City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Salem Lakes, WI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Salem Lakes - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

14,521
Residents
$94,554
Median income
$281,500
Median home
$1,402
Median rent (state)

Salem Lakes - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Salem Lakes lands in the 74th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

74th
percentile, household income
62nd
percentile, home value
54th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Salem Lakes, WI

14,521 people live in Salem Lakes, Wisconsin - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Salem Lakes households earn a median of $94,554 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 1.7%. Home values in Salem Lakes run a median of $281,500, and the median resident age is 44.4 years. 27.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 66.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 17 residential building permits were authorized in Salem Lakes (Slowing), down 11% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data.

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Wisconsin scores 94.1 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,402 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Wisconsin's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 85.0 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

14,521 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$94,554 /yr

Poverty 1.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Salem Lakes compare to other US cities?

Here's how Salem Lakes stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 74% higher than other cities
Home value 62% pricier than other cities
Median rent 54% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Salem Lakes's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Wisconsin, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

74thIncome percentile

74th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Salem Lakes's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$281,500 38th percentile more affordable than 38% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Salem Lakes $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Salem Lakes, WI Salem Lakes, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Salem Lakes, WI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Salem Lakes, WI median $94,554/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Salem Lakes, WI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Salem Lakes, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
14,521
Median Income
$94,554
Median Home Value
$281,500
Median Age
44.4
Poverty Rate
1.7%
Labor force participation
66.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.8%

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
14,200 residents14,400 residents14,600 residents14,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 14,589 residents 14,271 residents ▼ -2.2%
Salem Lakes's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
17
housing units authorized
Single-Family
17
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2022 19
2023 18
2024 17

Permit volume decreased 11% from 2022 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.2%
Carpool
7.5%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
10.7%
Other
4.1%

Based on 7,771 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Wisconsin - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wisconsin state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Wisconsin state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Salem Lakes sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,402/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
85.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Verona
14,499 people
Chippewa Falls
14,643 people
Greendale
14,656 people
Whitefish Bay
14,750 people
Waunakee
14,927 people
Hudson
15,004 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Salem Lakes's 14,521 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Moorestown-Lenola, NJ
14,523 people
Middlesex, NJ
14,518 people
Cayey zona urbana, PR
14,518 people
Greenwich, CT
14,528 people
Edgewater, NJ
14,544 people
Parlier, CA
14,545 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Salem Lakes's $94,554 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Greenville, RI
$94,567 median income
Millstadt, IL
$94,536 median income
Butte Valley, CA
$94,531 median income
Key Colony Beach, FL
$94,531 median income
Penfield, IL
$94,531 median income
Norwalk, IA
$94,583 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Salem Lakes, WI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Salem Lakes, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.0% 8.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.7% White 88.0% Black or African American 0.8% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.6% Two or more races 8.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Salem Lakes compares to nearby Wisconsin cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Salem Lakes (this city) 14,521 $94,554
Verona 14,499 $119,148
Chippewa Falls 14,643 $62,133
Greendale 14,656 $95,015
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Salem Lakes, WI?

What is the population of Salem Lakes, WI? +

14,521 people live in Salem Lakes, WI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Salem Lakes, WI? +

In Salem Lakes, the typical household earns $94,554 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Salem Lakes? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Salem Lakes; the closest available measure is the Wisconsin state average, a cost of living index of 94.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wisconsin vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Salem Lakes, WI? +

Salem Lakes's median home value sits at $281,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.