Population 8,141 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Salem
Household size in West Salem
| Period | West Salem | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.58 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.54 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.55 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.64 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
At 2.64 people per household, West Salem sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in Wisconsin as a whole, where it has 2.40 people. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.58, even as the national average fell. Only 13 of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people have larger households.
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 West Salem
| Period | West Salem | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.4 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.0 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.0 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.8 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
West Salem skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.0, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.2, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the north, the oldest in the south.
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 West Salem
| Period | West Salem | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.6% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.9% of households in West Salem, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 2.4 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 West Salem
Renters in West Salem
| Period | West Salem | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.8% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.1% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.5% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 19.7% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
West Salem is largely a place of homeowners: only 19.7% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 42.4% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the northwest.
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 West Salem
| Period | West Salem | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.8% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.9% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in West Salem than nationally: 7.2%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy is up 3.4 points from 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 West Salem
| Period | West Salem | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in West Salem are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1985, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the south has the oldest housing.
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 West Salem
| Period | West Salem | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $725 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $801 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $857 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,289 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$564 | +$380 | +$606 |
A typical rental in West Salem costs $1,289 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in Wisconsin overall ($1,139). Rents are up $564 a month from 2006–10, a 78% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 25.2% of the typical renter's income, comfortably 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 West Salem
Bachelor's degrees in West Salem
| Period | West Salem | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.4% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.6% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.8% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.7% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over four in ten adults 25 and older in West Salem (42.7%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 14.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the northeast.
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 West Salem
| Period | West Salem | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.6% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.9% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.0% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.2% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in West Salem: 97.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 4.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. West Salem has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Wisconsin cities.
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 West Salem
| Period | West Salem | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.8% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.5% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.1% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in West Salem runs below the national rate: 3.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. 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).
West 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Salem | 2.64 | 42.0 | 6.9% | 19.7% | 7.2% | 1985 | $1,289 | 42.7% | 97.2% | 3.4% |
| Bangor | 2.53 | 40.3 | 5.2% | 22.7% | 8.3% | 1981 | $934 | 28.8% | 97.1% | 2.8% |
| Onalaska | 2.27 | 42.2 | 7.0% | 31.6% | 4.4% | 1986 | $1,198 | 40.4% | 98.0% | 3.2% |
| St. Joseph | 2.67 | 42.9 | 6.8% | 14.1% | 2.8% | 1987 | $1,149 | 31.9% | 95.5% | 1.8% |
| French Island | 2.18 | 48.4 | 7.0% | 22.7% | 4.8% | 1978 | $1,083 | 28.0% | 94.8% | 8.6% |
| Rockland | 2.64 | 39.1 | 8.0% | 17.0% | 8.4% | 1981 | $991 | 21.9% | 93.3% | 2.2% |
| Middle Ridge | 2.67 | 43.0 | 4.6% | 14.9% | 7.1% | 1980 | $854 | 27.7% | 96.2% | 2.8% |
| La Crosse | 2.16 | 36.4 | 9.0% | 49.4% | 7.3% | 1967 | $1,096 | 34.0% | 96.4% | 3.4% |
| Stevenstown | 2.61 | 46.2 | 1.6% | 7.8% | 6.2% | 1988 | $1,730 | 26.1% | 95.6% | 1.1% |
| Mindoro | 2.52 | 45.5 | 3.0% | 4.5% | 13.3% | 1981 | $943 | 23.4% | 96.8% | 2.6% |
| Holmen | 2.55 | 41.2 | 7.3% | 28.9% | 3.7% | 1998 | $1,283 | 35.3% | 96.2% | 0.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Bernardsville, NJ · Waite Park, MN · Wakefield-Peacedale, RI · Walkerton, IN · Wallace, NC · Walls, MS · Walnutport, PA · Wamego, KS · Calipatria, CA · Blandon, PA
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 West 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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