Salem, Virginia
Among the top 1% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 35% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 49% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 53% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 91% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A+, better than 99% of US counties
- top 3% for amenities nearby
- top 6% for walkability
- bottom 19% for property crime
Salem is a county in Virginia with about 25,000 residents. It grades A+ for lifestyle & connectivity and C for affordability. Standout strengths include amenities nearby, walkability, and sales tax. It rates lower on monthly rent and property crime.
Official websitesalemva.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
cold
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
cold
70%58%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.9 in3.1 in
humid 93%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$68k71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 44% of US counties
Home Value$232k76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 20% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 23% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.96%better than 42% of US counties
Income Tax5.80%better than 29% of US counties
Sales Tax5.77%better than 90% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.95%better than 26% of US counties
Unemployment3.5%better than 73% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)37°F59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)77°F49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation41.7 in47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall18.4 inbetter than 42% of US counties
Sunny Days232 daysbetter than 44% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 53% of US counties
Comfortable Days82 daysbetter than 57% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk18.6better than 79% of US counties
Air Quality36 AQIbetter than 80% of US counties
School Quality59.5better than 59% of US counties
Violent Crime1269/100kbetter than 23% of US counties
Property Crime1732/100kbetter than 19% of US counties
Community
Population25,37249th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.844th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2749th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.928th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2030th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)83.5%55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)7.8%73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.8%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.8%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.1%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time19 minbetter than 87% of US counties
Walkability10.3/20better than 94% of US counties
Airport Distance120 mibetter than 37% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.6%better than 71% of US counties
Amenities Nearby27.98better than 97% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 89% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Salem an affordable place to live?
- Salem is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 44% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Salem?
- The median home value in Salem is $232k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Salem?
- Median household income in Salem is $68k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Salem?
- Median gross rent in Salem is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Salem safe?
- Salem is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1269/100k (better than 23%). Property crime is 1732/100k.
- What is the weather like in Salem?
- Salem averages 77°F in July and 37°F in January, with 41.7 in of annual precipitation and about 232 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Salem?
- Public-school quality in Salem is about average, scoring better than 59% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Salem?
- The average one-way commute in Salem is 19 min.
Other counties in Virginia
Explore Virginia
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)