United States › West Virginia › Salem CITY · 2020 ACS
Salem West Virginia · 1,529 residents · 1.34 sq mi
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The short version
Salem is home to 1,529 people in West Virginia. Median home value sits at $56,400. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. The foreign-born share is 2%. The median age is 34.7, younger than the US median of 38.8. Renters pay $576 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 34.7
US median: 38.8
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
More affordable
home values down 13%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 30.6 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
1K 2K 2K 2K 2K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Salem Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $40,114
+61%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $16,577 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $11,188 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 34.8% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 6.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.7%
Education & health services 1.4%
Transportation & warehousing 0.5%
Public administration 0.3%
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$56,400
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,200 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$576
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $296 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 53.4% in 2000
38.7% rent
2.58 people
+15%since 2009
from 2.24 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.4 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 87%(1,746)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 87.6%(1,339)
Hispanic / Latino 3.4%(52)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data from 18.3% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 69.5% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 8.1% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 66.7% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.7% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 53.4% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 18.1% 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 18.1% 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) 25.4%(18)
Gulf War (1990s) 25.4%(18)
Share of the 71 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
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 1,529 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Salem, West Virginia? The typical household in Salem, West Virginia earns about $40,114 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 $56,400, and the typical rent is about $576 a month.
How educated are people in Salem, West Virginia? About 20.7% 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 18.4% 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 534 residents, a change of about -26 percent over that period.
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