Salem vs Xenia
Salem, Illinois versus Xenia, Illinois: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Xenia edges out Salem on overall objective livability (43 vs 37 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Salem | Xenia |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $56k | $48k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $48k |
| Home Value | $95k | $90k |
| Monthly Rent | $729 | $650 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $104 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.91% | 1.23% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.86% | 8.86% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.21% | 10.26% |
| Unemployment | 4.5% | 10.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 33°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 79°F | 77°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9 in | 46.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.2 in | 8.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 69°F | 69°F |
| Comfortable Days | 65 days | 77 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 87.5 | 89.0 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 37 AQI |
| School Quality | 86.1 | 37.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1037/100k | 0/100k |
| Property Crime | 1794/100k | 0/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 7,228 | 323 |
| Median Age | 36.4 | 40.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.12 | 0.08 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.87 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | R+47 | R+67 |
| White (%) | 93.6% | 95.7% |
| Black (%) | 3.4% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Asian (%) | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 2.1% | 3.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 7.5/20 | 5.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 76 mi | 94 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.4% | 90.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 15.22 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Salem or Xenia more affordable?
- Salem has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Salem's $46k and Xenia's $48k. Median rent is $729 in Salem versus $650 in Xenia.
- Is Salem or Xenia safer?
- Xenia has the lower violent crime rate. Salem reports 1037/100k and Xenia reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Salem or Xenia?
- The median home value is $95k in Salem and $90k in Xenia, so homes are more affordable in Xenia.