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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Salem

Oregon · 136,924 residents · 48.9 sq mi
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The short version

Salem is home to 136,924 people in Oregon. Growth has run 27% since 1990, or 29,138 more people. 57% of homes are owner-occupied. Median household income is $38,881, close to the national figure. Home values have more than doubled since 1990, reaching $126,300. 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 33.6
US median: 35.2
Average education
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Less affordable
home values up 59%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

136,924
+27%since 1990
from 107,786 in 1990
1990 – 2025
33.6
+1%since 1990
from 33.4 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
48.9 sq mi
Population, 19902024
101K122K143K165K186K19902000201020202024Salem
2024179K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 57.4%(10,190)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97%(9,620)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.8%(9,244)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197.4%(10,159)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 248.2%(11,252)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3415.1%(20,659)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415%(20,539)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5413.3%(18,252)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 647.3%(9,970)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 745.5%(7,541)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844.9%(6,653)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over2.1%(2,845)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$38,881
+17%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $25,236 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$19,141
+51%since 1990
from $12,641 in 1990
US average: $21,522
15.0%
+0.5 ptssince 1990
from 14.5% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$126,300
+59%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $60,200 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$560
+10%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $387 in 1990
US average: $602
57.1%
+2.4 ptssince 1990
from 54.7% in 1990
42.9% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic91.2%(98,343)
Black1.4%(1,497)
Hispanic / Latino5.8%(6,207)
Asian2.4%(2,634)
2000
White, non-Hispanic77.7%(106,331)
Black1.2%(1,621)
Hispanic / Latino14.6%(19,973)
Asian2.4%(3,268)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

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)
Section 05

Education

24.1%
+2.4 ptssince 1990
from 21.7% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
81.5%
Unchangedsince 1990
from 81.5% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
8.8%
+0.9 ptssince 1990
from 7.9% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

15.4 min
−12%since 1990
from 17.5 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married31.4%(16,842)
Married53.4%(28,673)
Widowed2.7%(1,450)
Divorced12.5%(6,704)
Women 15+
Never married22.9%(12,367)
Married52.3%(28,228)
Widowed10.4%(5,601)
Divorced14.4%(7,783)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

7.4%
−9.6 ptssince 2013
from 17.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
51.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 52.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
11.8%
−2.2 ptssince 2020
from 14.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
17.6%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 16.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
28.8%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 27.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.8%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
62.5%
−2.0 ptssince 2020
from 64.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
43.3%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 42.0% 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)25%(2,189)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)23%(2,016)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era30%(2,627)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.3%(375)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1%(86)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 8,759 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Salem, Oregon?

Salem, Oregon has about 136,924 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Salem, Oregon?

The typical household in Salem, Oregon earns about $38,881 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 $126,300, and the typical rent is about $560 a month.

How educated are people in Salem, Oregon?

About 24.1% 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 15.0% 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 29,138 residents, a change of about 27 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 →