United States › West Virginia › Salem CITY · 2000 CENSUS
Salem West Virginia · 2,006 residents · 1.34 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 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 2024 ACS
The short version
Salem is home to 2,006 people in West Virginia. 34.8% of locals live below the federal poverty line. That trails the West Virginia median by roughly 44%. Median home value sits at $43,200. The median household earns $16,577, about 61% below the national median. The median age is 30.6, younger than the US median of 35.2.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 30.6
US median: 35.2
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01
Population & growth from 30.5 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
1K 2K 2K 2K 2K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Salem Age distribution, 2000
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $16,577
−5%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $13,214 in 1990
US average: $42,589
from $6,970 in 1990
US average: $21,522
from 33.1% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
$43,200
+2%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $32,300 in 1990
US average: $120,530
$296
−8%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $243 in 1990
US average: $602
from 55.6% in 1990
46.6% rent
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 1990
White, non-Hispanic 96.2%(1,985)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(26)
2000
White, non-Hispanic 87%(1,746)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.
Ancestry
+ 11 more ancestry groups with data from 14.7% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
from 62.3% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
from 5.2% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 20.4 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
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 18.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 52.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 5.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 14.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 21.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 57.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 34.8% 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) 46.8%(29)
Gulf War (1990s) 53.2%(33)
Share of the 62 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
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Salem, West Virginia? Salem, West Virginia has about 2,006 residents according to the 2000 Census.
What is the median household income in Salem, West Virginia? The typical household in Salem, West Virginia earns about $16,577 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Salem, West Virginia expensive? In Salem, West Virginia, the median home is worth about $43,200, and the typical rent is about $296 a month.
How educated are people in Salem, West Virginia? About 18.3% of adults age 25 and over in Salem, West Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Salem, West Virginia? About 34.8% of people in Salem, West Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Salem, West Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Salem, West Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 57 residents, a change of about -3 percent over that period.
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