community colleges.

London supports its citizen’s education in a variety of ways, one of which is access to the London Public Library. The library serves over 14,000 people and has a robust digital collection in addition to the 48,000+ physical volumes.

Events hosted by the library help bring together the community and provide opportunities for children and adults to get out and meet others while encouraging an appreciation for learning and research. London has a summer reading program where people of any age have the chance to log their hours in order to win prizes. Check out their website for information on the great prizes you can win--including tickets to Kings Island!

In addition to great events, the library also has a plethora of tools for research and learning. With Lynda Library, patrons have access to over 12,000 different courses related to computer skills, including coding, business, and digital art classes. Learn over 60 different languages with Mango Languages, an accessible language learning platform.

London residents and library card holders looking for ways to satisfy their creative instincts and pass the hours during quarantine have access to Creativebug, a website with over 1,000 arts and crafts classes taught by masters in the field. Patrons can take classes in ceramics, quilting, knitting, canning, cake decorating, and more, all free of charge.

Stock up on crafting supplies at Yesterday’s Ewes, a shop selling vintage wear and high quality wool and other knitting supplies. You can even take classes there, including beginner classes that will help you begin knitting and crocheting.

There are plenty of opportunities for socializing outside of the library. London is community centered, which is reflected in the number of service organizations available in the city. Residents have the opportunity to join the Delphinian Literary Society, London Business and Professional Women, or the Madison County Historical Society. These organizations promote literacy, provide career guidance, and teach local and regional history respectively.

There are plenty of other organizations to get involved with as well. Coover Society, Daughters of American Revolution, Disabled American Veterans- Chapter 93, Happy Hour Needle Club, London Public Library, Madison County Hospital Auxiliary, Married Ladies Thimble Club, and Vietnam Veterans of America are just a few--clearly London has something for everyone.

The Recreation Department and Street Department are two organizations responsible for the upkeep of London’s outdoor spaces where sports organizations meet. Along Park Avenue there are basketball, softball, and skate park facilities where league practices, games, and exercise take place.

London also has twelve churches and church organizations for those seeking to expand or continue on in the Christian faith. Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, and more are all offered within London.

Moving outdoors opens up even more opportunities for fun and community activities. London incorporates plenty of parks and greenery into the town design and has three main parks in addition to the skate park and sports facilities.

Merri-Mac Park, Cowling Park, and Creekside Gardens are the three main parks that residents enjoy. They come complete with jungle gyms and outdoor seating, perfect for family picnics when the weather is good.

Another fair weather activity loved by all is swimming--during these hot summer days residents take advantage of the London Municipal Pool, a pool in a small park good for swimming, sunbathing, and spending time with friends out of doors.

Thankfully, good weather is plentiful, which is one of the best reasons to move to London for those who are outdoorsy and hate the cold. London’s weather tends to be a bit warmer than the country’s average, with light cloud cover during hot summer months and less snow than surrounding areas during the winter.

If all that outdoor exercise has you hungry, turn to one of London’s multiple pizza spots. Cappy’s Pizza, which does pickup and delivery, has subs, sandwiches, appetizers, salads, and so much more to tantalize your taste buds. Ronetti’s is another local favorite, serving fresh pizza made daily and offering catering and banquet services in addition to typical services.

When the weather turns cold and frightful and winter holidays draw near, London residents get to enjoy the Olde Fashioned Christmas event where horse drawn carriages are de rigueur. Beautiful light displays and hot cocoa pair perfectly with a horse ride around town.

Another cold weather activity to enjoy in London is going to the theater. London State Theater is a treasured part of the city, perfect for birthday parties, fundraising events, and other functions. The space maintains its classy feel despite recent renovations aimed at updating the bathrooms and polishing up the place. And it even serves craft beer and wine to enjoy during showings.

Overall, London is a great place to move, with a wonderful, close community and plenty of opportunities to get involved through organizations and events. London is perfect for those looking to be in close proximity to the city without the drawbacks--like sound and air pollution--of living downtown. Families will also find this a delightful place, especially those looking to develop small town values and close relationships.

Facilities and amenities abound in London, perfect to meet the needs of many lifestyles and interests. This is a great place to get involved in community driven activities.

Check out HER’s blog about what you need to know when moving to London, Ohio to get even more information on this little city.