City · North Carolina
Salisbury, North Carolina
Salisbury, city, in Rowan County, North Carolina. Salisbury had 36,879 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 35,540 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 35,825 (±29). GEOID 3758860.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
36,879
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 35,540 · ACS 2020-2024: 35,825 ±29
Median household income
$53,716
±$4,166 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$242,500
±$17,830 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,071
±$81 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Salisbury and what county is it in?
Salisbury is a city in Rowan County, North Carolina. It covers 23.1 square miles of land, 1,539 residents per square mile in 2020.
Salisbury is in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 11 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Salisbury, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 36,879 people lived in Salisbury on July 1, 2025, up 4.1% since 2020, slower than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 35,540 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 35,825 (±29).
| Measure | Salisbury | Rowan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 35,825 ±29 | 149,875 | +2,098 |
| Households | 14,043 ±571 | 58,899 | +1,519 |
| Average household size | 2.30 ±0.09 | 2.48 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 15,637 ±574 | 64,975 | no clear change |
Salisbury's population since 2000
From 26,462 in 2000 to 36,879 in 2025: up 39.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Salisbury 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 Salisbury?
The median resident of Salisbury is 36.5 years old; 21.9% are under 18 and 17.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 49.1%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 35.0%. 6.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Salisbury | Rowan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 ±2.0 | 40.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.9% ±2.0 pts | 22.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.1% ±1.7 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Male | 49.5% ±1.6 pts | 49.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.5% ±2.8 pts | 11.9% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 49.1% ±3.5 pts | 67.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 35.0% ±2.5 pts | 15.5% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.8% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0% ±1.2 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 6.4% ±1.6 pts | 6.3% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 11.4% ±2.7 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.6% ±1.1 pts | 7.2% | – |
| With a disability | 16.0% ±2.0 pts | 15.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.7% ±1.6 pts | 9.3% | −5.1 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.1% ±2.1 pts | 88.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 29.9% ±3.6 pts | 23.3% | +7.6 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 12.1% ±2.1 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.4% ±2.8 pts | 89.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.4% ±0.6 pts | 1.3% | – |
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 Salisbury earn?
Half of Salisbury's 14,043 households earn less than $53,716 a year (±$4,166), against $65,725 in Rowan County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $51,567 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 26.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Salisbury | Rowan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,716 ±$4,166 | $65,725 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $78,180 ±$7,052 | $84,650 | – |
| Per capita income | $32,043 ±$2,622 | $33,667 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 26.3% ±4.4 pts | 16.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 42.5% ±9.2 pts | 23.3% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 23.6% ±3.8 pts | 16.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.9% ±1.7 pts | 94.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 86.9% ±2.6 pts | 90.2% | – |
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 Salisbury?
Owners occupy 51.8% of Salisbury's occupied homes and renters 48.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $242,500 by its owner (±$17,830). The median renter pays $1,071 a month including utilities, and 44.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Salisbury | Rowan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $242,500 ±$17,830 | $238,400 | +$83,617 |
| Median gross rent | $1,071 ±$81 | $1,013 | +$104 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 44.6% ±6.4 pts | 37.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,500 ±$121 | $1,429 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 51.8% ±3.7 pts | 72.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 48.2% ±3.7 pts | 27.7% | – |
| Housing units | 15,637 ±574 | 64,975 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.9% ±2.1 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.9% ±2.1 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 62.2% ±3.2 pts | 71.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.8% ±1.1 pts | 15.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.8% ±1.2 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.1% ±2.3 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 14.1% ±2.3 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.4% ±3.1 pts | 6.5% | – |
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 do people in Salisbury work and get to work?
72.2% of Salisbury's workers drive alone and 8.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 21.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.8%.
| Measure | Salisbury | Rowan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 55.2% ±2.2 pts | 60.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% ±1.8 pts | 5.3% | −3.8 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 72.2% ±4.6 pts | 78.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.7% ±3.0 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.9% ±1.7 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 1.8% ±1.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.7% ±2.3 pts | 8.4% | +4.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.8 min ±1.7 | 26.2 min | no clear change |
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 Salisbury?
8 census tracts lie mostly in Salisbury, and 7 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $42,266 (Tract 520) to $87,083 (Tract 505).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 513.03Rowan County | 6,551 | $50,570 |
| Tract 502.02Rowan County | 5,459 | $53,423 |
| Tract 502.01Rowan County | 4,818 | $58,108 |
| Tract 503Rowan County | 3,933 | $58,938 |
| Tract 505Rowan County | 3,834 | $87,083 |
| Tract 504Rowan County | 3,208 | $45,516 |
| Tract 512.04Rowan County | 5,026 | $78,750 |
| Tract 520Rowan County | 2,969 | $42,266 |
| Tract 513.02Rowan County | 5,489 | $60,923 |
| Tract 512.01Rowan County | 6,493 | $73,295 |
| Tract 512.02Rowan County | 3,859 | $79,635 |
| Tract 508Rowan County | 2,808 | $50,451 |
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 Salisbury) · Census block assignment files
How does Salisbury compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Salisbury is the 1,127th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 30th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Salisbury ranks 286th of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 30th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 183rd | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 71st | 443 |
| Median household income | 286th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 242nd | 443 |
| Median home value | 222nd | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 176th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 63rd | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 179th | 421 |
| Median age | 336th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 365th | 443 |
| Work from home | 217th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 305th | 439 |
Salisbury's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Salisbury 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 Salisbury?
5 of the 57 figures for Salisbury 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 Salisbury 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 Salisbury.