Population 983 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Salem
Household size in Salem
| Period | Salem | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.29 | 2.71 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.18 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.26 | 2.71 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.15 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Salem is a place of big households: 3.15 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has dropped from 3.29 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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
| Period | Salem | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.9 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 28.4 | 38.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.4 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.3 | 40.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +20.4 | +3.2 | +2.3 |
Salem skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.3, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
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
| Period | Salem | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.0% | 14.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 14.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 21.1% | 13.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 14.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −9.6 pts | +0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.3% of households in Salem, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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
Renters in Salem
| Period | Salem | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.9% | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.4% | 31.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.6% | 32.3% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.8% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | −10.1 pts | −0.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Salem is largely a place of homeowners: only 22.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among owners, 97.3% have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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
| Period | Salem | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.4% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.1% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.7% | 15.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.2% | 11.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −13.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Salem: 19.2% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
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
| Period | Salem | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1980 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1981 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1982 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1976 | 1985 | 1980 |
| Change | −6 | +4 | +6 |
The typical home in Salem was built around 1976, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in New Mexico as a whole, where the median home dates to 1985.
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
| Period | Salem | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $444 | $777 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $427 | $866 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $391 | $943 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $532 | $1,188 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$88 | +$411 | +$606 |
Rent in Salem runs $532 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 27.2% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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
Bachelor's degrees in Salem
| Period | Salem | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 25.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 25.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 26.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 30.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | +5.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Salem: 3.0% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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
| Period | Salem | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 49.7% | 82.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 41.8% | 83.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 38.5% | 85.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 51.4% | 87.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +5.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About half of adults in Salem never finished high school, well above the national share: only 51.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally.
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
| Period | Salem | New Mexico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 7.3% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.2% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 32.8% | 6.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −1.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Salem than nationally: unemployment was 6.7%, against 5.4%. New Mexico as a whole looks much the same. 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 compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem | 3.15 | 44.3 | 8.3% | 22.8% | 19.2% | 1976 | $532 | 3.0% | 51.4% | 6.7% |
| Garfield | 3.15 | 46.0 | 5.7% | 20.6% | 19.7% | 1975 | $536 | 3.1% | 51.8% | 5.7% |
| Hatch | 3.22 | 36.0 | 29.0% | 37.2% | 13.9% | 1984 | $508 | 4.9% | 52.0% | 16.3% |
| Rodey | 3.07 | 40.2 | 19.5% | 11.7% | 22.1% | 1982 | $547 | 5.6% | 69.1% | 12.8% |
| Derry | 2.25 | 63.7 | 4.5% | 16.4% | 41.1% | 1983 | $878 | 8.5% | 75.7% | 1.9% |
| Rincon | 3.16 | 46.6 | 6.4% | 14.4% | 19.5% | 1976 | $544 | 3.7% | 56.3% | 6.1% |
| Arrey | 2.24 | 67.4 | 6.9% | 18.3% | 35.5% | 1976 | $744 | 13.0% | 74.4% | 0.4% |
| Hillsboro | 2.27 | 67.1 | 7.0% | 19.0% | 34.8% | 1975 | $729 | 13.0% | 73.0% | 0.0% |
| Kingston | 2.24 | 67.2 | 7.0% | 17.5% | 34.6% | 1976 | $729 | 13.4% | 75.2% | 1.3% |
| Sherman | 2.10 | 62.7 | 6.9% | 7.4% | 32.1% | 1975 | $716 | 19.3% | 95.7% | 16.0% |
| San Lorenzo | 2.34 | 53.2 | 1.9% | 0.4% | 44.6% | 1981 | $614 | 39.6% | 95.4% | 1.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Farmington, CA · Hanalei, HI · Garrett, PA · Garber, OK · Gap Creek, TN · Forty Four, AR · Fort Buchanan, PR · Forreston, TX · Fontana, KS · Flackville, NY
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. 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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