Birthplace of Wm. J. Bryan, 1900
Salem Township’s story
Salem Township in pictures
The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1900 and 2 maps from 1942 on.
Explore the history →Salem TownshipIL
A town of 335.
Population
335
2025 Census estimate · −2% since 2020
Median home value
$232K
Census ACS
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
35.0
years
Jobs based here
163
Balanced
Is Salem Township a good place to live?
36% of residents live below the poverty line in Salem Township, above both the Illinois town median (8.4%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 769 Illinois towns, just 6 have a lower January low than Salem Township. The biggest park or preserve is Timber Lake Resort, at 88 acres. Salem Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
335 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Mount Carroll TownshipFairhaven TownshipFreedom TownshipMount CarrollRock Creek-Lima TownshipSalem Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Salem Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Salem Township, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMount Carroll water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers76% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Salem Township’s trash rules yet
SchoolsWest Carroll Community Unit School District 314Chadwick-Milledgeville Community Unit School District 399Eastland Community Unit School District 3083 districts serve Salem Township; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCarroll County ClerkCarroll County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes61053, 61014, 6104661053 75% · 61014 16% · 61046 9%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Salem Township.
Climate
In Salem Township, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Salem Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 13° and about 33 inches of snow falls in a winter.
33″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–33°
Spring38–60°
Summer60–82°
Fall41–62°
Oct 7
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Salem Township
Most working residents leave Salem Township for work: only 7% work in town. Since 2013, Salem Township has added 98 jobs, to 163 in 2023. At $60,000, Salem Township’s median household income is against $83,000 in Illinois’ towns and $80,000 across U.S. towns.
7%work in town
| Salem Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 7.1% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Salem Township7%
Mount Carroll14%
Savanna9%
Freeport6%
Fulton5%
19 mi
median commute distance
163
jobs based in Salem Township
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Salem Township is
Salem Township beats the Illinois average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 41% of adults have high blood pressure in Salem Township.
| Salem Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 37% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
7 better15 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Salem Township | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.7% | 13.2% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.5% | 9.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.6% | 6.3% |
Morrison Community Hospital
18.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Salem Township faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 60% of U.S. communities. Since 2002, 3 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Salem Township.
40risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
3
paid flood claims since 2002
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0.7%conserved
0.7%
conserved · 147 of 22,514 acres
0.9 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Timber Lake Resort | — | 88 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Salem Township
17pages on Salem Township
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Salem Township; the nearest are
Morrison Institute of TechnologyCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Morrison19 mi$20,355 tuitionHighland Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Freeport19.5 mi$4,936 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-PlattevilleUniversity or college · Public · Platteville, WI54 mi$8,644 in-state tuition
About 9 of every 100 Salem Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
About Salem Township
Township in Illinois, United States
Salem Township is one of twelve townships in Carroll County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2020 census, its population was 350 and it contained 155 housing units.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 797 ft
Questions about Salem Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Salem Township, IL a good place to live?
Salem Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.