Salem city, Virginia
Located in Virginia, Salem city has a population of 25,618 residents and a median age of 40.0 years, making it the #1,631 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 10.2%. The median home value is $258,600, and the median household income is $66,725, which is 11% below the national median.
Demographics
Salem city has a population of 25,618, making it the #1,631 most populous county in the US. The median age is 40.0 years, which is 2.8% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Salem city is $66,725, ranking #1,453 out of 3,222 counties — 11.2% below the national median. The poverty rate is 10.2% and unemployment stands at 3.6%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Salem city is $258,600 (-8.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,133/mo and the homeownership rate is 62.8%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Salem city, 33.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 1.9% below the national average, ranking #571 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Salem city is 73.2 years. 14.9% of adults report poor or fair health and 5.5% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
14.9% of adults in Salem city smoke , 35.2% are obese , and 21.2% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 52.5 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Salem city is 5.6 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 18.3 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 7.8 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
12.9% of children in Salem city live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 9.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Salem city is 65.4%. The mean commute time is 20.8 min, which is 24.6% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Salem city voted Republican with a margin of 19.3%. The vote was 39.8% Dem / 59.1% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted +0.2 toward Democrats .
Vote Share Over Time
About Salem city, Virginia
Salem city, Virginia has a total population of 25,618, making it the 1,631st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Salem city is 40.0 years, which is 2.8% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Salem city is $66,725, which ranks #1,453 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 11.2% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 10.2%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.6%.
The median home value in Salem city is $258,600, 8.3% below the national median. Renters in Salem city pay a median gross rent of $1,133 per month. The homeownership rate is 62.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Salem city, 33.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 1.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.7% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 20.8 min.
Salem city is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 81.6% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (8.7%) and Hispanic or Latino (4.8%).
All data for Salem city, Virginia comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.