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METRO AREA

Salem Metro

Salem, OR · 2 counties · 445,814 residents (2025 est.) · 1,922 sq mi
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The short version

Salem is a metro area of 438,906 people. That puts it in the top 4% of US metro areas for household income. The population is up 26% since 2000. 27% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $424,224. Median household income is $78,938, close to the national figure.

At a glance
Average income
median household income $78,938, near the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 37.6
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 77%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Salem

What changed most since 1990

  • Median home value (2024 dollars)$145,587 → $424,224 (+191%)US over the same years: +67%
  • Hispanic share7.3% → 26.2% (+19.0 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
  • White share88.7% → 63.4% (−25.4 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts

Among the 20 metro and micro areas based in Oregon

  • 4th in household income$78,938
  • 9th in share with a bachelor's degree27.1%
  • 8th in home value$424,224
  • 3rd in diversity score64.7
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
438,906
+26%since 2000
from 347,214 in 2000
445,814 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
228 / sq mi
+26%since 2000
from 181 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
37.6
+10%since 2000
from 34.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
1,922 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
262K310K358K407K455K19902000201020202024Salem
2024439K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.7%(25,130)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.5%(28,403)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.7%(29,341)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.1%(31,321)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.9%(30,440)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.8%(60,540)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.1%(57,510)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.6%(50,788)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.4%(49,993)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.2%(44,672)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845%(21,810)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2%(8,958)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$78,938
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,673 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$37,986
+105%since 2000
from $18,565 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
52.2%
+25.2 ptssince 2009
from 27.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
13.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2000
from 13.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.439
+5%since 2010
from 0.420 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade9.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade8.9%
US avg: 6.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction4.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Other services4.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance3.7%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration3.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical3.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$424,224
+77%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $131,305 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,391
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $572 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
62.8%
−1.1 ptssince 2000
from 63.9% in 2000
37.2% rent
Vacancy rate
4.4%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.66 people
−1%since 2009
from 2.70 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
24.7%
−8.3 ptssince 2009
from 32.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
51.1%
+3.3 ptssince 2009
from 47.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
5.4
+26%since 2009
from 4.3 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
71
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic78.1%(271,274)
Black0.7%(2,503)
Hispanic / Latino15.6%(54,194)
Asian1.6%(5,576)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic63.4%(278,184)
Black1.1%(4,675)
Hispanic / Latino26.2%(115,154)
Asian1.9%(8,548)
Other7.4%(32,345)
Diversity Score
65
+25%since 2009
from 52 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
30
−14%since 2020
from 34 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican22.9%(100,418)
Central American1.2%(5,166)
Guatemalan0.6%(2,576)
Salvadoran0.4%(1,665)
Spaniard0.4%(1,587)
South American0.4%(1,572)
Puerto Rican0.3%(1,483)
Cuban0.2%(715)
Colombian0.1%(616)
Peruvian0.1%(554)
Honduran0.1%(398)
Panamanian0.1%(261)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Dominican0.1%(258)
Venezuelan0%(166)
Chilean0%(149)
Nicaraguan0%(130)
Argentine0%(43)
Bolivian0%(18)
Uruguayan0%(10)
Asian origin
Chinese0.5%(2,101)
Filipino0.4%(1,601)
Asian Indian0.3%(1,312)
Vietnamese0.2%(995)
Korean0.2%(796)
Japanese0.1%(647)
Nepalese0%(201)
Cambodian0.1%(187)
Thai0%(138)
Laotian0%(93)
Kazakh0%(38)
+ 4 more asian origin groups with data
Mien0%(22)
Hmong0%(16)
Uzbek0%(9)
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0.3%(1,171)
Marshallese0.3%(1,105)
Chamorro0.1%(454)
Samoan0.1%(325)
Chuukese0.1%(285)
Tongan0%(96)
Guamanian0%(36)
Fijian0%(23)
Ancestry
German16.5%(72,323)
English12.4%(54,335)
Irish8.9%(39,082)
American3.6%(15,883)
Norwegian2.9%(12,592)
Scottish2.7%(12,003)
Italian2.7%(11,765)
French2.3%(10,172)
Swedish1.7%(7,599)
Dutch1.5%(6,400)
Polish1.4%(6,123)
Russian1%(4,594)
+ 47 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.9%(3,805)
Danish0.7%(3,110)
Swiss0.6%(2,724)
Welsh0.5%(2,238)
Ukrainian0.5%(2,083)
British0.5%(2,053)
French Canadian0.4%(1,956)
Portuguese0.4%(1,677)
Czech0.3%(1,201)
Greek0.3%(1,201)
Canadian0.2%(1,065)
Austrian0.2%(1,040)
Finnish0.2%(915)
Hungarian0.2%(676)
Romanian0.1%(607)
Arab0.1%(546)
Lithuanian0.1%(521)
Belgian0.1%(437)
Slovak0.1%(255)
Croatian0.1%(250)
Iranian0.1%(233)
Brazilian0%(211)
Lebanese0%(185)
Somali0.1%(183)
Nigerian0%(182)
Ethiopian0%(177)
Serbian0%(146)
Australian0%(125)
Armenian0%(116)
Turkish0%(112)
Syrian0%(106)
Bulgarian0%(88)
Latvian0%(74)
Israeli0%(63)
Jamaican0%(46)
Jordanian0%(30)
Iraqi0%(28)
Egyptian0%(20)
Slovene0%(18)
Haitian0%(17)
Kenyan0%(15)
Ghanaian0%(14)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
27.1%
+6.3 ptssince 2000
from 20.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
87.2%
+6.8 ptssince 2000
from 80.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
9.7%
+2.6 ptssince 2000
from 7.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.4 min
+51%since 2000
from 16.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
69.4%
−3.6 ptssince 2009
from 73.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.3%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 15.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.1%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
13.7%
+8.6 ptssince 2009
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.7%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.6%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.4%
−5.6 ptssince 2011
from 11.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
61.6%
−1.1 ptssince 2011
from 62.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
74.2%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 72.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
16.4%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
36.7%
+6.4 ptssince 2009
from 30.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 50.2% in 2009
Female
50.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
Foreign born
12.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.6%
−4.3 ptssince 2009
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.1%
+2.1 ptssince 2012
from 14.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.8%
−9.3 ptssince 2013
from 17.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
91.5%
+10.3 ptssince 2017
from 81.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.1%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 94.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
86.8%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 85.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
77.2%
Unchangedsince 2016
from 77.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
18.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2016
from 18.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married36.8%(65,154)
Married50.4%(89,356)
Widowed2.9%(5,121)
Divorced9.9%(17,490)
Women 15+
Never married29.8%(53,231)
Married48.1%(86,106)
Widowed8.1%(14,425)
Divorced14.1%(25,149)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
7.8%
−9.3 ptssince 2013
from 17.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
51.3%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 52.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.5%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 13.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
18.6%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 17.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
27.5%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 26.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
62.6%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 64.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
43.6%
+1.6 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)23.2%(5,977)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)22%(5,663)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.2%(8,547)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.6%(1,446)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.7%(191)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 25,719 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
Over time

