Median Income
$55,156
household / year
Median Home Value
$140,500
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$678
gross / month
Cost of Living
89
national avg = 100

Is Salem, NC a Good Place to Live?

Salem is a small town of 1,634 in North Carolina, with a median household income of $55,156 and a 5.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 89 (US average = 100), which is 11% below the national average.

Strengths: Salem stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Salem is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Salem city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 89.2

Salem's overall cost of living index is 89.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Salem costs roughly 11% less than the average American city.

Metric Salem, NC National Avg
Median Home Value $140,500 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $678 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 77.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $55,156 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Salem's violent crime rate is 162.5 per 100,000 residents — 57% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
162.5 /100k
Property Crime
929.4 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Metric Salem, NC National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 87.8% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Salem sees average highs of 49.4°F in January and 87.7°F in July, with 51.5 inches of annual precipitation and 4.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricSalem, NC
Average High — January49.4°F
Average High — July87.7°F
Annual Precipitation51.5"
Annual Snowfall4.5"

Demographics

MetricSalem, NCNational Avg
Population1,634—
Median Age40.038.9
Unemployment Rate5.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time17.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)80.5%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino13.8%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1817.6%22.2%
65 and over28.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Morganton, NC 3 mi Glen Alpine, NC 5 mi Drexel, NC 6 mi Valdese, NC 8 mi Rutherford College, NC 10 mi

Salem vs Other Cities

Salem, NC vs Morganton, NC Salem, NC vs Glen Alpine, NC Salem, NC vs Drexel, NC Salem, NC vs Valdese, NC Salem, NC vs Rutherford College, NC

Frequently Asked Questions

Salem's cost of living index is 89, where 100 is the national average. That makes Salem roughly 11% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $140,500 and median rent is $678/month.
Salem's violent crime rate is 162.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 929.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Salem, NC has a population of 1,634, a median household income of $55,156, and an unemployment rate of 5.8%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Salem averages 49.4°F in January and 87.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 51.5 inches with about 4.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Salem, North Carolina is 1,634 with a median age of 40.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Salem: cost of living index 89 (100 = US average), median home $140,500, median household income $55,156, crime index 43 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Salem side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.