Township · Ohio
Salem Township, Ottawa County, Ohio
Salem Township, Ottawa County, township, in Ottawa County, Ohio. Salem Township, Ottawa County had 5,210 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,311 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,267 (±26). GEOID 3912369946.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,210
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,311 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,267 ±26
Median household income
$61,962
±$15,446 (90% margin)
Ohio: $71,389
Median home value
$167,600
±$10,650 (90% margin)
Ohio: $214,800
Median gross rent
$831
±$81 (90% margin)
Ohio: $1,034
Where is Salem Township, Ottawa County and what county is it in?
Salem Township, Ottawa County is a township in Ottawa County, Ohio. It covers 29.0 square miles of land, 183 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Salem Township (Ottawa County): Oak Harbor (village, 2,821 in 2020).
Salem Township, Ottawa County is in the Sandusky, OH metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Salem Township, Ottawa County, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,210 people lived in Salem Township, Ottawa County on July 1, 2025, down 2.0% since 2020, while Ohio grew 0.9%. The 2020 Census counted 5,311 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,267 (±26).
| Measure | Salem Township, Ottawa County | Ottawa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,267±26 | 39,994 | no clear change |
| Households | 2,370±159 | 18,504 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.19±0.14 | 2.13 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,469±173 | 28,911 | no clear change |
Salem Township, Ottawa County's population since 2000
From 5,517 in 2000 to 5,210 in 2025: down 5.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Salem Township, Ottawa County as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Salem Township, Ottawa County?
The median resident of Salem Township, Ottawa County is 39.7 years old; 23.9% are under 18 and 22.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 88.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 10.4%.
| Measure | Salem Township, Ottawa County | Ottawa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7±7.6 | 50.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.9%±4.3 pts | 17.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.4%±3.6 pts | 27.7% | – |
| Male | 48.5%±4.2 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 10.4%±4.4 pts | 5.3% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 88.0%±4.9 pts | 90.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.3%±1.5 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.3%±0.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.5%±1.8 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.8%±2.3 pts | 7.9% | – |
| With a disability | 18.6%±3.9 pts | 15.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.3%±2.6 pts | 3.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.3%±2.2 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.9%±5.3 pts | 29.5% | +6.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.2%±2.9 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.8%±3.4 pts | 91.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0%±0.7 pts | 1.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Salem Township, Ottawa County earn?
Half of Salem Township, Ottawa County's 2,370 households earn less than $61,962 a year (±$15,446), against $76,101 in Ottawa County and $71,389 in Ohio. In 2015-2019 it was $59,311 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 4.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Salem Township, Ottawa County | Ottawa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,962±$15,446 | $76,101 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $80,866±$7,611 | $104,812 | – |
| Per capita income | $35,235±$2,797 | $49,306 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 4.2%±1.8 pts | 8.4% | −8.0 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.8%±1.3 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.6%±5.6 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.7%±4.7 pts | 94.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.6%±4.6 pts | 87.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Salem Township, Ottawa County?
Owners occupy 80.3% of Salem Township, Ottawa County's occupied homes and renters 19.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $167,600 by its owner (±$10,650). The median renter pays $831 a month including utilities, and 39.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Salem Township, Ottawa County | Ottawa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $167,600±$10,650 | $219,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $831±$81 | $930 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.9%±15.7 pts | 33.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,391±$90 | $1,459 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 80.3%±5.6 pts | 83.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 19.7%±5.6 pts | 16.4% | – |
| Housing units | 2,469±173 | 28,911 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±1.9 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±7.7 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 81.6%±5.1 pts | 72.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.7%±2.5 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.6%±1.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.5%±1.4 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 29.0%±7.0 pts | 18.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.8%±2.5 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Salem Township, Ottawa County work and get to work?
83.4% of Salem Township, Ottawa County's workers drive alone and 7.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.0 minutes.
| Measure | Salem Township, Ottawa County | Ottawa County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.6%±5.2 pts | 57.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.4%±1.1 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.4%±5.4 pts | 81.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.7%±3.5 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±1.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 0.5%±0.8 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.7%±3.8 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.0 min±4.9 | 24.8 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Salem Township, Ottawa County?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Salem Township, Ottawa County (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $44,937 (Tract 507) to $80,527 (Tract 508).
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Salem Township, Ottawa County) · Census block assignment files
How does Salem Township, Ottawa County compare with other places in Ohio?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Salem Township, Ottawa County is the 2,228th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 261st-most populous of 1,311 in Ohio.
Salem Township, Ottawa County ranks 1,214th of 1,699 places in Ohio with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 261st | 1,311 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,308th | 1,589 |
| Residents per square mile | 943rd | 1,734 |
| Median household income | 1,214th | 1,699 |
| Per capita income | 944th | 1,729 |
| Median home value | 1,132nd | 1,707 |
| Median gross rent | 1,002nd | 1,453 |
| Poverty rate | 1,029th | 1,116 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 594th | 1,613 |
| Median age | 1,131st | 1,727 |
| Owner-occupied share | 835th | 1,732 |
| Work from home | 727th | 990 |
| Travel time to work | 784th | 1,731 |
Salem Township, Ottawa County's figures with every place in Ohio (CSV)
Every place in Ohio, sortable · Compare Salem Township, Ottawa County with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Salem Township, Ottawa County?
19 of the 57 figures for Salem Township, Ottawa County on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Salem Township, Ottawa County are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.