United States › North Carolina › Salem CITY · 2020 ACS
Salem North Carolina · 2,356 residents · 4.29 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Salem is home to 2,356 people in North Carolina. At a median age of 46.1, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 25.8% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Owners hold 75% of the housing stock. 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Median home value sits at $128,800.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 46.1
US median: 38.8
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
More affordable
home values down 6%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 27.7 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
1K 2K 2K 3K 3K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Salem Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $50,469
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,050 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $14,506 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 10.7% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Professional, scientific, technical 2%
Public administration 1.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Education & health services 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
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$128,800
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $91,300 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$594
−15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $464 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 74.9% in 2000
24.7% rent
2.06 people
−16%since 2009
from 2.46 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 83.2%(1,960)
Hispanic / Latino 7.9%(187)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 11.7% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 75.1% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 2.5% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 81.0% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 18.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 59.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 41.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 14.1% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.1% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 0%(0)
Gulf War (1990s) 37.6%(56)
Share of the 149 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Salem Head to head
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Salem, North Carolina? Salem, North Carolina has about 2,356 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Salem, North Carolina? The typical household in Salem, North Carolina earns about $50,469 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 $128,800, and the typical rent is about $594 a month.
How educated are people in Salem, North Carolina? About 22.0% 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 25.8% of people in Salem, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Salem, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Salem, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1 residents, a change of about 0 percent over that period.
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