Salem, decade by decade

Salem population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990278,024$64,254$145,58718.2%25.8
2000347,214$74,092$239,19320.8%45.4
2010390,738$67,635$301,38022.3%55.7
2020433,353$75,866$332,45625.4%65.1
2024438,906$78,938$424,22427.1%64.7

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

In this metro

Largest cities

SalemCENTRAL181,779Keizer39,140Woodburn31,948Hayesville21,246Dallas17,890Four Corners16,275Monmouth11,543Silverton10,450Independence10,195Stayton8,488Aumsville4,241Mount Angel3,454Hubbard3,399Jefferson3,299Sublimity2,882Gervais2,572Turner2,412Willamina2,276Grand Ronde1,549Aurora1,113Falls City1,042Donald1,008Brooks664St. Paul429Mehama425Scotts Mills414Labish238Butteville226Detroit190Marion154

The 30 most populous of 33 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.

What's inside

2 component counties

Marion CountyCENTRAL355,777Polk CountyCENTRAL90,037
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Salem

Reading
Pop 440,072
Savannah
Pop 438,314
Wilmington
Pop 492,772
York
Pop 473,197
Places similar to Salem
Head to head

Compare Salem side by side

SALEM VS
Reading
Income$79,777+1%
Home value$257,300−39%
Population440,072−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SALEM VS
Savannah
Income$77,692−2%
Home value$302,959−29%
Population438,314−2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SALEM VS
Wilmington
Income$76,547−3%
Home value$362,172−15%
Population492,772+11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SALEM VS
York
Income$84,829+7%
Home value$248,600−41%
Population473,197+6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Salem, OR?

Salem, OR has about 438,906 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Salem, OR?

The typical household in Salem, OR earns about $78,938 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Salem, OR expensive?

In Salem, OR, the median home is worth about $424,224, and the typical rent is about $1,391 a month.

How educated are people in Salem, OR?

About 27.1% of adults age 25 and over in Salem, OR hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Salem, OR?

About 13.0% of people in Salem, OR live below the federal poverty line.

Has Salem, OR grown since 1990?

Yes, Salem, OR has grown since 1990. The population has added about 160,882 residents, a change of about 58 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Salem, OR: population, income & housing data · CensusEasy