Every winter, Hallmark movies return to the same familiar setting: small towns with busy main streets, a little history, and just enough snow to make everything feel cinematic.
According to a new analysis from Action Network, Dublin checks those boxes better than any other city in Ohio.
The research team analyzed more than 3,000 U.S. towns to determine which places are most likely to resemble a Hallmark holiday movie setting. The rankings were based on population size, small business density, number of historic places, and average December snowfall.
Dublin came out on top in Ohio.
With a population just under 49,000, Dublin lands in the sweet spot of feeling active without losing a sense of community.
The city also stands out for its concentration of locally owned businesses, with more than 11,000 businesses supporting walkable districts and gathering spaces. Add in pockets of historic character and light winter snowfall, and Dublin fits the formula the study was looking for.
In Hallmark terms, researchers described Dublin as having the kind of polished but familiar downtown where seasonal events draw crowds and local shops anchor daily life. The Bridge Park area and historic district helped boost its score, offering visual variety without feeling overly quaint.
Of course, numbers only tell part of the story.
Hallmark movies are not built on spreadsheets. They are built on small-town routines, familiar faces, and the kind of places where running into someone from your past feels inevitable. If a Hallmark crew were scouting Ohio, Dublin checks enough boxes that the rest of the story practically writes itself.
I mean, I can easily picture tuning in to a former Irish step dancer turned marketing executive returning home to Dublin for the holidays after years away, reluctantly trading city life for family obligations. While back in town, she crosses paths with a touring Irish musician passing through Central Ohio.
They go ice skating at Riverside Crossing Park, share an unexpectedly romantic rooftop dinner at Vaso, and spend an evening caroling through Historic Dublin as snow falls just enough to feel cinematic. Somewhere between a Christmas market (which is genuinely opening in Dublin in 2026) and a last-minute concert to raise money for something important in the community, she starts to question whether home is the place she should have left in the first place.
Do you see what I mean? Hallmark, take some notes!
Dublin’s mix of walkable spaces, seasonal events, and strong local businesses gives it the kind of built-in charm that Hallmark movies rely on. According to the Action Network’s analysis, that combination is exactly what makes Dublin Ohio’s most Hallmark-like city, at least by the numbers.
Other Ohio cities also ranked highly, though behind Dublin:
- Sandusky
- Mansfield
- Westerville
- Lima
Each scored well for a mix of small businesses and historic sites, though they fell short of Dublin’s overall balance.
Nationally, Puyallup, Washington topped the list, followed by Farmington, Michigan and Poughkeepsie, New York. Snowfall played a larger role in those rankings, especially in northern states.
The study limited its analysis to cities with populations between 3,000 and 50,000 and excluded places without historic landmarks. Snowfall data was based on state averages, while business and population figures came from U.S. Census sources.
No word yet on whether a movie crew is heading to Dublin, but by the numbers, it is Ohio’s best fit for a familiar holiday backdrop. If you want to check out the full study, please click here.
