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)

How Salem ranks

All →

#6Fewest uninsured in AR #7Lowest obesity in AR #12Most remote workers in AR All AR rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code72576

Area code870

Living in Salem

Housing in Salem

$168K▲ 2.3% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Salem home is worth about $168,000, up 2.3% in a year, 26% below the Arkansas typical home.

A strong seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market62

Sale-to-list98.7%

Sold in May6

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Salem

Safety Grade C

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.

Violent crime per 1,000

Salem 3

Arkansas 5.4

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Salem 17.7

Arkansas 16.7

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Salem

Full picture →

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.

Mountain Home

11%

Little Rock

Batesville

Ash Flat

35%Work in townlive and work in Salem 25 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 1,076Jobs based herea job hub

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Salem →

Health in Salem

Health Grade D

Healthier than 6% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 32% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Arkansas

12worse than AR

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 20 are too close to call.

Conditions 8▼ 4 close Habits 1▼ 3 close Care 1▼ 6 close Mind 2▼ 3 close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

32.8%More older adults who have lost all their teethAR 18.6% · worse 12.6%More adults with COPDAR 8.6% · worse 10.4%More adults with heart diseaseAR 7.7% · worse

Care nearby

Baxter Health Fulton County HospitalSalem · 1.1 mi · ER · rural critical access

1st Choice Healthcare SalemSalem · 0.6 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Salem · CMS · HRSAHealth in Salem →

Natural hazards in Salem

Very high

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 89% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🧊 Ice storms🌪️ Tornadoes

1Does Salem flood?paid flood claims since 2008 9Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Salem

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Salem →

Climate in Salem

Full climate →

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.

49° / 28°Winter

69° / 45°Spring

88° / 65°Summer

71° / 46°Fall

How much snow does Salem get?About 5 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 30, with the last in spring around Apr 8.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.1° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Salem →

Schools in Salem

All Salem schools →

A⁺

School Grade A+

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.

#11Best public schoolsof 113 in AR

DistrictSALEM SCHOOL DISTRICTSchools2

Salem Elementary School AElementary · Grades K–6 · 434 students Salem High School AHigh · Grades 7–12 · 376 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results, graded within AR. Ratings are from neighbors.