Salem is a city located in Burke County, Caldwell County, and McDowell County North Carolina. Salem has a 2024 population of 1,756. Salem is currently growing at a rate of 3.6% annually and its population has increased by 18.73% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 1,479 in 2020.
The average household income in Salem is $57,392 with a poverty rate of 19.89%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Salem is 40 years, 39.7 years for males, and 42.7 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Salem was:
White
Other race
Two or more races
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Native American
Black or African American
Asian
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 720 | 2.27 | 77.1 | 22.9 |
| Non Family | 341 | 1.28 | 68.9 | 31.1 |
| Married | 290 | 3.31 | 89 | 11 |
| Female | 50 | 2.7 | 100 | 0 |
| Male | 39 | 2.64 | 30.8 | 69.2 |
3.08
Average Family Size
2.27
Average Household Size
77.1%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 17.5%.
All
Male
Female
$38,409
Average Earnings
$41,202
Average Male
$37,574
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
88.51% of Salem residents speak only English, while 11.49% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 11.49% of the population.
rate
19.89%
Overall Poverty Rate
21.08%
Male Poverty Rate
18.9%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Salem is Islander, with 100% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Salem is White, with 9.18% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.79%. Among those working part-time, it was 35.89%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 29.49%.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
43.9%
Overall Marriage Rate
49.2%
Male Marriage Rate
39.6%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
23.81%
Veteran Poverty Rate
14.97%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
57%
Labor Force Participation
53.7%
Employment Rate
5.8%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
82.44%
Born in Salem
94.49%
Native Born
5.51%
Foreign Born
4.96%
Non Citizen
0.55%
Naturalized
94.49% of Salem residents were born in the United States, with 82.44% having been born in North Carolina. 4.96% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,756 | 61 | 3.6% |
| 2023 | 1,695 | 61 | 3.73% |
| 2022 | 1,634 | 61 | 3.88% |
| 2021 | 1,573 | 94 | 6.36% |
| 2020 | 1,479 | -278 | -15.82% |
| 2019 | 1,757 | -115 | -6.14% |
| 2018 | 1,872 | -309 | -14.17% |
| 2017 | 2,181 | 8 | 0.37% |
| 2016 | 2,173 | -9 | -0.41% |
| 2015 | 2,182 | -167 | -7.11% |
| 2014 | 2,349 | 113 | 5.05% |
| 2013 | 2,236 | 179 | 8.7% |
| 2012 | 2,057 | -65 | -3.06% |
| 2011 | 2,122 | -96 | -4.33% |
| 2010 | 2,218 | 0 | 0% |