Marion is a city located in North Carolina, United States. It serves as the county seat for McDowell County and had a recorded population of 7,717 according to the 2020 Census.
The city was founded in 1844 and named in honor of Brigadier General Francis Marion, an American Revolutionary War hero known for his guerrilla warfare tactics and the nickname "Swamp Fox." The community features a Main Street Historic District, which is officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places.