United States › New Jersey › Salem CITY
Salem New Jersey · 5,389 residents (2025 est.) · 2.34 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 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Salem is home to 5,322 people in New Jersey. Owners hold 35% of the housing stock. Households here earn about 63% less than in New Jersey as a whole. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Median home value sits at $79,800. The poverty rate is 24.8%, above the 12.5% national rate.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 41%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 5,857 in 2000
5,389 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
2,270 / sq mi
−7%since 2009
from 2,442 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 33.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 5K 6K 6K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Salem Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $38,721
−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $25,846 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,559 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 26.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.490 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 6.2%
Education & health services 5.5%
Transportation & warehousing 3.1%
Public administration 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
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$79,800
−41%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $74,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,075
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $444 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 41.0% in 2000
65.3% rent
from 20.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.22 people
−10%since 2009
from 2.48 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 38.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 57.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.3 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.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 35.9%(2,101)
Hispanic / Latino 4.9%(286)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 29.1%(1,548)
Hispanic / Latino 8.7%(462)
from 63 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 10 more ancestry groups with data from 7.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 67.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 1.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 67.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 24.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 30.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 58.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 64.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 19.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 19.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 10.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 56.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 78.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 83.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Women 15+
Never married 46.1%(1,030)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 10.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 28.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 26.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 54.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 35.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 73.0% 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) 2.5%(5)
Share of the 203 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
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Salem, New Jersey? Salem, New Jersey has about 5,322 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Salem, New Jersey? The typical household in Salem, New Jersey earns about $38,721 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Salem, New Jersey expensive? In Salem, New Jersey, the median home is worth about $79,800, and the typical rent is about $1,075 a month.
How educated are people in Salem, New Jersey? About 15.0% of adults age 25 and over in Salem, New Jersey hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Salem, New Jersey? About 24.8% of people in Salem, New Jersey live below the federal poverty line.
Has Salem, New Jersey grown since 1990? Yes, Salem, New Jersey has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,561 residents, a change of about -23 percent over that period.
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