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CITY

Salem

Oregon · 181,779 residents (2025 est.) · 48.931 sq mi
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#147Largest by populationof 4,896181,779
The short version

Salem has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $75,487. Population has grown 31% since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $416,900.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.0
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 81%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
178,865
+31%since 2000
from 136,924 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
3,655 / sq mi
+18%since 2009
from 3,094 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
36.0
+7%since 2000
from 33.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:181,779 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
101K122K143K165K186K1990201020202024Salem
2024179K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.8%(10,366)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.6%(11,783)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.3%(11,292)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.1%(12,750)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.8%(12,178)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3416%(28,638)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.9%(24,781)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.3%(20,286)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410.4%(18,610)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.1%(16,240)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.8%(8,561)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.9%(3,380)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$75,487
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,881 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$38,066
+99%since 2000
from $19,141 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
50.3%
+25.8 ptssince 2009
from 24.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
14.4%
−0.6 ptssince 2000
from 15.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.442
+3%since 2010
from 0.430 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade7.9%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade6.9%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services5.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance3.5%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration3.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction3.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Professional, scientific, technical3%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$416,900
+81%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $126,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,400
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $560 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
55.9%
−1.2 ptssince 2000
from 57.1% in 2000
44.1% rent
Vacancy rate
4.9%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
24.0%
−10.2 ptssince 2009
from 34.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
53.5%
+3.8 ptssince 2009
from 49.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
5.5
+27%since 2009
from 4.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
70
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Salem on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic77.7%(106,331)
Black1.2%(1,621)
Hispanic / Latino14.6%(19,973)
Asian2.4%(3,268)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic61.3%(109,605)
Black1.6%(2,781)
Hispanic / Latino25.4%(45,440)
Asian3.6%(6,377)
Other8.2%(14,662)
Diversity Score
69
+30%since 2009
from 53 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican22.3%(39,942)
Central American1.1%(1,983)
Salvadoran0.5%(877)
Puerto Rican0.4%(769)
Guatemalan0.4%(694)
Spaniard0.4%(627)
Honduran0.2%(286)
Colombian0.1%(217)
Cuban0.1%(189)
Dominican0.1%(147)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese0.8%(1,462)
Filipino0.7%(1,168)
Asian Indian0.6%(1,053)
Vietnamese0.5%(891)
Korean0.3%(506)
Japanese0.2%(439)
Cambodian0.1%(177)
Nepalese0.1%(153)
Thai0%(55)
Laotian0%(36)
Kazakh0%(30)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Mien0%(16)
Uzbek0%(9)
Pacific Islander origin
Marshallese0.5%(943)
Samoan0.2%(310)
Chuukese0.1%(212)
Chamorro0.1%(193)
Guamanian0%(32)
Ancestry
German15.6%(27,845)
English12.6%(22,595)
Irish8.2%(14,591)
American3.6%(6,499)
Italian2.7%(4,883)
Norwegian2.7%(4,775)
Scottish2.7%(4,763)
French2.5%(4,471)
Swedish1.8%(3,224)
Dutch1.6%(2,776)
Polish1.4%(2,444)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(1,526)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.8%(1,490)
Danish0.8%(1,432)
Welsh0.7%(1,304)
Ukrainian0.6%(1,115)
British0.5%(971)
Portuguese0.5%(855)
Swiss0.4%(669)
Austrian0.3%(605)
Canadian0.2%(397)
Finnish0.2%(390)
Romanian0.2%(387)
Greek0.2%(352)
Hungarian0.2%(352)
Czech0.2%(327)
Belgian0.1%(266)
Lithuanian0.1%(236)
Arab0.1%(230)
Ethiopian0.1%(158)
Brazilian0.1%(112)
Slovak0.1%(111)
Iranian0.1%(92)
Turkish0%(86)
Syrian0%(82)
Serbian0%(74)
Bulgarian0%(61)
Nigerian0%(61)
Croatian0%(45)
Israeli0%(45)
Lebanese0%(44)
Latvian0%(44)
Jamaican0%(38)
Armenian0%(27)
Somali0%(21)
Kenyan0%(15)
Haitian0%(15)
Ghanaian0%(14)
Egyptian0%(11)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
31.5%
+7.4 ptssince 2000
from 24.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
88.3%
+6.7 ptssince 2000
from 81.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
12.5%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 8.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.0 min
+43%since 2000
from 15.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
65.3%
−8.3 ptssince 2009
from 73.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.4%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.6%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
15.8%
+12.0 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
1.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.8%
−5.0 ptssince 2011
from 10.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
61.8%
−0.5 ptssince 2011
from 62.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
17.7%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 16.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
40.2%
−23.3 ptssince 2009
from 63.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.3%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 50.8% in 2009
Female
49.7%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 49.2% in 2009
Foreign born
12.8%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.4%
−44.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.6%
+1.7 ptssince 2012
from 13.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.4%
−75.6 ptssince 2013
from 83.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
92.3%
+9.5 ptssince 2017
from 82.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
76.5%
−2.4 ptssince 2016
from 78.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
17.3%
+1.1 ptssince 2016
from 16.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married41.2%(29,991)
Married45.7%(33,231)
Widowed2.6%(1,918)
Divorced10.5%(7,655)
Women 15+
Never married31.7%(23,048)
Married43.9%(31,901)
Widowed8.3%(5,998)
Divorced16.1%(11,682)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Explore

Neighborhoods in Salem

Faye WrightMorningsideNorth East SalemNorthgateSouth GatewaySoutheast Mill CreekWest SalemNeighborhoods in Salem
Drill deeper

Places similar to Salem

Spring Valley
Pop 219,187
Fort Lauderdale
Pop 188,677
Grand Rapids
Pop 201,183
Palm Bay
Pop 148,092
Places similar to Salem
Head to head

Compare Salem to nearby cities

SALEM VS
Four Corners
Income$69,669−8%
Home value$340,200−18%
Population16,275−91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SALEM VS
Hayesville
Income$58,624−22%
Home value$365,400−12%
Population21,246−88%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SALEM VS
Keizer
Income$84,813+12%
Home value$434,100+4%
Population39,140−78%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SALEM VS
Independence
Income$85,375+13%
Home value$378,800−9%
Population10,195−94%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Salem, Oregon?

Salem, Oregon has about 178,865 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Salem, Oregon?

The typical household in Salem, Oregon earns about $75,487 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Salem, Oregon expensive?

In Salem, Oregon, the median home is worth about $416,900, and the typical rent is about $1,400 a month.

How educated are people in Salem, Oregon?

About 31.5% of adults age 25 and over in Salem, Oregon hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Salem, Oregon?

About 14.4% of people in Salem, Oregon live below the federal poverty line.

Has Salem, Oregon grown since 1990?

Yes, Salem, Oregon has grown since 1990. The population has added about 71,079 residents, a change of about 66 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →