City · Missouri
Salem, Missouri
Salem, city, in Dent County, Missouri. Salem had 4,674 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,608 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,677 (±16). GEOID 2965234.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,674
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,608 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,677 ±16
Median household income
$43,923
±$8,132 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$115,000
±$17,238 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$639
±$163 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Salem and what county is it in?
Salem is a city in Dent County, Missouri. It covers 3.5 square miles of land, 1,325 residents per square mile in 2020.
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 4,674 people lived in Salem on July 1, 2025, up 0.6% since 2020, slower than Missouri (+1.9%). The 2020 Census counted 4,608 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,677 (±16).
| Measure | Salem | Dent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,677 ±16 | 14,539 | −258 |
| Households | 1,966 ±177 | 5,618 | −436 |
| Average household size | 2.31 ±0.21 | 2.55 | +0.30 |
| Housing units | 2,367 ±178 | 6,822 | −299 |
Salem's population since 2000
From 4,854 in 2000 to 4,674 in 2025: down 3.7%. 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 42.3 years old; 21.8% are under 18 and 21.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 90.9%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.4%.
| Measure | Salem | Dent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 ±2.9 | 43.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.8% ±3.1 pts | 22.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.9% ±3.6 pts | 22.2% | – |
| Male | 45.0% ±3.7 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.7% ±0.9 pts | 2.2% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 90.9% ±3.3 pts | 91.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±0.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.4% ±3.2 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.4% ±0.4 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.8% ±0.7 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.3% ±4.6 pts | 11.4% | – |
| With a disability | 25.2% ±4.4 pts | 20.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 14.8% ±5.2 pts | 15.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 83.8% ±4.0 pts | 83.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 15.1% ±3.6 pts | 16.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.4% ±2.2 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.8% ±4.4 pts | 91.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 6.1% ±4.0 pts | 4.1% | – |
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 1,966 households earn less than $43,923 a year (±$8,132), against $56,312 in Dent County and $70,702 in Missouri. In 2015-2019 it was $37,434 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Salem | Dent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,923 ±$8,132 | $56,312 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $64,164 ±$14,280 | $73,407 | – |
| Per capita income | $29,524 ±$5,835 | $29,909 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 11.1% ±3.0 pts | 12.2% | −21.5 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.2% ±5.7 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 27.5% ±8.2 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 87.8% ±5.3 pts | 87.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 78.4% ±6.2 pts | 76.8% | – |
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 50.0% of Salem's occupied homes and renters 50.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $115,000 by its owner (±$17,238). The median renter pays $639 a month including utilities, and 22.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Salem | Dent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $115,000 ±$17,238 | $167,500 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $639 ±$163 | $660 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 22.1% ±9.5 pts | 22.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $996 ±$155 | $1,219 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 50.0% ±8.1 pts | 75.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 50.0% ±8.1 pts | 24.1% | – |
| Housing units | 2,367 ±178 | 6,822 | −299 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 6.3% ±6.9 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.6% ±2.8 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 69.8% ±6.7 pts | 70.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.4% ±1.3 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.2% ±1.5 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.5% ±2.4 pts | 8.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 13.1% ±4.8 pts | 8.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.1% ±3.8 pts | 6.1% | – |
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 3 new housing units in Salem in 2025 (3 in single-family houses), 0.6 per 1,000 residents against 2.8 across Missouri.
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?
89.1% of Salem's workers drive alone and 5.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 15.3 minutes.
| Measure | Salem | Dent County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 53.7% ±5.8 pts | 53.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% ±2.6 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 89.1% ±3.9 pts | 83.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.6% ±2.8 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.9% ±3.3 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 15.3 min ±2.9 | 21.0 min | −5.3 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?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Salem, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $44,425 (Tract 9603) to $44,960 (Tract 9604).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9604Dent County | 2,839 | $44,960 |
| Tract 9603Dent County | 2,352 | $44,425 |
| Tract 9602Dent County | 5,214 | $62,904 |
| Tract 9601Dent County | 4,134 | $63,333 |
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 Missouri?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Salem is the 5,091st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 149th-most populous of 936 in Missouri.
Salem ranks 356th of 416 places in Missouri with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 149th | 936 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 212th | 394 |
| Residents per square mile | 134th | 420 |
| Median household income | 356th | 416 |
| Per capita income | 215th | 420 |
| Median home value | 322nd | 416 |
| Median gross rent | 356th | 398 |
| Poverty rate | 265th | 373 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 297th | 404 |
| Median age | 93rd | 420 |
| Owner-occupied share | 376th | 418 |
| Work from home | 228th | 270 |
| Travel time to work | 397th | 420 |
Salem's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, 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?
15 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' public schools in Salem.