Salem’s story
126 years in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1900Salem is settled
SalemAR
A town of 1,620, settled in 1900. A regional job hub with 1,076 jobs.
Photo: Brandonrush · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,620
−4.2% since 2010
Typical home
$168K
+2.3% in a year
Household income
$41K
median
Median age
39.3
years
Jobs based here
1,076
A job hub
What makes Salem stand out
The 3 things Salem does most differently from other towns.
A job hub
Every workday, about 904 people come to Salem for work
Where Salem’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,076jobs based in Salem
35%of working residents work in town
25 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Salem’s report card
Commute25 miHalf of commuters travel lessSchoolsA+Beats 98% of AR districtsHealthDHealthier than 6% of U.S. townsHazards89/100Very high risk of storm & flood damageSafetyCLess crime than 28% of U.S. townsHousing$168K26% below the AR typical homeClimate90°/26°Summer high · winter low · 5″ snowOutdoors0 miof trails · 0% conserved
Now in Salem
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Salem? Is an A+ for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in Salem’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →66°
Light Rain
H 72° · L 54°
Local news
All →- Colton Steward - Salem Greyhounds Baseball (Salem, AR)Sports Illustrated · Sep 8
- Landon MossSports Illustrated · Aug 31
- Death Investigation in Fulton CountyOzark Radio News · Jul 31
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Salem. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About one in three working residents works right in Salem
About one in 3 of Salem’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Mountain Home (11%), Little Rock (5%) and Batesville (4%). Half commute less than 25 miles.
35%work in town
Where working residents work
In Salem35%
Mountain Home11%
Little Rock5%
Batesville4%
Ash Flat3%
25 mi
median commute distance
1,076
jobs based in Salem
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Schools
Salem’s public schools outperform 98% of Arkansas districts
The public schools Salem’s kids attend outperform 98% of Arkansas’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.
A+School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem Elementary School | K–6 | 434 | A |
| Salem High School | 7–12 | 376 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AR on state testsAll 2 schools →
Health
Healthier than 6% of U.S. towns
Salem beats the Arkansas average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12.
DHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Arkansas
0 better20 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Salem | AR |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 32.8% | 18.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.6% | 8.6% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.4% | 7.7% |
Baxter Health Fulton County Hospital
1.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
24th
percentile among AR towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards
Very high risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 89% of U.S. communities.
89risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingIce stormsTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 2008
9
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 28% of U.S. towns
Salem reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 72% report less. Within Arkansas, it does better than 51% of towns.
CSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Salem3
Arkansas5.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Salem17.7
Arkansas16.7
U.S.15.5
28th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
51st
percentile among AR towns
5
violent crimes reported in 2025
29
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Housing
A typical Salem home is worth about $168K
The typical Salem home is worth about $168,000, up 2.3% in a year, 26% below the Arkansas typical home.
$168KZillow home value
Typical home value
Salem$168K
Arkansas$227K
Market temperature
62
days on market
98.7%
sale-to-list price
+2.3%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Climate
Mild winters, hot summers
Salem has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 5 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
5″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter28–49°
Spring45–69°
Summer65–88°
Fall46–71°
Oct 30
typical first frost
Apr 8
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Outdoors
0% of Salem is conserved land
0.2 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 1,538 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Preacher Roe Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
About Salem
City in Arkansas, United States
Salem is a city in and the county seat of Fulton County, Arkansas, United States. Salem was first incorporated in 1900. As of the 2020 census the population stood at 1,566.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1900
- Population
- 1,566
- Area
- 3.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 663 ft
- ZIP code
- 72576
- Area code
- 870
More about Salem
Still missing for Salem:archive photosupcoming events