Photo: Ben P L · CC BY-SA 2.0On CDC estimates, Salem is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns
Salem differs from Utah on 13 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 12 better, 1 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Salem. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Salem
Salem is an active town
Only 13.7% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 17.6% across Utah. Habits ↓
Fewer Salem adults struggle to make ends meet
Worries about food, housing, utility bills and getting around all run below Utah. 1 in 12 adults worry about having enough food, vs 1 in 8 adults statewide. Everyday needs ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Utah figure falls outside Salem’s likely range.
What’s behind Salem’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Salem is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns, #21 of 118 in Utah. All seven estimates beat the typical U.S. town. The strongest is no exercise (fewer adults who get no exercise than almost every town); the weakest is mental distress, still better than 71%.
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Salem’s median household income is $111,117; among the 6,988 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($83K–$139K), it’s healthier than 94%, about where its income would put it.
Everyday habits, side by side with Utah
Share of adults, with the Utah figure marked.
9.6 miles of trails across 6 parks and preserves
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
4.3% of Salem adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 6.1% across Utah.
Out of every 100 Salem adults…
Salem runs below UT on 1 of 12 conditions and above it on 1. Tap one to see it as people.
Only 10% of Salem residents are 65 or older, vs 12% across Utah. Age-related conditions run low partly because the town is young.
Care in and near Salem
No hospital or community health center in Salem itself. These are the nearest.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Salem; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
Keeping up with care
Share of Salem adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Utah.
How Salem adults are doing
On 1 of 4 measures, Salem does better than Utah.
1 in 3 Salem adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Salem and the towns around it
Salem’s Health Grade ranks 2nd of 5 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem | A | 30.1% | 7.8% | 6.7% | CDC place |
| Woodland Hills | A | 29.6% | 9.7% | 6.1% | CDC place |
| Spanish Fork | A | 30.9% | 7.2% | 7% | CDC place |
| Payson | A | 31.1% | 8.3% | 7.4% | CDC place |
| Elk Ridge | A+ | 29.8% | 7.7% | 6.3% | CDC place |
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Salem adults live with a disability (Utah 28.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Salem
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Salem is better than Utah on 12 and worse on 1; on the rest, the Utah figure falls inside Salem’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Salem | UT | U.S. | vs UT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 12.1%10.5–13.7 | 15.5% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.3%10–12.6 | 12.2% | 13% | About the same |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 15.8%14.1–17.5 | 17.3% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 30.1%26.7–33.6 | 31% | 32.9% | About the same |
| Diabetes | 7.8%6.8–8.8 | 8.5% | 12% | About the same |
| High blood pressure | 26.7%24.5–29 | 27.3% | 34.4% | About the same |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.7%28.2–33.2 | 30.4% | 37.1% | About the same |
| Arthritis | 21.4%19.5–23.4 | 21.7% | 25.3% | About the same |
| Asthma | 10%9–11.1 | 10.8% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 8.2%7.5–8.9 | 7.2% | 7.9% | Worse |
| Coronary heart disease | 4.5%4–5 | 4.7% | 6.4% | About the same |
| COPD | 4.2%3.6–4.8 | 4.6% | 6.3% | About the same |
| Stroke | 2.3%2.1–2.6 | 2.5% | 3.4% | About the same |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 8%6.5–9.7 | 9.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 6.7%5.5–7.9 | 8.1% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 13.7%11.5–15.7 | 17.6% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 8.7%7.4–10.1 | 12.4% | 15.4% | Better |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 32%28.7–35.3 | 33.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.4%6.2–8.8 | 10.5% | 11% | Better |
| Checkup in the past year | 71.4%68.8–74 | 70.4% | 77.4% | About the same |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 76.2%73.9–78.4 | 70.3% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 82.3%80.3–84.1 | 80.5% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 64.8%61.7–67.6 | 65.6% | 76.5% | About the same |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 65.3%61.7–68.6 | 63.1% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 74.9%69.1–80.1 | 72.1% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26%23.5–28.5 | 27.3% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 33.1%30.2–36.2 | 34.1% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 18.2%16–20.5 | 20.6% | 23.6% | Better |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 8.3%6.9–9.8 | 12.4% | 15% | Better |
| Worried about keeping housing | 7.5%6.4–8.7 | 10% | 12% | Better |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 5.2%4.4–6 | 6.5% | 7.6% | Better |
| Lack reliable transportation | 5.3%4.6–6.1 | 6.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 4.3%3.5–5.3 | 6.1% | 11.6% | Lower |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 24.7%21.9–27.4 | 28.4% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 8.9%7.6–10 | 10.3% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 13.4%11.7–15 | 15.2% | 13.9% | Lower |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.4–6.7 | 6.4% | 6.7% | About the same |
| Vision difficulty | 3.2%2.8–3.6 | 4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 6%5.2–6.7 | 6.8% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.4%2.1–2.7 | 2.7% | 3.8% | About the same |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Utah figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Salem
Is Salem a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Salem is healthier than 94% of U.S. towns: A for health, #21 of 118 in Utah. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 94%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Salem?
CDC estimates 30.1% of adults have obesity, likely between 26.7% and 33.6%, against 31% across Utah and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Salem?
Mountain View Hospital in Payson, 2.7 miles in a straight line from Salem’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 5 of 5 stars.
How many people in Salem have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.4% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.2–8.8%), against 10.5% across Utah.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Salem more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from A− to A+.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Salem.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Utah figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.