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City · 11,758 residents · Columbiana County, Ohio

Salem , Ohio

In Salem, a typical home is worth $119,400 and typical rent is $763 a month. Compared with all of Columbiana County, the typical home value is 21% lower, typical household income is 19% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 15 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $119,400

    21% below the county

    44% below Ohio

    • Salem
    • Columbiana
    • Ohio

  • Typical rent

    $763a month

    About the same as the county

    26% below Ohio

    • Salem
    • Columbiana
    • Ohio

  • Typical household income

    $47,073a year

    19% below the county

    34% below Ohio

    • Salem
    • Columbiana
    • Ohio

  • Households that own their home

    57%

    15 points below the county

    10 points below Ohio

    • Salem
    • Columbiana
    • Ohio

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$189,233
4.8% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Salem is in Columbiana County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Columbiana County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Salem apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Salem has the 14th lowest typical rent of the 285 cities in Ohio with more than 5,000 people ($763).

  2. 57% of households in Salem own their home, against 73% in Columbiana County.

  3. The typical home in Salem is worth $119,400, 21% less than in Columbiana County as a whole ($151,600).

  4. Nearby, in Struthers, the typical home value is $100,100: 16% less than in Salem ($119,400).

  5. The typical household income in Salem is $47,073, 19% less than in Columbiana County as a whole ($58,180).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Salem

What homes there are in Salem, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house is still the most common home in Salem, but it weighs less than in Columbiana County: 69% against 73%.

Year built

Homes in Salem are older: the typical year built is 1954; in Columbiana County, 1964.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,024 a month

Columbiana County: $1,195 a month

Without a mortgage

$413 a month

Columbiana County: $462 a month

Owners with a mortgage

59%

Columbiana County: 51%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Salem is $1,024 a month, less than in Columbiana County ($1,195); without one, $413.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Salem rose 23% since 2015–2019, less than in Columbiana County (39%).

Rent in Salem moved so little since 2015–2019 that the Census cannot say whether it rose or fell.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureSalemColumbiana CountyOhioUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate2.9%4.4%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.4%1.5%3.4%
People per household 2.232.352.372.53
Drive alone 82%81%75%69%
Carpool 7%10%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%2%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate6%13%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Households in Salem are smaller: 2.23 people on average; in Columbiana County, 2.35.

To get to work, 82% of workers in Salem drive alone; in Columbiana County, 81%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Salem?

A typical home is within reach of the typical income

We start with a typical home in Salem, worth $119,400, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 26% of the typical household income in Salem, which is $47,073 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Columbiana County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Salem. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $4,179 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,008

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$117,237
Total interest
$168,677
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $2,016 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,098 a month

    Your payment · 26%

  • Tight

    $1,098 to $1,412 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,412 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Salem ($47,073 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,008
Principal & interest$794
Property tax$111
Home insurance$50
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$53

You need at least $4,179 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Salem and Columbiana County

Salem is in Columbiana County, Ohio. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Salem's own numbers

Typical home value
$119,400
Typical monthly rent
$763
Typical yearly household income
$47,073
Households that own their home
57%
Effective property tax rate
1.12%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Columbiana County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,003
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+48%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.1%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Columbiana County.

Everything about Columbiana County

Buying

Buying a home in Salem

A typical home in Salem is worth $119,400: 21% below the county and 44% below Ohio. With the typical household income in Salem ($47,073 a year), a typical home costs 2.5 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Salem 2.5 years
  • Columbiana 2.6 years
  • Ohio 3.0 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Columbiana County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Columbiana County rose 77% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Columbiana County.

Period County Ohio U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.4% +4.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +48% +53% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +77% +93% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Salem next to Columbiana County, Ohio and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Salem $119,400
  • Columbiana $151,600
  • Ohio $214,800
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Salem $763
  • Columbiana $756
  • Ohio $1,034
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Salem $47,073
  • Columbiana $58,180
  • Ohio $71,389
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Salem next to Columbiana County and Ohio
Measure Salem Columbiana County Ohio U.S.
Typical home value $119,400 $151,600 $214,800 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $763 $756 $1,034 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $47,073 $58,180 $71,389 $80,734
Households that own their home 57% 73% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,343 $1,527 $2,822 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.12% 1.01% 1.31% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 51% 46% 46% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Columbiana County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Salem

For a typical $119,400 home in Salem, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Salem's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,008a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $4,179
    Cash to close
    $7,761
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $53

  • Conventional, 5% down $986a month

    Down payment
    $5,970
    Cash to close
    $9,552
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $57

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $808a month

    Down payment
    $23,880
    Cash to close
    $27,462
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $919a month

    Down payment
    $17,910
    Cash to close
    $21,492
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Salem and for Columbiana County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Salem

1.12%of the home’s value each year

$1,343 a year for the typical owner in Salem.

