Salem, WV

Census Place

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2023 Population

1,812

3.26% 1-year decline

US Senator

Shelley Moore Capito

Republican Party

US Senator

Jim Justice

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

32.4

5.54% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

16.6%

3.68% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$43,690

4.02% 1-year decline

2023 Median Property Value

$77,200

14.5% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

809

2.53% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Salem, WV had a population of 1.81k people with a median age of 32.4 and a median household income of $43,690. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Salem, WV declined from 1,873 to 1,812, a −3.26% decrease and its median household income declined from $45,521 to $43,690, a −4.02% decrease.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Salem, WV are White (Non-Hispanic) (93.7%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (2.43%), White (Hispanic) (1.43%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (0.993%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.773%).

None of the households in Salem, WV reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.3% of the residents in Salem, WV are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Salem, WV are Salem University (349 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2023, the median property value in Salem, WV was $77,200, and the homeownership rate was 71.2%.

Most people in Salem, WV drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Salem, WV was 3 cars per household.

United States West Virginia Harrison County, WV Clarksburg, WV Harrison, Randolph, Upshur, Lewis, Taylor, Barbour Counties PUMA, WV

Population & Diversity

Salem, WV is home to a population of 1.81k people, from which 97.3% are citizens. As of 2023, 2.7% of Salem, WV residents were born outside of the country (49 people).

In 2023, there were 38.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1.7k people) in Salem, WV than any other race or ethnicity. There were 44 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 26 White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.3%

2023 Citizenship

97.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 97.3% of Salem, WV residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Salem, WV was 97.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Salem, WV compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Salem, WV

White (Non-Hispanic)
1.7k ± 331
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
44 ± 25
White (Hispanic)
26 ± 22

2.15%

Hispanic Population

39 people

2.15% of the people in Salem, WV are hispanic (39 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Salem, WV as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for West Virginia.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
2,064 ± 1,115 people
Germany
1,923 ± 1,076 people
China
1,815 ± 1,045 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of West Virginia was Mexico, the natal country of 2,064 West Virginia residents, followed by Germany with 1,923 and China with 1,815.

Foreign-Born Population

2.7%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

49 people

2.88%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

54 people

As of 2023, 2.7% of Salem, WV residents (49 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Salem, WV was 2.88%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Salem, WV compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
35 ± 31
Vietnam
17 ± 21
Gulf War (1990s)
0 ± 18

Salem, WV has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 2.06 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Salem, WV employs 809 people. The largest industries in Salem, WV are Educational Services (221 people), Retail Trade (154 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (110 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($65,000), Manufacturing ($60,938), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($54,500).

Males in West Virginia have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $50,743. The income inequality in West Virginia (measured using the Gini index) is 0.449, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

809

2023 Value

± 217

−2.53%

1 Year decline

± 38.5%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Salem, WV declined at a rate of −2.53%, from 830 employees to 809 employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Salem, WV, are Building & Grounds Cleaning & Maintenance Occupations (132 people), Sales & Related Occupations (104 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (83 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Salem, WV.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in West Virginia (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

809

2023 Value

± 217

−2.53%

1 Year decline

± 38.5%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Salem, WV declined at a rate of −2.53%, from 830 employees to 809 employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Salem, WV, are Educational Services (221 people), Retail Trade (154 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (110 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Salem, WV, though some of these residents may live in Salem, WV and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$29,167

Median earning men ± $13,662

$17,008

Median earning women ± $2,338

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($60,893), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($54,500), and Manufacturing ($52,188).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($57,188), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($39,167), and Public Administration ($36,797).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for West Virginia.

Y-Axis

0.583%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 690k people employed in West Virginia. This represents a 0.583% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 15%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in West Virginia.

Education

In 2022, universities in Salem, WV awarded 349 degrees. The student population of Salem, WV in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 457 male students and 527 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Salem, WV are White (205 and 64.9%), followed by Black or African American (47 and 14.9%), Unknown (38 and 12%), and Hispanic or Latino (16 and 5.06%).

The largest universities in Salem, WV by number of degrees awarded are Salem University (349 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Salem, WV are General Business Administration & Management (169 and 48.4%), General Educational Leadership & Administration (45 and 12.9%), and Criminal Justice - Safety Studies (39 and 11.2%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 984 students enrolled in Salem, WV, 46.4% men and 53.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 457 records, of which 60.2% were women and 39.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Educational Leadership & Administration
25 degrees awarded
Curriculum & Instruction
19 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
47 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Salem, WV was General Educational Leadership & Administration with 25 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Masters Degree from schools in Salem, WV according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Salem University

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

349 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Salem University with 349 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 165 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Salem, WV, which is 0.897 times less than the 184 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 205 degrees mean that there were 4.36 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 47 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($12,750) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($400) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,000) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for West Virginia.

Measure

In 2022, 0.661% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.559% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for West Virginia.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (549k), Some college (279k), and Secondary Education (210k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Salem, WV was $77,200 in 2023, which is 0.254 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $67,400 to $77,200, a 14.5% increase. The homeownership rate in Salem, WV is 71.2%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Salem, WV have an average commute time of 21.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Salem, WV is higher than the national average, with an average of 3 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$77,200

Median Property Value 2023

±$8,988

$457

Median Property Taxes

±$115

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Salem, WV the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Salem, WV compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

71.2%

Homeownership

2023

57.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 71.2% of the housing units in Salem, WV were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 72.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Salem, WV compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Census Tract 316

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

The following map shows all of the places in Salem, WV colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$43,690

Median Household Income

± $12,139

642

Number of Households

± 138

In 2023, the median household income of the 642 households in Salem, WV declined from $43,690 from the previous year's value of $45,521.

The following chart displays the households in Salem, WV distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $20k - $25k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Salem, WV is from West Virginia.

0.449

2022 Wage GINI in West Virginia

0.447

2021 Wage GINI in West Virginia

In 2022, the income inequality in West Virginia was 0.449 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.523% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for West Virginia was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in West Virginia in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in West Virginia across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (78.9%)
Walked (11.4%)
Carpooled (7.79%)

In 2023, 78.9% of workers in Salem, WV drove alone to work, followed by those who walked to work (11.4%) and those who carpooled to work (7.79%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

21.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Salem, WV have a shorter commute time (21.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 4.51% of the workforce in Salem, WV have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Salem, WV compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

3 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Salem, WV distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Salem, WV have 3 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

16.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Salem, WV (251 out of 1.51k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 55 - 64 and then Males 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Salem, WV is White, followed by Hispanic and Asian.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

82.5% of the population of Salem, WV has health coverage, with 42.8% on employee plans, 20.7% on Medicaid, 12.1% on Medicare, 6.08% on non-group plans, and 0.829% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Harrison County, WV see 769 patients per year on average, which represents a 8.56% decrease from the previous year (841 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1068 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 356 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Harrison County, WV.

769 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Harrison County, WV

Primary care physicians in Harrison County, WV see an average of 769 patients per year. This represents a 8.56% decrease from the previous year (841 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Harrison County, WV in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 17.9% under 18 years, 34.4% between 18 and 34 years, 33.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 59.3% were men and 40.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

17.5%

Uninsured

42.8%

Employer Coverage

20.7%

Medicaid

12.1%

Medicare

6.08%

Non-Group

0.829%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Salem, WV declined by 4.92% from 18.4% to 17.5%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Salem, WV changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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