Salem receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Salem
Fremont
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 20%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
11 · Bottom 2%
vs8 · Bottom 1%
Climate
63 · Bottom 25%
vs68 · Bottom 41%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs76 · Top 29%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 15%
vs96 · Top 17%
Schools
46 · Bottom 42%
vs29 · Bottom 21%
Access
89 · Bottom 40%
vs81 · Bottom 23%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 13%
vs36 · Bottom 13%
Measured values
| Metric | Salem | Fremont | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,758 | 15,835 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,073 | $47,024 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,259 | $26,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,828/sq mi | 1,858/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $119,400 | $117,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $763 | $775 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.3% | 57.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.8% | 15.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.3% | 22.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.2" | 34.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 39 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 20.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.0 | 36.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.59 | 16.21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 59.6% | 43.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 56.7% | 46.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 52.4% | 98.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Salem
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Fremont
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind.
Full profiles: Salem, OH · Fremont, OH · How this is calculated: methodology