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Compare towns

Salem vs Marshall

56 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (3.5× in Marshall) and property tax bill (+71% in Marshall).

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Salem, ARA regional job hubArkansas · 1,620 people
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Marshall, ARA history townArkansas · 1,196 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

SalemA regional job hub
Work1,076 jobsbased in Salem, a regional job hub Schools#11 for schools in ARof 113 towns Health94% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Salem →
MarshallA history town
HistorySettled in 188422 places on the National Register Health97% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Work900 jobsbased in Marshall, a regional job hub All about Marshall →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails3.5×
Marshall has more miles of trail
Marshall 0.7 miSalem 0.2 mi
Property tax bill+71%
Tax bills are bigger in Marshall
Marshall $628Salem $367
Rent+35%
Rent runs higher in Salem
Salem $676Marshall $500
Average commute10 min
Marshall has the shorter commute
Salem 27 minMarshall 17 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $160 more a month in Salem

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Salem$930/mo
Typical home $168K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.35% · or rent about $676/mo · Housing →
Marshall$770/mo
Typical home $133K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $500/mo · Housing →

The difference: $160 a month, about $2,000 a year, between Salem and Marshall.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Arkansas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
CSalemSafer than 28% of U.S. towns CMarshallSafer than 32% of U.S. towns
Schools
A+SalemBetter than 98% of districts in the state B+MarshallBetter than 73% of districts in the state
Health
DSalemHealthier than 6% of U.S. towns D−MarshallHealthier than 3% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
SalemMarshall
Snow a year5″4″
January low25°F26°F
July high90°F89°F
Growing season (days)204d197d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th87th
Outdoors & history
SalemMarshall
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land0%0%
Settled19001884
National Register places122
Archive photos—18
Famous people born here22
Community
SalemMarshall
Library hours a week38 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

56 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

SalemARMarshallAR
Salem ↔ Marshall56 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

SalemMarshall
People
Population 1,620Highest 1,196Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.2%Lowest AR: +3.3% -1.9%Highest AR: +3.3%
Median age 39.3±10.6Lowest about the AR average 41.5±7.9Highest 8% above AR
Marshall and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.7%±5.5Highest AR: 23.1% 25.5%±4.4Lowest AR: 23.1%
Salem and Marshall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.6%±4.5Lowest AR: 17.6% 30.4%±8.7Highest AR: 17.6%
Marshall and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 11.7%Lowest AR: 25.7% 13.8%Highest AR: 25.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.2%±2.4Highest AR: 5.1% 1.4%±1.7Lowest AR: 5.1%
Salem and Marshall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $40,833±$14kHighest 33% below AR $28,021±$8kLowest 54% below AR
Salem and Marshall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $105,900±$14kHighest 44% below AR $99,700±$23kLowest 47% below AR
Salem and Marshall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $676±$38Highest 29% below AR $500±$92Lowest 47% below AR
Property taxmedian, yearly $367Lowest 65% below AR $628Highest 40% below AR
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 32.1%±12.8Lowest AR: 44.8% 46.6%±17.8Highest AR: 44.8%
Marshall and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 29.1%Lowest AR: 16% 31.8%Highest AR: 16%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 56.7%Highest AR: 66.4% 51.5%Lowest AR: 66.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Highest 12 yrs older than AR 1971Lowest 16 yrs older than AR
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minHighest 20% above AR 17 minLowest 25% below AR
Work from home 8.2%±5.9Highest AR: 8.8% 3.7%±3.7Lowest AR: 8.8%
Salem and Marshall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 34.7%Highest 30.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.8 miLowest 31.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.17Highest 2.12Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Mountain Home (11%)Harrison (6%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MarshallFew work in Salem
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miLowest 0.7 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 40.8Highest 30.5Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #11 of 113 in AR—
School district SALEM SCHOOL DISTRICTSEARCY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town Salem High SchoolMarshall High School
Students per teacherat that high school 5.3Highest 5.2Lowest
Arkansas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Salem neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Salem’s Town Square.

Marshall neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marshall’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Salem

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Mansfield1,204 people · $114K homes
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Calico Rock1,771 people · $94K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Arkansas towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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