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Salem, NC

Full City Profile · North Carolina · Burke County County

3.1 /5.0
B Good
2,035 Population 474/sq mi density
$66,653 Median Income $28,115 per capita
$159,300 Home Value $253,317 Zillow
$772 Median Rent 15.6% income on rent
58°F Avg Temperature 301 sunny days/yr
256 Violent Crime/100K 3,842 property/100K
B
Overall
3.1 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B+
Economy
3.6 / 5.0
$66,653 median income, 4.2% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$159,300 home value, $772/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
256 violent crimes/100K
C+
Education
2.7 / 5.0
20.9% bachelor's degree or higher

Salem, NC

At a Glance

Median Income
$66,653
11% below
$28,115 per capita
Home Value
$159,300
43% below
Zillow: $253,317
Median Rent
$772/mo
34% below
15.6% of income on rent
Violent Crime
256/100K
33% below
3,842/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
20.9%
38% below
85.4% high school+
Unemployment
4.2%
17% above
13.5% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
38.6%
20% above
21.3% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
58°F
301 sunny days/yr

How Salem Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Salem's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
89%
Home Value
57%
Rent
66%
Poverty
109%
Bachelor's
62%
Unemployment
117%
Crime
67%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Salem a Good Place to Live?

B
3.1 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Salem residents earn a median household income of $66,653 , which is 11% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $28,115. The unemployment rate stands at 4.2% (17% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 13.5% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 1,725 business establishments, including 158 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Salem is $159,300 , 43% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $253,317. Median rent is $772/month, with 15.6% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 94.3 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1981.

Safety & Crime

Salem reports 256 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 33% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 3,842/100K.

Education

20.9% of adults in Salem hold a bachelor's degree or higher (38% below the national average). 85.4% have completed high school. Local schools score 6.0/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Salem has an average annual temperature of 58°F (14°C). Winters average 39°F in January while summers reach 77°F in July. The area gets 301 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 51.5 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 40.

Data Overview

People

Population2,035
Median Age42.8 yrs
Density474/mi²
Male / Female51% / 49%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans10.1%

Economy

B+
Median Income$66,653
Per Capita$28,115
Unemployment4.2%
Poverty13.5%
County GDP$3,724M
Avg Weekly Wage$942

Housing

A+
Home Value$159,300
Rent$772
Ownership74.2%
Zillow$253,317
Housing Units951
Rent Burden15.6%

Crime

F
Violent256/100K
Property3,842/100K

Health

Obesity38.6%
Diabetes12.1%
Smoking21.3%
Heart Disease7.2%
Premature Death11,521/100K

Climate

Avg Temp58°F
Sunny Days301/yr
Rain51.5 in/yr
AQI40 (Good)
Elevation1,219 ft

Education

C+
Bachelor's+20.9%
High School+85.4%
Graduate+2.9%
School Score6.0/10

Community

2024 VoteR 70% / D 29%
Commute19 min
Broadband77.3%
Internet Speed134 Mbps
EV Stations7
Libraries3

Did You Know?

The median home in Salem was built in 1981.
The nearest airport is Foothills Regional (10 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.453 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
15.7% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 134 Mbps.
There are 158 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 12 fatal vehicle crashes.
91 declared natural disasters on record.