Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Salem’s best subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A− for schools and walkability; its weakest is a D− for health. On cost of living, just 1 of West Virginia’s 141 towns do better. The median household income is $39K, and 17% of residents live below the poverty line. Among 62 West Virginia towns, just 1 have a lower median age than Salem. Salem is home to Salem University. Salem has 2 places on the National Register. Salem has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Salem beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Salem Historic DistrictEach subject compared with towns across the country (schools within West Virginia), ordered by how far Salem is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 248 in 1880, a peak of 2,943 in 1930, 1,529 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1899 and 4 maps from 1905 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
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 beats the West Virginia average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 24% of Salem adults report frequent mental distress, against 21% in West Virginia’s towns and 17% across U.S. towns. 22% of adults smoke cigarettes in Salem.
| Salem | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 21% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 18% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 31% | 23% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 24% | 19% |
| What stands out | Salem | WV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 33.7% | 37.7% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 12.4% | 8.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Harrison County Schools. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 173 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WV on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 79% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 21 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Salem.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Salem for work: only 7% work in town. At $39,000, Salem’s median household income is below both the West Virginia town median ($59,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). Jobs based in Salem fell to 356 in 2023, 515 fewer than in 2013.
| Salem | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $39,000 | $59,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 7.1% | 14% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Salem home is worth about $127,000, up 5.8% in a year, 28% below the West Virginia typical home. Salem’s median rent is $525 a month.
| Salem | West Virginia towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $525 a month | $878 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 68% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Salem has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 22° and about 24 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
1 within 15 miles of the center of Salem
College town 19 of every 100 Salem residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across West Virginia.
Where Salem’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
2 places in Salem on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 notable people were born in Salem.
City in West Virginia, US
Salem is a city in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,485 at the 2020 census. It is located at the junction of U.S. Route 50 and West Virginia Route 23; the North Bend Rail Trail passes through the city. Salem University is located in Salem.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.
3 notable people were born here, including Jennings Randolph and Richard R. Bond.
