<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2021-01-27</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000726854</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CITY HOLDING CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CHCO</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001234856</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KAYSER C DALLAS</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>25 GATEWATER ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CROSS LANES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WV</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>25313</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2021-01-27</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>422</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>22946</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>373.0076</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by spouse, Lee Anne</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by daughter, Emily</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">For purposes of establishing a value of the stock award, the Company has determined that $71.06 per share, or 100% of the fair market value of the Company's closing price of common stock on 1/27/2021, the date of grant for the award, is appropriate.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Includes 373.00757 shares acquired during the year through the reporting person's participation in the dividend reinvestment plan based upon the most recent plan statement.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The reporting person no longer has a reportable beneficial interest in 118.7502 shares of CHCO common stock owned by his daughter, Emily B. Kayser, and included in the reporting person's prior ownershipreports.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Victoria A. Faw, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2021-01-27</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0306
4
2021-01-27
0
0000726854
CITY HOLDING CO
CHCO
0001234856
KAYSER C DALLAS
25 GATEWATER ROAD
CROSS LANES
WV
25313
1
0
0
0
Common Stock
2021-01-27
4
A
0
422
0
A
22946
D
Common Stock
373.0076
I
by spouse, Lee Anne
Common Stock
0
I
by daughter, Emily
For purposes of establishing a value of the stock award, the Company has determined that $71.06 per share, or 100% of the fair market value of the Company's closing price of common stock on 1/27/2021, the date of grant for the award, is appropriate.
Includes 373.00757 shares acquired during the year through the reporting person's participation in the dividend reinvestment plan based upon the most recent plan statement.
The reporting person no longer has a reportable beneficial interest in 118.7502 shares of CHCO common stock owned by his daughter, Emily B. Kayser, and included in the reporting person's prior ownershipreports.
Victoria A. Faw, attorney-in-fact
2021-01-27