Town · New Hampshire
Salem, New Hampshire
Salem, town, in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Salem had 31,868 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 5.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 30,089 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 30,964 (±29). GEOID 3301566660.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
31,868
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 30,089 · ACS 2020-2024: 30,964 ±29
Median household income
$110,490
±$9,292 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $99,031
Median home value
$473,300
±$15,596 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $402,500
Median gross rent
$1,625
±$146 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $1,491
Where is Salem and what county is it in?
Salem is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. It covers 24.8 square miles of land, 1,211 residents per square mile in 2020.
Salem is in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 7 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 Salem, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 31,868 people lived in Salem on July 1, 2025, up 5.9% since 2020, faster than New Hampshire (+2.7%). The 2020 Census counted 30,089 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 30,964 (±29).
| Measure | Salem | Rockingham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 30,964±29 | 319,082 | +1,730 |
| Households | 12,618±443 | 127,570 | +1,082 |
| Average household size | 2.44±0.09 | 2.48 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 13,737±456 | 137,794 | +1,732 |
Salem's population since 2000
From 28,112 in 2000 to 31,868 in 2025: up 13.4%. 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 44.6 years old; 16.2% are under 18 and 18.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 84.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 6.9%. 10.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Salem | Rockingham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.6±2.7 | 45.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 16.2%±1.7 pts | 18.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.6%±1.9 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Male | 51.8%±1.5 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.9%±2.3 pts | 3.7% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 84.7%±2.6 pts | 89.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.1%±0.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.5%±1.3 pts | 1.9% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.5%±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0%±0.9 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 10.0%±2.4 pts | 5.2% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 11.3%±2.8 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.6%±1.3 pts | 7.3% | – |
| With a disability | 12.0%±1.6 pts | 11.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.2%±1.4 pts | 4.1% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.6%±1.3 pts | 96.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 38.7%±3.0 pts | 45.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 14.5%±2.0 pts | 17.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.7%±1.8 pts | 91.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.7%±1.4 pts | 3.2% | – |
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 12,618 households earn less than $110,490 a year (±$9,292), against $118,331 in Rockingham County and $99,031 in New Hampshire. In 2015-2019 it was $106,562 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 5.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Salem | Rockingham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $110,490±$9,292 | $118,331 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $138,926±$8,090 | $149,721 | – |
| Per capita income | $58,510±$3,489 | $61,558 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 5.0%±1.4 pts | 4.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 4.8%±3.1 pts | 4.6% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 3.8%±1.3 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.6%±1.9 pts | 97.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.7%±1.8 pts | 95.0% | – |
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 75.6% of Salem's occupied homes and renters 24.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $473,300 by its owner (±$15,596). The median renter pays $1,625 a month including utilities, and 39.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Salem | Rockingham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $473,300±$15,596 | $497,500 | +$72,586 |
| Median gross rent | $1,625±$146 | $1,687 | +$212 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.3%±9.7 pts | 39.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,504±$102 | $2,669 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 75.6%±2.9 pts | 78.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 24.4%±2.9 pts | 21.6% | – |
| Housing units | 13,737±456 | 137,794 | +1,732 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.8%±1.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.5%±2.9 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 63.9%±3.4 pts | 65.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.8%±1.9 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 3.5%±1.5 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.2%±1.8 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 4.2%±1.8 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.1%±1.8 pts | 3.1% | – |
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 124 new housing units in Salem in 2025 (28 in single-family houses), 3.9 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across New Hampshire.
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?
75.3% of Salem's workers drive alone and 16.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 29.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 2.8%.
| Measure | Salem | Rockingham County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 72.0%±2.2 pts | 67.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8%±1.0 pts | 3.6% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 75.3%±3.2 pts | 72.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.8%±1.4 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.7%±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 1.3%±0.8 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 16.3%±2.8 pts | 19.4% | +10.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.0 min±1.5 | 28.9 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 Salem?
6 census tracts lie mostly in Salem (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $86,685 (Tract 1004.01) to $132,197 (Tract 1004.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1001Rockingham County | 7,077 | $120,000 |
| Tract 1002Rockingham County | 5,813 | $124,118 |
| Tract 1003.01Rockingham County | 5,329 | $106,089 |
| Tract 1004.01Rockingham County | 4,819 | $86,685 |
| Tract 1003.02Rockingham County | 4,463 | $102,281 |
| Tract 1004.02Rockingham County | 3,463 | $132,197 |
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 New Hampshire?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Salem is the 325th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 2nd-most populous of 221 in New Hampshire.
Salem ranks 70th of 235 places in New Hampshire with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 2nd | 221 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 22nd | 187 |
| Residents per square mile | 20th | 241 |
| Median household income | 70th | 235 |
| Per capita income | 60th | 240 |
| Median home value | 50th | 239 |
| Median gross rent | 55th | 221 |
| Poverty rate | 122nd | 160 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 108th | 239 |
| Median age | 137th | 239 |
| Owner-occupied share | 144th | 241 |
| Work from home | 97th | 214 |
| Travel time to work | 104th | 241 |
Salem's figures with every place in New Hampshire (CSV)
Every place in New Hampshire, 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?
5 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.