Founded by Quakers in the early 1800s, Salem is a small city of about 12,000 people in northeast Ohio. Its claims to fame include the renowned American painter Charles Burchfield and Alan Freed, the DJ who coined the term ‘rock and roll.’ Locally, it’s known as Ohio’s ‘Little Big City,’ a tagline adopted by the city’s tourism board. “I love that because it has everything there that you need, but it doesn’t feel like you’re in a big city,” says lifelong resident and Realtor Kate Oesch. “It’s such a freestanding community. There’s no passing through – you know when you’re in Salem. There are areas of town that still look like a Norman Rockwell painting.”
Salem's city slogan is "Little Big City", as this city has everything residents need with a small town feel.
Salem residents can find local shopping, dining and entertainment options in the walkable downtown district.
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Historic architecture and Salem’s Community Reinvestment Act
“Most of our housing inventory is over 30 years old,” Oesch says. “We have a lot of homes that are turn-of-the-century from the early 1900s, which lends itself to some wonderful architecture and beautiful details but also leads to a lack of energy efficiency, old windows, updates that need to be made. We’d love to have some more new construction.” Salem’s architecture ranges from historic American Foursquare, Tudor and Colonial Revival homes to midcentury ranch-style and split-level homes. According to Oesch, the city’s average sales price is $175,000, and homes priced over $400,000 will take longer to sell as there is less demand for homes at that price point. There are vacant lots for sale in Salem, and the city aims to incentivize new construction. “Within the last two years, the city pushed through with the state a Community Reinvestment Act,” Oesch says. “If you build a home in the city of Salem, there’s a 15-year tax abatement, so the incentive to build in our area is wonderful. For 15 years, the owner only pays real estate taxes on the land.”
Salem has houses that date back as far as the 1830's that give the city a historic touch.
The Salem State Theatre was built in 1922, opening its doors on Thanksgiving day as a movie house.
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Centennial Park, Salem Community Center and the Burchfield Homestead
Salem has over 375 acres of park land and water. The 26-acre Centennial Park is the city’s oldest park, with tennis and basketball courts, baseball fields, disc golf and an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The Salem Community Center (SCC) is a nonprofit rec center with basketball courts, indoor soccer and an indoor pool. “They host a lot of sports tournaments, and they have a Designer Handbag Bingo they do every year that brings in hundreds of attendees,” Oesch says. The event features handbags from designers like Michael Kors, Coach and Kate Spade and raises funds for the SCC Children’s Fitness Center. The famous painter Charles Burchfield grew up in Salem, and those interested in learning about his life can visit the Burchfield Homestead, his childhood home that now operates as a museum.
The Salem Community Center offers a variety of programs and community events for all ages.
Centennial Park, in Salem, encompasses 26 acres of land and includes multiple sport courts, a disc golf course and a playground.
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Salem City School District, Allegheny Wesleyan College and Kent State University at Salem
Salem City School District gets a B-minus rating from Niche, and Salem High School gets a B. “Friday night football games draw in a bunch of people,” Oesch says. “Our football stadium is very nice. That’s a big community event. My boys played football, and I’ll go to games and see people whose kids are all grown up, but they keep going back to the games just to be involved in the community.” The city’s only private school is St. Paul School, a Catholic school for preschool through eighth-grade students. Allegheny Wesleyan College, a private Methodist liberal arts university, is located in Salem. Kent State University has a campus in Salem, which, combined with its East Liverpool campus, offers more than 20 degrees and enrolls over 3,500 students each year.
Kent State University, Salem Campus, brings nationally recognized higher education to Salem.
Salem High School, boasts a score of B on Niche and is ranked as the number 23 best school in the Youngstown area.
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Downtown Salem Partnership and the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area
“Downtown Salem Partnership does a wonderful job of bringing business to the community,” Oesch says. “They have a farmers market on Broadway from the spring through fall. Vendors come in and sell flowers, produce and honey. You can walk downtown, get a cup of coffee at LiB’s, check out the farmers market, walk around a little bit and get lunch at Heggy’s.” LiB’s is a local coffee shop that also sells breakfast, and Heggy’s is a diner known for its homemade chocolates. She notes that Mike’s Penn Grille is also a community staple, serving seafood and steak in a casual dining room. On Thursdays through Saturdays, downtown Salem is a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, meaning patrons can walk around with open alcohol containers during downtown events or on regular weekends.
Downtown Salem is a hotbed of activity, thanks to small businesses and the Downtown Salem Partnership.
Downtown Salem is a "Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area", also known as DORA.
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National Weather Service and the Salem Police Department
The Pittsburgh office of the National Weather Service records weather events for Salem and the surrounding region. Since 2020, it has reported tornadoes, wind, hail, heavy snow, flooding, cold fronts and freezing rain. FBI data shows that the Salem Police Department has seen a steady decrease in property crime since 2018, while its violent crime rate has remained about the same. “People love the low crime rates,” Oesch says. “I personally feel safe walking anywhere in Salem at any hour.”
U.S. Route 62, Community Action Rural Transit System and Akron-Canton Airport
Salem is 44 miles southeast of Akron, 67 miles northwest of Pittsburgh and 68 miles southeast of Cleveland. U.S. Route 62 runs through Salem, connecting it to other major thoroughfares. “Salem, compared to some neighboring communities, is one of those where you still can walk to school or the grocery store,” Oesch says. “Compared to Canfield or Poland, where you can’t get across Route 224 without risking your life.” Columbiana County’s Community Action Rural Transit System provides door-to-door transit services that must be scheduled 24 hours in advance. Salem’s closest airport is Akron-Canton Airport, which is 32 miles west in Akron and provides nonstop passenger services to 20 destinations.
Second Saturdays and the Salem Super Cruise
Every month, downtown Salem hosts Second Saturdays, a day to shop from local businesses and explore pop-up events. “Each month has a theme,” Oesch says. “They have a superhero-themed Second Saturday and an art-themed Second Saturday. Alan Freed is from Salem, Ohio, and he was given credit for coining the term ‘rock and roll.’ Freed Fest is held on one of their Second Saturdays.” Freed Fest includes live music throughout downtown, a Rock ‘n’ Stroll bar crawl and falls on the weekend of Salem High School’s all-class reunion. Salem’s signature event is the Salem Super Cruise, a four-day car show at the beginning of June. “That brings in at least $1 million in revenue just for that weekend with all the consumers coming in,” Oesch says.
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On average, homes in Salem, OH sell after 43 days on the market compared to the national average of 50 days. The median sale price for homes in Salem, OH over the last 12 months is $180,500, up 10% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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