Salem, OR Profile: Facts & Data

The City of Salem is the 2nd largest city in Oregon with a population of 181,694 as of July 1, 2024. Salem ranks in the upper quartile for Population Density and Diversity Index when compared to the other cities, towns and Census Designated Places (CDPs) in Oregon. See peer rankings below.

The primary coordinate point for Salem is located at latitude 44.9429 and longitude -123.0351 in Marion County. The formal boundaries for the City of Salem encompass a land area of 48.57 sq. miles and a water area of 0.55 sq. miles. Marion County is in the Pacific time zone (GMT -8).

While the primary coordinates for City of Salem are located in Marion County, it should be noted that the formal boundaries for this community also extend into and Polk County.

The City of Salem has a C1 Census Class Code which indicates an active incorporated place that does not serve as a county subdivision equivalent. It also has a Functional Status Code of "A" which identifies an active government providing primary general-purpose functions.

Oregon is one of 20 states where Census County Divisions (CCDs) are used for statistical tracking of subdivisions within each county. The City of Salem is located within Salem Division of Marion County.

Salem, OR Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION
Total Population	181,694 (100%)
Population in Households	173,013 (95.2%)
Population in Families	133,837 (73.7%)
Population in Group Quarters¹	8,681 ( 4.8%)
Population Density	3,713
Diversity Index²	70


INCOME
Median Household Income	$71,395
Average Household Income	$93,578
% of Income for Mortgage⁴	38%
Per Capita Income	$34,618
Wealth Index⁵	74
Socioeconomic Status Index⁶	Low (43.9)

HOUSING
Total HU (Housing Units)	69,959 (100%)
Owner Occupied HU	37,051 (53.0%)
Renter Occupied HU	29,647 (42.4%)
Vacant Housing Units	3,261 ( 4.7%)
Median Home Value	$434,490
Average Home Value	$464,730
Housing Affordability Index³	64

HOUSEHOLDS
Total Households	66,698
Average Household Size	2.59
Family Households	41,601
Average Family Size	3.00

NOTES

Group Quarters - a place where people live or stay in a group living arrangement. Includes college residents halls, nursing facilities, military barracks, and correctional facilities.
The Diversity Index is a scale of 0 to 100 that represents the likelihood that two persons, chosen at random from the same area, belong to different races or ethnic groups. If an area's entire population belongs to one race AND one ethnic group, then the area has zero diversity. An area's diversity index increases to 100 when the population is evenly divided into two or more race/ethnic groups.
The Housing Affordability Index base is 100 and represents a balance point where a resident with a median household income can normally qualify to purchase a median price home. Values above 100 indicate increased affordability, while values below 100 indicate decreased affordability.
The % of Income for Mortgage quantifies the percentage of median household income dedicated to mortgage payments on a home priced at the median value (assuming a 30-year mortgage and a 20% down payment).
The Wealth Index is based on a number of indicators of affluence including average household income and average net worth, but it also includes the value of material possessions and resources. It represents the wealth of the area relative to the national level. Values above or below 100 represent above-average wealth or below-average wealth compared to the national level.
The Socioeconomic Index ranges from zero (lowest relative status) to 100 (highest relative status). This measure quantifies disparities in social position of an area's inhabitants and is built from a broad range of demographic, housing, and socioeconomic inputs. More information on this measure can be found in Esri's SEI tutorial.

Salem, OR - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

The table below compares Salem to the other 426 incorporated cities, towns and CDPs in Oregon by rank and percentile using July 1, 2024 data. The location Ranked # 1 has the highest value. A location that ranks higher than 75% of its peers would be in the 75th percentile of the peer group.

GROWTH RATE / YEAR	2020-2024	2024-2029
Population	0.80%	0.35%
Households	0.89%	0.44%
Families		0.27%
Median Household Income		3.19%
Per Capita Income		3.20%
Owner Occupied HU		0.85%

Variable Description	Rank	Percentile
Total Population	# 2	100th
Population Density	# 56	87th
Median Household Income	# 208	51st
Housing Affordability Index	# 243	57th
Per Capita Income	# 284	34th
Diversity Index	# 39	91st

Salem, OR Profile: Facts & Data

Salem, Oregon - Basic Facts

Salem, OR Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION

INCOME

HOUSING

HOUSEHOLDS

GROWTH RATE / YEAR

Salem, OR - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

Salem, OR - Most Popular Things to Do

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