Population 25,618 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Salem City
Household size in Salem City
| Period | Salem City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.32 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.32 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.34 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.30 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.02 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Salem City are small: just 2.30 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the southeast.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Salem City
| Period | Salem City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.3 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.4 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.3 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.5 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.3 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
At 41.5, the median age in Salem City is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 39.3 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Salem City
| Period | Salem City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.1% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.9% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Salem City (11.9%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Virginia overall (10.7%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 1.1 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Salem City
Renters in Salem City
| Period | Salem City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.3% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.6% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.4% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.2% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in Salem City rent their homes (37.2%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Virginia overall (32.7%). Among homeowners, 41.5% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share is up 5.9 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Salem City
| Period | Salem City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Salem City as nationally: 8.4%, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.5 points, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Salem City
| Period | Salem City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1969 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Salem City is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1967, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the north. Few Virginia counties have older homes: only 11 of 133.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Salem City
| Period | Salem City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $795 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $934 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $890 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,235 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$440 | +$600 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Salem City costs $1,235 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $440 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 33.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Salem City
Bachelor's degrees in Salem City
| Period | Salem City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.6% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.3% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.8% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.7% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Salem City (33.7%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in Virginia overall (42.5%). The share with a degree has risen 2.0 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Salem City
| Period | Salem City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.4% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.0% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.9% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.7% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Salem City is above the national rate: 93.7% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.2 points, as it has nationally. Salem City has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Virginia counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Salem City
| Period | Salem City | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.3% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Salem City has been low: just 3.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Salem City compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem City | 2.30 | 41.5 | 11.9% | 37.2% | 8.4% | 1967 | $1,235 | 33.7% | 93.7% | 3.3% |
| Roanoke County | 2.42 | 44.1 | 10.6% | 24.3% | 7.1% | 1979 | $1,242 | 37.1% | 94.6% | 2.8% |
| Roanoke City | 2.28 | 40.2 | 13.5% | 47.6% | 12.5% | 1959 | $1,018 | 29.7% | 89.7% | 5.4% |
| Montgomery County | 2.44 | 35.0 | 6.8% | 44.7% | 14.0% | 1987 | $1,257 | 49.3% | 96.3% | 3.1% |
| Radford City | 2.44 | 31.1 | 5.2% | 57.7% | 15.9% | 1975 | $992 | 42.1% | 94.4% | 7.5% |
| Bedford County | 2.47 | 47.1 | 6.7% | 15.3% | 9.6% | 1989 | $1,018 | 34.4% | 92.7% | 2.9% |
| Giles County | 2.49 | 44.9 | 5.5% | 21.1% | 19.0% | 1971 | $799 | 18.5% | 91.4% | 2.0% |
| Lynchburg City | 2.36 | 32.9 | 11.9% | 51.1% | 15.0% | 1971 | $1,081 | 43.4% | 92.0% | 6.0% |
| Campbell County | 2.47 | 43.9 | 10.1% | 25.1% | 12.9% | 1983 | $919 | 26.4% | 90.3% | 3.7% |
| Bland County | 2.27 | 47.0 | 6.0% | 13.5% | 23.0% | 1982 | $714 | 18.6% | 92.6% | 2.4% |
| Mercer County | 2.41 | 42.8 | 9.8% | 27.1% | 17.4% | 1973 | $824 | 22.7% | 89.2% | 2.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Pike County, OH · Lincoln County, OK · Lincoln County, TN · Lincoln County, WI · Lincoln County, WV · Lumpkin County, GA · Marion County, IA · Petersburg City, VA · Pickens County, GA · Pike County, AL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Salem City. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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