Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Salem’s weakest is incomes — the median household income is $83K, and 18% of residents live below the poverty line. The town grades C overall, better than 26% of U.S. towns, and ranks 580th of 745 in New York. It lags on hazard risk as well: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than three quarters of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. Homes run about $231K for a typical one, 3 times the Glens Falls metro’s $76K median household income. Health is its strong suit: CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 64% of the country. Salem's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 98% of U.S. towns. On the outdoors, just 103 of New York’s 1,216 towns do worse. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 100% of U.S. towns, with 6 places on the National Register.
Figures: health, CDC PLACES · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index · home values, Zillow · USGS PAD-US.
Where Salem beats most towns.
Census counts: 2,985 in 1820, a peak of 3,556 in 1870, 2,612 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1767 and 5 maps from 1895 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New York), ordered by how far Salem is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Salem, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Salem.
Salem sends many workers across the state line to Bennington, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of New York (mostly inland flooding).
Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 3.5% in value. Salem’s rent at the middle of the market stands at $948 a month, below both the New York town median ($1,103 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). For households here, the share who are owner-occupiers is 77%.
| Salem | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $948 a month | $1,103 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 77% | 75% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The Salem Central School District runs its public schools. Its two schools are below. Public school enrollment here: 525 students across 2 schools.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 295 | C− |
| Salem High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 230 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NY on state tests and graduation
20% of working residents cross a state line to work, Bennington among the top destinations.
Half of commuters travel less than 19 miles. Salem’s mean commuting time stands at 29 minutes, against 25 minutes in New York’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. The top destinations are Saratoga Springs (5%), New York (4%) and Queensbury (4%).
| Salem | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 9.5% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 19% | 10% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 94% of New York towns, with expected losses of about $664 per resident a year; that rating is what its C− for hazard risk is built on.
The national flood insurance program has paid 4 claims in Salem since 1996. Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 83% come from inland flooding. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Salem after 2 declared disasters, most recently in 2011.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Salem’s midsummer high stands at 81°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Salem: 5.2% of adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Salem is ahead of New York on 9 and behind on 9. Two figures for adults here: 30% feel lonely, 33% sleep under 7 hours.
| Salem | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 83% | 81% | 79% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 33% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 37% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 35% |
| What stands out | Salem | NY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.2% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.6% | 17.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.4% | 7.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
In Salem, 16% of residents are under 18. People 65 and older are 23% of residents (18% statewide); children under 18 are 16% of residents (21% statewide). For Salem, the median age is 47.5 years. A bachelor’s degree or higher: nearly a third of adults 25 and older, vs 40% across New York.
| Salem | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 16% | 20% | 22% |
| Median age | 47.5 years | 42.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 23% | 20% | 18% |
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.9 points. Across New York, 51.2% of residents are women.
| Salem | NY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.3% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 4.9% | 9.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.9% | 8.9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 14% | 14.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.3% | 13% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.6% | 12.2% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.1% | 13.3% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.7% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10.1% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.8% | 12% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.8% | 24.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 19.4% | 14.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.2% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 15.6% | 22.4% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 16.4% | 17.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,600, single groups can be off by several points
For Salem, the density of trails is 0.1 miles per square mile. Across 1 park or preserve: 5.1 miles of trail. Parks and preserves here: one, of 5 acres.
| Salem | New York towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 5.6% | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The Georgi on the Battenkill Community Park & Museum | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Salem. Close and well known come first.
34 mi LakeLake George
27 mi LandmarkFort William Henry
23 mi Theme parkGreat Escape
37 mi MountainMount Greylock
22 mi State parkGrant Cottage State Historic Site
32 mi MuseumClark Art InstituteLake George: Sixlocal, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort William Henry: IrisKawling at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Great Escape: Jared and Corin, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Mount Greylock: Jstergis, CC BY 3.0 · Grant Cottage State Historic Site: Coingeek at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Clark Art Institute: Daderot, Public domain
None within 15 miles of Salem; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Salem residents are enrolled in college, against 7 across New York.
6 places in Salem on the National Register of Historic Places.
13 notable people were born in Salem.
Town in New York, United States
Salem is a town in eastern Washington County, New York, United States. It is part of the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town population was 2,612 at the 2020 census. The town of Salem contains a hamlet also named Salem, formerly an incorporated village.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
4 towns share a border with Salem.
| Town | NY rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem | #580 | C | B− | — | C+ | B |
| Jackson | — | — | C | — | B− | B+ |
| Hebron | — | — | C | — | C | B |
| Greenwich | #312 | B | C+ | — | B | A− |
Jackson and Hebron have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Salem, Jackson, Hebron and Greenwich report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Salem with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Salem grades C overall, better than 26% of U.S. towns and #580 of 745 in New York. It grades B for health and C+ for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a C−.
13 notable people were born here, including Jane Gail and Asa Fitch.
