Marion is a town located in Southwest Virginia within the Blue Ridge portion of the southern Appalachian Mountains. It serves as the county seat for Smyth County and is situated along Interstate 81. The town was named in honor of Francis Marion, an officer during the American Revolutionary War.
The population within the official town limits was approximately 6,000 according to the 2020 Census. However, because many residents in unincorporated areas of Smyth County use Marion mailing addresses, the total population associated with the Marion ZIP code is roughly 14,500, which constitutes about half of the county's total population.