East Berwick Fire Co 2, 2015
Salem Township’s story
Salem Township in pictures
Census counts: 4,269 in 2000, 4,019 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2015 and 6 maps from 1894 on.
Explore the history →
Salem TownshipLuzerne County, PA
A town in Pennsylvania, home to 4,092 people.
9 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Jakec · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
4,092
2025 Census estimate · +1.6% since 2020
Median home value
$201K
Census ACS
Household income
$79K
median
Median age
55.0
years
Jobs based here
2,262
Balanced
TownGrade
B−
#727 of 1032 in PA
Is Salem Township a good place to live?
The picture is mixed. Where it falls short is health (C): residents are less healthy than 68% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Walkability is weaker too (C). Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 71% of U.S. towns. Its strongest subject is safety: it reports less crime per resident than 87% of U.S. towns. It is strong on incomes as well: the median household earns $79K. Homes run about $201K for a typical one, 3.1 times the Scranton metro’s $65K median household income. Overall, that makes a B−, good for 727th of 1032 in Pennsylvania. That leaves it better than 47% of U.S. towns.
Figures: FBI crime data, 2025 · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · health, CDC PLACES · home values, Zillow.
What makes Salem Township stand out
Where Salem Township beats most towns.
How Salem Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Pennsylvania), ordered by how far Salem Township is from typical.
SafetyVery little crime by comparisonAOpen →Jobs & income2,262 jobs based hereB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.4 of 20; 1.8% of households have no car; 0.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →HealthGeisinger-Bloomsburg Hospital 15.6 miles awayCOpen →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listC+Open →Cost of livingBehind most towns comparedC+Open →SchoolsBased on how pupils do in exams and testsC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 16% conserved landCOpen →HistoryNear typical for the towns comparedB−Open →Civic life0.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
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.
PowerPPL Electric Utilities18.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPa American Water BerwickNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Salem Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLuzerne County Board of ElectionsLuzerne County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2015
ZIP codes18603, 1865518603 92% · 18655 8%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Salem Township.
SafetyA
For safety, Salem Township earns an A
At 6.3 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 72% of Pennsylvania’s graded towns. Violent crime is rare: 0 reported in 2025, 0 per 1,000 residents.
Salem Township’s level of property crime stands at 4.6 per 1,000 residents, against 5.7 in Pennsylvania’s towns and 9.9 across U.S. towns. No violent crime was reported in the town.
87%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Salem Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.6 per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Salem Township0
Pennsylvania2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Salem Township4.6
Pennsylvania13.6
U.S.15.5
87th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
72nd
percentile among PA towns
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
19
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsC+
On state tests, Salem Township’s schools trail 58% of Pennsylvania districts
Its two schools are below. Public schools: Berwick Area SD. 2 public schools serve Salem Township, with 1,376 students in all.
42%of PA districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berwick Area MSLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–8 | Grades 5–8 | 837 | C |
| East Berwick El SchTop results in townGrades K–4 | Grades K–4 | 539 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within PA on state tests and graduation
Who lives here
Salem Township stands out in Pennsylvania and nationally, with fewer of its residents who are under 18
Four-year graduates: just over a quarter of adults 25 and older here, 35% across Pennsylvania. Salem Township’s midpoint age comes in at 55 years.
55median age · PA 40.9
| Salem Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 9.9% | 20% | 22% |
| Median age | 55 years | 43.2 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 26% | 29% | 29% |
Salem TownshipPennsylvaniaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school35%
Some college23%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate9%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.7 points. Across Pennsylvania, 50.7% of residents are women.
| Salem Township | PA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.6% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 3.3% | 9.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.5% | 9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6.4% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7.6% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 15.7% | 11.9% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.9% | 13.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 18.4% | 11.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.6% | 8.1% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.9% | 7.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 34.5% | 32.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.1% | 15.1% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.5% | 8.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.4% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.6% | 14.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,100, single groups can be off by several points
HealthC
For health, Salem Township earns a C
In Salem Township, 15% of adults report frequent physical distress. 19% of Salem Township adults smoke cigarettes, above both Pennsylvania’s towns (16%) and U.S. towns (14%).
32%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Salem Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 14% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 24% | 25% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 35% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better16 too close to call10 worse
| What stands out | Salem Township | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More uninsured adults | 7.8% | 5.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.7% | 7.7% |
| More smokers | 18.9% | 15.8% |
Geisinger-Bloomsburg Hospital
15.6 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
17th
percentile among PA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsC
Salem Township has set aside 16.3% of its land for conservation
There are 1.0 miles of trail across 1 park or preserve. The biggest park or preserve is State Game Lands Number 260, at 2,965 acres.
#763for trails in PA
16.3%
conserved · 3,080 of 18,948 acres
1.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. State Game Lands Number 260 | — | 2,965 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Salem Township has four seasons and pleasant summers
Salem Township’s typical July afternoon high stands at 82°F.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–36°
Spring36–58°
Summer59–80°
Fall41–61°
Oct 11
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
A job hub: Salem Township has 1.3 jobs for every working resident and draws in 2,095 commuters
Commuting out is the norm in Salem Township: a tenth of working residents work locally. In Salem Township, the mean commuting time is 29 minutes. The top destinations are Berwick (16%), South Centre Township (5%) and Mahoning Township (5%). Half of commuters travel less than 15 miles.
10%work in town
| Salem Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 6.2% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.8% | 6.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Salem Township10%
Berwick16%
South Centre Township5%
Mahoning Township5%
Bloomsburg4%
15 mi
median commute distance
2,262
jobs based in Salem Township
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 29% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Salem Township faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in nearly three fifths of U.S. communities. Four fifths of Salem Township’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 7%. The national flood insurance program has paid 47 claims in the town since 1979.
59risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
47
paid flood claims since 1979
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Salem Township
19pages on Salem Township
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 58% of PA districts · 2 schoolsSafetyA0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthCBetter than PA on 0 of 26 CDC measuresCost of livingC+Work & commuteB+$79K median household income · 2,262 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 59% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Salem Township
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State HazletonUniversity or college · Public · Hazleton11.6 mi$15,208 in-state tuitionLuzerne County Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Nanticoke11.7 mi$6,600 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Salem Township residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Pennsylvania.
About Salem Township
Township in Pennsylvania, US
Salem Township is a township in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,019 at the 2020 census. The Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, a nuclear power plant, is located in Salem.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 30 sq mi
Salem Township’s neighbors
9 towns share a border with Salem Township.
Conyngham TownshipNescopeck TownshipMocanaquaShickshinnyNescopeckBriar Creek TownshipUnion TownshipEast BerwickHuntington TownshipSalem Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | PA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem Township | #727 | B− | C+ | A | C+ | C |
| Conyngham Township | — | — | A | — | C− | B− |
| Nescopeck Township | — | — | B− | — | C+ | C+ |
| Mocanaqua | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Shickshinny | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Nescopeck | — | — | B+ | — | C+ | C |
| Briar Creek Township | #670 | B− | B+ | A | C+ | C |
| Union Township | — | — | A− | — | C+ | B− |
Conyngham Township, Nescopeck Township, Nescopeck and Union Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Conyngham Township, Nescopeck Township, Nescopeck and Union Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Mocanaqua and Shickshinny aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Salem Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Salem Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Salem Township, PA a good place to live?
Salem Township grades B− overall, better than 47% of U.S. towns and #727 of 1032 in Pennsylvania. It grades C for health, A for safety and C+ for schools.
Is Salem Township, PA expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.