SalemWI
A town of 486.
Is Salem a good place to live?
Salem has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
486 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Salem: who provides what
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 Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Salem.
Most of Salem’s workers commute out: the town has 0.5 jobs for each of them
In Salem, the middle household income is $94,000, above both the Wisconsin town median ($87,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). Just 4% of the town’s working residents have a job in town. The mean commuting time in the town is 31 minutes. The top destinations are Red Wing (12%), Ellsworth (7%) and Plum City (6%).
| Salem | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.5% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $94,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 9.5% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expect snowy winters and pleasant summers in Salem
The peak summer temperature is 81°F, against 82°F in Wisconsin’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Salem is
For adults in Salem, the share who report frequent mental distress is 15%. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Salem is ahead of Wisconsin on 5 and behind on 1. In Salem, nearly a fifth of adults binge drink, and 30% feel lonely.
| Salem | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 24% | 23% |
| What stands out | Salem | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.9% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 9.8% | 12.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.8% | 8.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Zillow puts the typical Salem home at about $373K
91% of Salem households are owner-occupiers. Typical home values rose 5.2% in the year to September 2026.
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Top of a moderate hazard risk in Salem: inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 57% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Everything we know about Salem
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Salem; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Salem residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
96% of working residents leave Salem for work
Where Salem’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Salem
Town in Wisconsin, United States
Salem is a town in Pierce County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 475 at the 2020 census. The unincorporated community of Ono is also located partially in the town.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 35 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,076 ft
Questions about Salem
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Salem, WI a good place to live?
Salem has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.