Cincinnati is continuing its transformation into a Midwest Hollywood as it, for the ninth year in a row, snagged a spot on MovieMaker Magazine’s 2026 “Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker” list. The Queen City dropped from its former place at No. 11, where it had been since 2022, to No. 15 among major cities in the United States and Canada.
MovieMaker says it evaluates cities based on production activity, tax incentives, crew depth, permitting efficiency, infrastructure, cost of living and overall livability. The magazine highlighted Cincinnati’s streamlined permitting process through Film Cincinnati, a robust local crew base, below-average cost of living and production resources that can support both large-scale studio projects and independent works as reasons for the ranking. It also praised the Queen City’s quality-of-life features, like the number of green spaces and bike trails, as well as its prevalent Italianate architecture, which makes it an ideal location for period pieces.
Film Cincinnati President and CEO Kristen Schlotman says the ranking puts a spotlight on Cincinnati as a destination for world-class storytelling and those who work in the creative sector.
“This recognition reflects decades of strategic investment in making Cincinnati a place where filmmakers can succeed while having a great quality of life,” Schlotman said in a press release. “It affirms the growing influence of the creative economy and underscores Cincinnati’s emergence as a national leader in production.”
Also helping Cincinnati in the rankings is Ohio’s 30% film tax rebate, which allows filmmakers to maintain production quality within budget.
Cincinnati was the highest-ranking Ohio city on the list, with Cleveland coming in at No. 23. Louisville, Kentucky, ranked just below Cincinnati at No. 16, and Toronto took the top spot.
In 2024 and 2025, Cincinnati hosted movie productions like James Gunn’s Superman, as well as Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind, starring Josh O’Connell and Alana Haim. The Chaperones, directed by India Donaldson and starring Paul Dano, David Johnson and Cooper Hoffman, was the latest film to wrap principal photography, says Film Cincinnati.
You can see the full MovieMaker rankings here.