Urbana is a city in Champaign County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located about 34 miles (55 km) northeast of Dayton and 41 miles (66 km) west of Columbus. The population was 11,115 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Urbana micropolitan area. Urbana was laid out in 1805, and for a time in 1812 was the headquarters of the Northwestern army during the War of 1812. It is the burial place of the explorer and soldier Simon Kenton. The city was home to Urbana University and Curry Normal and Industrial Institute, a school for African American students.