West Salem, IL

Census Place

2024 Population

713

US Senator

Dick Durbin

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tammy Duckworth

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

46.1

20.4% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

8.56%

25.8% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$49,821

1.34% 1-year decline

2024 Median Property Value

$74,600

Population & Diversity

West Salem, IL is home to a population of 713 people, from which 98.7% are citizens.

As of 2024, 1.96% of West Salem, IL residents were born outside of the country (14 people).

In 2024, there were 12.4 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (644 people) in West Salem, IL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 52 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 8 Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.7%

2024 Citizenship

99.7%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.7% of West Salem, IL residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in West Salem, IL was 99.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in West Salem, IL

White (Non-Hispanic)
644 ± 117
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
52 ± 25
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
8 ± 12

1.12%

Hispanic Population

8 people

1.12% of the people in West Salem, IL are hispanic (8 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in West Salem, IL 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 Illinois.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
637,284 ± 19,101 people
India
166,788 ± 9,961 people
Poland
117,148 ± 8,364 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Illinois was Mexico, the natal country of 637,284 Illinois residents, followed by India with 166,788 and Poland with 117,148.

Foreign-Born Population

1.96%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

14 people

0.78%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

6 people

As of 2024, 1.96% of West Salem, IL residents (14 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in West Salem, IL was 0.78%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
25 ± 24
Gulf War (2001-)
4 ± 14
Korea
2 ± 13

West Salem, IL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 6.25 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in West Salem, IL.

Economy

The economy of West Salem, IL employs 267 people. In 2024, the largest industries in West Salem, IL were Transportation & Warehousing (41 people), Manufacturing (31 people), and Retail Trade (27 people), and the highest paying industries were Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($73,125), Accommodation & Food Services ($67,639), and Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation, & Accommodations & Food Services ($67,639).

Employment

Occupations

267

2024 Value

± 81

2.3%

1 Year growth

± 40.6%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in West Salem, IL grew at a rate of 2.3%, from 261 employees to 267 employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in West Salem, IL, are Material Moving Occupations (47 people), Sales & Related Occupations (28 people), and Management Occupations (26 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of West Salem, IL.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Illinois (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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

267

2024 Value

± 81

2.3%

1 Year growth

± 40.6%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in West Salem, IL grew at a rate of 2.3%, from 261 employees to 267 employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in West Salem, IL, are Transportation & Warehousing (41 people), Manufacturing (31 people), and Retail Trade (27 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of West Salem, IL, though some of these residents may live in West Salem, IL and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$45,662

Median earning men ± $7,206

$36,071

Median earning women ± $14,482

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($95,833), Retail Trade ($63,125), and Manufacturing ($57,083).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($43,750), Manufacturing ($38,500), and Other Services Except Public Administration ($35,833).

Housing & Living

The median property value in West Salem, IL was $74,600 in 2024, which is 0.224 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $65,800 to $74,600, a 13.4% increase. The homeownership rate in West Salem, IL is 82.2%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in West Salem, IL have an average commute time of 22.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in West Salem, IL is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$74,600

Median Property Value 2024

±$7,507

$287

Median Property Taxes

±$53

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 West Salem, IL the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

82.2%

Homeownership

2024

64.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 82.2% of the housing units in West Salem, IL were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 86.6%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$49,821

Median Household Income

± $14,530

349

Number of Households

± 61

In 2024, the median household income of the 349 households in West Salem, IL declined from $49,821 from the previous year's value of $50,500.

The following chart displays the households in West Salem, IL 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 $60k - $75k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for West Salem, IL is from Illinois.

0.471

2024 Wage GINI in Illinois

0.474

2023 Wage GINI in Illinois

In 2024, the income inequality in Illinois was 0.471 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.55% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Illinois was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Illinois in comparison to the national average.

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

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (86%)
Carpooled (9.81%)
Worked At Home (2.26%)

In 2024, 86% of workers in West Salem, IL drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.81%) and those who worked at home (2.26%).

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

22.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in West Salem, IL have a shorter commute time (22.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 0% of the workforce in West Salem, IL have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in West Salem, IL distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in West Salem, IL have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

8.56% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in West Salem, IL (60 out of 701 people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 65 - 74.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in West Salem, IL is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

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

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

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

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