City profile · West Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Salem, WV

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

1,812
Residents
$43,690
Median income
$77,200
Median home
$928
Median rent (state)

Salem - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Salem places in the 11th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

11th
percentile, household income
3rd
percentile, home value
8th
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, WV

1,812 people live in Salem, West Virginia - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $43,690 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 20.4%. Typical homes in Salem are valued around $77,200, and the median resident age is 32.4 years. About 18.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 49.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits).

Living costs in West Virginia run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts West Virginia at 89.5 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $928 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts West Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $220 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 14.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very Low).

Population

1,812 residents

Census ACS 2023 - West Virginia

Median Household Income

$43,690 /yr

Poverty 20.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

89.5 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, West Virginia average

How does Salem compare to other US cities?

Where Salem sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 11% higher than other cities
Home value 3% pricier than other cities
Median rent 8% 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

Each percentile compares Salem against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to West Virginia only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

West Virginia-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Salem toward the bottom of West Virginia's cities

Among the 337 West Virginia cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Salem ranks #276 - the 18th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Salem only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#227 of 330
31st percentile in West Virginia
Median Gross Rent
#194 of 390
46th percentile in West Virginia
Median Home Value
#276 of 337
18th percentile in West Virginia
Poverty Rate
#105 of 389
73rd percentile in West Virginia
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#149 of 390
62nd percentile in West Virginia

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within West Virginia only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

11thIncome percentile

11th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Salem's home value compares nationally

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

$77,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 97% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $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 $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, WV Salem, WV's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Salem, WV-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, WV median $43,690/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, WV'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, WV. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 18.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 20.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 49.6%

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

Population
1,812
Median Income
$43,690
Median Home Value
$77,200
Median Age
32.4
Poverty Rate
20.4%
Labor force participation
49.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
18.2%

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,560 residents1,580 residents1,600 residents1,620 residents1,640 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,631 residents 1,570 residents ▼ -3.7%
Salem's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.9%
Carpool
7.8%
Public Transit
0.6%
Walk
11.4%
Work from Home
1.4%

Based on 809 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for West Virginia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$72
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$38
avg/month
Total Utilities
$220
estimated/month

Estimates reflect West Virginia 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 West Virginia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Salem sits in

Cost of Living Index
89.5
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$928/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
14.4 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in West Virginia

Belington
1,843 people
Crab Orchard
1,877 people
Logan
1,736 people
McMechen
1,735 people
New Haven
1,735 people
Nutter Fort
1,890 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Salem's 1,812 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Leonville, LA
1,812 people
Van Vleck, TX
1,812 people
Oakley, UT
1,812 people
Sleepy Hollow, WY
1,812 people
Worthington, KY
1,813 people
North Berwick, ME
1,811 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Salem's $43,690 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Drexel, OH
$43,691 median income
Lee, FL
$43,688 median income
Lyndonville, VT
$43,693 median income
Martin, GA
$43,681 median income
Springfield, MI
$43,681 median income
Parkway, MO
$43,672 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Salem, WV 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, WV - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.1% White 95.1% Black or African American 2.4% Asian 0.8% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.7% Two or more races 1.0% 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 compares to nearby West Virginia 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 (this city) 1,812 $43,690
Belington 1,843 $47,361
Crab Orchard 1,877 $59,122
Logan 1,736 $31,100
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WV NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Salem, WV?

What is the population of Salem, WV? +

Salem, WV counts 1,812 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Salem, WV? +

Median annual household income in Salem runs $43,690, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Salem? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Salem; the closest available measure is the West Virginia state average, a cost of living index of 89.5 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within West Virginia vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Salem, WV? +

The median home value in Salem is $77,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, 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

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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.