Population 65,275 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Salem County
Household size in Salem County
| Period | Salem County | Philadelphia area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.60 | 2.64 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.62 | 2.68 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.58 | 2.65 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | −0.07 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.60 people per household, Salem County sits close to the national average of 2.65. Compared with other New Jersey counties, Salem County has smaller households than most.
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 County
| Period | Salem County | Philadelphia area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.5 | 38.5 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.8 | 39.3 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.7 | 40.3 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.0 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +1.9 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Salem County is 42.0 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 40.5 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the northwest and oldest in the southeast.
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 County
| Period | Salem County | Philadelphia area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 12.2% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 11.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 11.7% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.2% | 12.1% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Salem County as they are nationally: 12.2%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.6 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 County
Renters in Salem County
| Period | Salem County | Philadelphia area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.8% | 30.2% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.1% | 32.1% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.9% | 32.7% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 29.0% | 33.2% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +3.0 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Salem County own their homes; 29.0% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 44.0% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 3.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 County
| Period | Salem County | Philadelphia area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 9.2% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.3% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 6.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | −2.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Salem County as nationally: 10.7%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Philadelphia area overall (6.9%). Vacancy has risen 2.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 County
| Period | Salem County | Philadelphia area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1964 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1965 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1968 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Salem County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1963, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Salem County has older homes than at least four in five New Jersey counties.
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 County
| Period | Salem County | Philadelphia area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $913 | $1,049 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,063 | $1,147 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,101 | $1,281 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,279 | $1,631 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$366 | +$582 | +$651 | +$606 |
The median renter in Salem County pays $1,279 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $366 a month from 2006–10, a 40% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 34.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Salem County has the lowest rents of any New Jersey county.
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 County
Bachelor's degrees in Salem County
| Period | Salem County | Philadelphia area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.4% | 32.7% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.3% | 34.4% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.1% | 37.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.0% | 42.3% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +9.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Salem County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 25.0%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.6 points, as it has nationally. Only one other New Jersey county has a lower share of college graduates.
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 County
| Period | Salem County | Philadelphia area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.5% | 87.5% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.3% | 88.9% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.6% | 90.5% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.1% | 91.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +4.4 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Salem County is close to the national rate: 90.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the wider Philadelphia area (91.9%). The share with a diploma is up 4.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 County
| Period | Salem County | Philadelphia area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 8.4% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 10.2% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 6.3% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 6.1% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −2.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Salem County: 7.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 County 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 County | 2.60 | 42.0 | 12.2% | 29.0% | 10.7% | 1963 | $1,279 | 25.0% | 90.1% | 7.8% |
| New Castle County | 2.61 | 41.0 | 13.1% | 31.0% | 6.1% | 1976 | $1,596 | 39.9% | 92.6% | 4.8% |
| Gloucester County | 2.75 | 40.5 | 11.1% | 19.9% | 6.1% | 1980 | $1,601 | 37.9% | 94.0% | 5.4% |
| Cecil County | 2.58 | 42.4 | 11.4% | 24.7% | 8.4% | 1986 | $1,403 | 27.8% | 91.7% | 5.9% |
| Harford County | 2.65 | 41.7 | 9.6% | 20.3% | 4.6% | 1986 | $1,682 | 40.4% | 95.2% | 3.9% |
| Carroll County | 2.71 | 42.3 | 8.1% | 15.7% | 4.8% | 1982 | $1,567 | 40.9% | 95.3% | 3.6% |
| Washington County | 2.55 | 41.2 | 13.5% | 33.2% | 7.6% | 1976 | $1,207 | 24.3% | 88.6% | 4.4% |
| Morgan County | 2.36 | 49.3 | 9.8% | 15.9% | 18.8% | 1986 | $876 | 18.2% | 88.9% | 3.7% |
| Allegany County | 2.28 | 42.9 | 11.2% | 29.3% | 15.9% | 1959 | $810 | 21.2% | 90.6% | 4.9% |
| Garrett County | 2.27 | 46.3 | 8.7% | 20.3% | 20.7% | 1980 | $827 | 24.9% | 90.1% | 4.8% |
| Preston County | 2.42 | 44.5 | 7.8% | 18.5% | 12.9% | 1984 | $846 | 18.3% | 86.4% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Pope County, AR · Muskogee County, OK · Oldham County, KY · Otero County, NM · Otsego County, NY · Oxford County, ME · Pearl River County, MS · Pender County, NC · Pickaway County, OH · Pike County, KY
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 County. 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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