Salem, NC Profile: Facts & Data

The primary coordinate point for Salem is located at latitude 35.6987 and longitude -81.697 in Burke County. The formal boundaries for the Salem Census Designated Place encompass a land area of 4.29 sq. miles and a water area of 0 sq. miles. Burke County is in the Eastern time zone (GMT -5).

The Salem Census Designated Place has a U1 Census Class Code which indicates a census designated place with an official federally recognized name. It also has a Functional Status Code of "S" which identifies a statistical entity.

A Census Designated Place (CDP) is a statistical counterpart to a self-governing (incorporated) place such as a city, town, or village. A CDP is not a legal entity and has no governmental functions.

Salem, NC Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2025)

POPULATION
Total Population	2,271 (100%)
Population in Households	2,271 (100.0%)
Population in Families	1,732 (76.3%)
Population in Group Quarters¹	0
Population Density	529
Diversity Index²	39


INCOME
Median Household Income	$60,749
Average Household Income	$63,690
% of Income for Mortgage⁴	23%
Per Capita Income	$27,428
Wealth Index⁵	40
Socioeconomic Status Index⁶	Low (41.8)

HOUSING
Total HU (Housing Units)	1,044 (100%)
Owner Occupied HU	737 (70.6%)
Renter Occupied HU	241 (23.1%)
Vacant Housing Units	66 ( 6.3%)
Median Home Value	$226,212
Average Home Value	$232,619
Housing Affordability Index³	100

HOUSEHOLDS
Total Households	978
Average Household Size	2.32
Family Households	598
Average Family Size	3.00

NOTES

Group Quarters - a place where people live or stay in a group living arrangement. Includes college residents halls, nursing facilities, military barracks, and correctional facilities.
The Diversity Index is a scale of 0 to 100 that represents the likelihood that two persons, chosen at random from the same area, belong to different races or ethnic groups. If an area's entire population belongs to one race AND one ethnic group, then the area has zero diversity. An area's diversity index increases to 100 when the population is evenly divided into two or more race/ethnic groups.
The Housing Affordability Index base is 100 and represents a balance point where a resident with a median household income can normally qualify to purchase a median price home. Values above 100 indicate increased affordability, while values below 100 indicate decreased affordability.
The % of Income for Mortgage quantifies the percentage of median household income dedicated to mortgage payments on a home priced at the median value (assuming a 30-year mortgage and a 20% down payment).
The Wealth Index is based on a number of indicators of affluence including average household income and average net worth, but it also includes the value of material possessions and resources. It represents the wealth of the area relative to the national level. Values above or below 100 represent above-average wealth or below-average wealth compared to the national level.
The Socioeconomic Index ranges from zero (lowest relative status) to 100 (highest relative status). This measure quantifies disparities in social position of an area's inhabitants and is built from a broad range of demographic, housing, and socioeconomic inputs. More information on this measure can be found in Esri's SEI tutorial.

Salem, NC - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

The table below compares Salem to the other 776 incorporated cities, towns and CDPs in North Carolina by rank and percentile using July 1, 2025 data. The location Ranked # 1 has the highest value. A location that ranks higher than 75% of its peers would be in the 75th percentile of the peer group.

GROWTH RATE / YEAR	2020-2025	2025-2030
Population	-0.70%	-0.22%
Households	-0.06%	0.02%
Families		0.00%
Median Household Income		0.69%
Per Capita Income		2.04%
Owner Occupied HU		0.51%

Variable Description	Rank	Percentile
Total Population	# 306	61st
Population Density	# 443	43rd
Median Household Income	# 415	47th
Housing Affordability Index	# 472	61st
Per Capita Income	# 575	26th
Diversity Index	# 570	26th

Salem, NC Profile: Facts & Data

Salem, North Carolina - Basic Facts

Salem, NC Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2025)

POPULATION

INCOME

HOUSING

HOUSEHOLDS

GROWTH RATE / YEAR

Salem, NC - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

Salem, NC - Most Popular Things to Do

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Burke County