United States › North Carolina › Salem CITY · 2010 ACS
Salem North Carolina · 2,218 residents · 4.29 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
With 2,218 people, Salem is a city in North Carolina. At a median age of 44.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 77% of homes are owner-occupied. 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Median home value sits at $118,000. There are 705 fewer people here than in 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 44.3
US median: 37.2
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 27.7 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
1K 2K 2K 3K 3K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Salem Age distribution, 2010
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $41,594
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,050 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $14,506 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 10.7% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Public administration 1.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 1%
Education & health services 1%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$118,000
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $91,300 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$606
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $464 in 2000
US average: $853
from 74.9% in 2000
22.7% rent
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 2.46 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 50.6% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 2.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 78.5%(2,296)
Hispanic / Latino 2.2%(64)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 92.5%(2,052)
Hispanic / Latino 4.2%(94)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 11.7% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 75.1% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 2.5% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.9 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 81.0% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 22.7% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 41.5% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 14.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 46.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 44.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 16.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 8.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 53.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 56.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 10%(23)
Share of the 230 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Salem Head to head
Compare Salem to nearby cities SALEM VS
Morganton
Income $51,355 +23%
Home value $221,700 +88%
Population 17,849 +651%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SALEM VS
Lenoir
Income $49,910 +20%
Home value $179,400 +52%
Population 18,372 +673%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SALEM VS
Hickory
Income $64,576 +55%
Home value $278,400 +136%
Population 45,975 +1834%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SALEM VS
St. Stephens
Income $60,394 +45%
Home value $213,300 +81%
Population 9,457 +298%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Salem, North Carolina? Salem, North Carolina has about 2,218 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Salem, North Carolina? The typical household in Salem, North Carolina earns about $41,594 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Salem, North Carolina expensive? In Salem, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $118,000, and the typical rent is about $606 a month.
How educated are people in Salem, North Carolina? About 17.7% of adults age 25 and over in Salem, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Salem, North Carolina? About 12.0% of people in Salem, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Salem, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Salem, North Carolina has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 137 residents, a change of about -6 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 