Town · Connecticut
Salem, Connecticut
Salem, town, in Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut. Salem had 4,324 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,213 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,282 (±46). GEOID 0918066210.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,324
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,213 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,282 ±46
Median household income
$123,245
±$7,876 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $95,781
Median home value
$403,600
±$33,028 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $366,900
Median gross rent
$1,440
±$150 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $1,488
Where is Salem and what county is it in?
Salem is a town in Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut. It covers 28.9 square miles of land, 146 residents per square mile in 2020.
Salem is in the Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Salem is the same area as Census Tract 7151 of Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region: the tract's figures are Salem's own.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Salem, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,324 people lived in Salem on July 1, 2025, up 3.4% since 2020, faster than Connecticut (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 4,213 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,282 (±46).
| Measure | Salem | Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,282±46 | 279,971 | – |
| Households | 1,764±164 | 115,768 | – |
| Average household size | 2.42±0.22 | 2.32 | – |
| Housing units | 1,764±164 | 126,425 | – |
Salem's population since 2000
From 3,858 in 2000 to 4,324 in 2025: up 12.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Salem as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Salem?
The median resident of Salem is 40.9 years old; 23.2% are under 18 and 19.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 86.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 6.4%. 5.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Salem | Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9±5.4 | 41.1 | – |
| Under 18 years | 23.2%±3.8 pts | 19.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.7%±6.0 pts | 19.5% | – |
| Male | 53.5%±3.4 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.4%±3.8 pts | 15.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 86.2%±4.8 pts | 70.6% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.5%±0.7 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.5%±1.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.2%±2.3 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 2.3%±2.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.9%±2.3 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 8.5%±3.5 pts | 15.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.9%±4.3 pts | 8.0% | – |
| With a disability | 9.2%±4.1 pts | 14.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 0.5%±0.5 pts | 4.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.6%±1.0 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 50.6%±6.0 pts | 35.8% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 19.5%±4.6 pts | 16.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.3%±3.0 pts | 88.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.4%±2.0 pts | 3.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Salem earn?
Half of Salem's 1,764 households earn less than $123,245 a year (±$7,876), against $86,586 in Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region and $95,781 in Connecticut. 6.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Salem | Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $123,245±$7,876 | $86,586 | – |
| Mean household income | $148,914±$24,324 | $111,769 | – |
| Per capita income | $61,151±$9,033 | $47,133 | – |
| People below the poverty line | 6.2%±3.9 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.4%±8.6 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.1%±2.4 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.9%±1.8 pts | 95.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 99.3%±0.8 pts | 91.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Salem?
Owners occupy 86.6% of Salem's occupied homes and renters 13.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $403,600 by its owner (±$33,028). The median renter pays $1,440 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Salem | Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $403,600±$33,028 | $323,400 | – |
| Median gross rent | $1,440±$150 | $1,365 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 32.1%±39.8 pts | 40.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,366±$167 | $2,140 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 86.6%±8.8 pts | 65.1% | – |
| Renter-occupied homes | 13.4%±8.8 pts | 34.9% | – |
| Housing units | 1,764±164 | 126,425 | – |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±2.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±16.4 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 88.0%±7.1 pts | 61.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±2.4 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 3.0%±3.6 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.5%±5.4 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.5%±2.9 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.6%±0.9 pts | 7.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Salem building?
Builders took permits for 9 new housing units in Salem in 2025 (9 in single-family houses), 2.1 per 1,000 residents against 2.0 across Connecticut.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Salem work and get to work?
77.7% of Salem's workers drive alone and 18.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 31.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.2%.
| Measure | Salem | Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.7%±7.0 pts | 64.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2%±1.7 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 77.7%±9.0 pts | 75.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.1%±2.3 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.2%±1.3 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Walked | 0.0%±1.9 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 18.0%±9.0 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 31.5 min±5.9 | 23.9 min | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Salem?
1 census tract lies mostly in Salem (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 7151Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | 4,282 | $123,245 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Salem) · Census block assignment files
How does Salem compare with other places in Connecticut?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Salem is the 2,620th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 108th-most populous of 142 in Connecticut.
Salem ranks 109th of 294 places in Connecticut with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 108th | 142 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 39th | 167 |
| Residents per square mile | 273rd | 303 |
| Median household income | 109th | 294 |
| Per capita income | 112th | 303 |
| Median home value | 123rd | 300 |
| Median gross rent | 145th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 107th | 202 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 122nd | 297 |
| Median age | 224th | 301 |
| Owner-occupied share | 89th | 300 |
| Work from home | 131st | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 68th | 302 |
Salem's figures with every place in Connecticut (CSV)
Every place in Connecticut, sortable · Compare Salem with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Salem?
19 of the 57 figures for Salem on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Salem are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.