  • Salem 1.12%
  • Columbiana 1.01%
  • Ohio 1.31%

What Ohio publishes Homestead exemption for seniors and people with disabilities (Ohio Department of Taxation)

Exemptions and deadlines in Ohio

Flood risk in Columbiana County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Columbiana County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.1%
483
Of those, with NFIP insurance
15%
County Ohio U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.1% 1.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 15% 16% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Salem

Typical rent in Salem is $763 a month: about the same as the county. In Salem, 51% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Columbiana County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,003 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $19.29 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Columbiana County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $778 $14.96 $31,120
1 bedroom $793 $15.25 $31,720
2 bedrooms $1,003 $19.29 $40,120
3 bedrooms $1,290 $24.81 $51,600
4 bedrooms $1,318 $25.35 $52,720

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Salem

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Salem is in ZIP code 44460.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,000: $3 less than the fair market rent for Columbiana County ($1,003).

  • 44460 $1,000$1,290

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Salem when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Salem

HUD lists 5 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Salem. These are the largest.

  • Salem 76 Apartments 500 E 4th St, Salem 44460 76 homes, 73 low-income · For older adults (330) 332-5761
  • Briargate Place Apts 1280 Southeast Blvd, Salem 44460 51 low-income homes · 2 bd: 31 · 3 bd: 20 · In service since 1998
  • Lincoln Place III 1378 S Lincoln Ave, Salem 44460 48 low-income homes · In service since 1993 · For older adults (330) 332-4969
  • Salem Senior Housing 968 W Perry St, Salem 44460 48 low-income homes · 2 bd: 48 · In service since 2006 · For people with disabilities
  • Salem Acres -403 1133 Prospect St, Salem 44460 45 low-income homes · For families (330) 332-8627

See all 19 buildings in Columbiana County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Salem

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Columbiana County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A grandmother pushes her grandson on a playground swing.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Salem

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Salem or Columbiana County. The ones below are statewide in Ohio: they work in Salem the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Ohio

  • Your Choice! Down Payment Assistance

    Statewide in Ohio

    Ohio state agency help of 2.5% or 5% of the price for the down payment, closing costs or other costs before closing, forgiven after seven years; if you sell sooner, you repay all of it. Offered by Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • Mortgage Tax Credit

    Statewide in Ohio

    Ohio state agency certificate that turns part of your mortgage interest into a credit on your federal tax return, up to $2,000 a year: 40% with an OHFA mortgage (MTC Plus) or 15% to 20% with another mortgage (MTC Basic). Offered by Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA).

    Tax credit

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Salem

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Salem, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp.

    820 Canfield Rd, Youngstown · 14 miles away

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • Homebuyer education workshops
    (330) 480-0423

  • Catholic Charities Regional Agency

    319 W Rayen Ave, Youngstown · 17 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (330) 744-3320

  • Apprisen - Warren

    1601 Motor Inn Dr, Girard · 20 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (800) 355-2227

All counseling agencies in Ohio

Help in Spanish near Salem

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Salem

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Columbiana County is named for Salem or Columbiana County.

One other authority has an office in Columbiana County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Columbiana County

These cities are also in Columbiana County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Columbiana County Housing in Ohio

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Salem, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Columbiana County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Salem.

All guides
A mother holds hands with her two daughters on the beach at sunset.

Questions

Housing questions about Salem

Short answers with the numbers for Salem and all of Columbiana County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Salem?

The typical home value in Salem is $119,400, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Columbiana County it is $151,600.

How much does it cost to rent in Salem?

Typical rent in Salem is $763 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Columbiana County is $1,003.

What is the FHA loan limit in Salem?

Salem uses the FHA limit for all of Columbiana County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Salem?

The typical homeowner in Salem pays $1,343 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.12% of the home’s value; in Columbiana County, the rate is 1.01%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Salem?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Columbiana County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).