Powell, Ohio

As a decorative floral touch, flowers surround all mailboxes and fire hydrants in Powell’s historic district, and white picket fences give the town a homey feel. Kudos to Powell for the excellent design and construction of an 8-mile pedestrian-only network in their small town. A bike path connects the historic district, Adventure Park and library with other parks and schools. This same path connects to the sidewalks in most neighborhoods. For a town of this size, they have a disproportionately large 8 park sites covering 85 acres. In July of 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Powell 18th on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States. As an upscale bedroom community for Columbus, most residents of Powell work in Columbus or one of its suburbs. Powell is noted for its historic central business district, which features a number of antique shops and similar enterprises. Powell is comprised of mostly upscale and luxury neighborhoods. The nearby Columbus Zoo and its water park Zoombezi Bay, O'Shaughnessy Dam, and the Olentangy Indian Caverns, offer residents and visitors entertainment and recreational opportunities. Powell has a K-thru-12 private preparatory school called Village Academy, and a branch of the Delaware County District Library. Powell is also home to The Battelle Memorial Institute, a private not-for-profit applied science and technology development company.