Salem is a city in Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. The population was 11,915 at the 2020 census. It was founded by Quakers in 1806 and was a center of abolitionist activity as well as a station on the Underground Railroad. It is the principal city of the Salem micropolitan area, which comprises Columbiana County; a small portion of the city extends into Mahoning County. The city is home to Allegheny Wesleyan College and Kent State University at Salem.