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Salem vs Keizer

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: trails (21× in Salem) and work in town (+41.3 pts in Salem).

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Salem, ORA history townOregon · 178,865 people
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Keizer, ORAn outdoors townOregon · 39,082 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 history town
HistorySettled in 184270 places on the National Register College town2 collegesWillamette University Outdoors#49 most conserved land in OR55 miles of trails across 86 parks and preserves All about Salem →
KeizerAn outdoors town
Outdoors#21 most walkable in OR2.6 miles of trails across 17 parks and preserves HealthHealthier than 54%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates SafetySafer than 33%of U.S. towns we grade All about Keizer →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

Trails21×
Salem has more miles of trail
Salem 54.5 miKeizer 2.6 mi
Work in town+41.3 pts
More of Salem’s workers stay in town
Salem 49.2%Keizer 7.9%
Jobs per worker3.2×
Salem is more of a job hub
Salem 1.48Keizer 0.46
Size4.6×
Salem is the bigger place
Salem 178,865Keizer 39,082
Growth since 2010+5.6 pts
Salem has grown faster since 2010
Salem +13.5%Keizer +7.9%
Street grid+44%
Keizer has the more walkable street grid
Keizer 129Salem 89.6
★ What stands out · Report cards

Salem places higher on 11 of 22 OR lists

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

Safety
DSalemSafer than 12% of U.S. towns CKeizerSafer than 33% of U.S. towns
Schools
B−SalemBetter than 48% of districts in the state B−KeizerBetter than 48% of districts in the state
Health
B−SalemHealthier than 47% of U.S. towns B−KeizerHealthier than 54% of U.S. towns
11Salem
9Keizer

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 147 towns #84#21 Most trailsOutdoors · 108 towns #55#99 SafestSafety · 73 towns #66#38 Most new homesHousing · 82 towns #35#63 Most conserved landOutdoors · 141 towns #49#89 Fastest growingGrowth · 140 towns #47#81 Shortest commuteGetting around · 147 towns #62#97 Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 65 towns #38#23

Left end = #1 in Oregon. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Salem’s rankings →

Where they are

Salem and Keizer share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

SalemKeizerSalemKeizer
Salem ↔ Keizer5.3 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
6,674 Keizer residents work in Salem (41.3% of its workers)
1,937 Salem residents work in Keizer (2.8% of its workers)
Work & commute in Keizer →
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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$2,630/mo
Typical home $435K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.96% · or rent about $1,400/mo · Housing →
Keizer$2,660/mo
Typical home $448K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.84% · or rent about $1,424/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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.

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
SalemKeizer
Snow a year1″1″
January low35°F35°F
July high80°F80°F
Growing season (days)227d227d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)56th71st
Outdoors & history
SalemKeizer
Trails55 mi3 mi
Conserved land6.9%2.8%
Settled18421982
National Register places70—
Archive photos12—
Community
SalemKeizer
Library hours a week44 hrs—
Colleges in town2—
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.

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.

SalemKeizer
People
Population 178,865Highest 39,082Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +13.5%Highest OR: +10.6% +7.9%Lowest OR: +10.6%
Median age 36±0.6Lowest 11% below OR 37.4±0.9Highest 7% below OR
Keizer and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.8%±0.9Lowest OR: 19.9% 24.1%±2.1Highest OR: 19.9%
Keizer and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 15.8%±0.7Lowest OR: 19.1% 18.1%±1.5Highest OR: 19.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 31.5%Highest OR: 36.8% 26.9%Lowest OR: 36.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.4%±0.5Highest OR: 5.7% 4.3%±1Lowest OR: 5.7%
Salem and Keizer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $75,487±$2kLowest 9% below OR $84,813±$6kHighest about the OR average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $416,900±$6kLowest 13% below OR $434,100±$11kHighest 9% below OR
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,400±$29Lowest 8% below OR $1,424±$38Highest 7% below OR
Keizer and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,007Highest 3% above OR $3,649Lowest 6% below OR
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 54.9%±3.4Highest OR: 52.5% 50.4%±7.2Lowest OR: 52.5%
Salem and Keizer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 14.4%Highest OR: 11.9% 8.1%Lowest OR: 11.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 55.9%Lowest OR: 63.3% 62.9%Highest OR: 63.3%
Typical home builtmedian year 1980Lowest 1 yr older than OR 1981Highest same as OR
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 22 minLowest 4% below OR 25 minHighest 9% above OR
Work from home 15.8%±1.4Highest OR: 19% 14.6%±2.8Lowest OR: 19%
Salem and Keizer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 49.2%Highest 7.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 5.3 miLowest 7.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.48Highest 0.46Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Portland (6%)Salem (41%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 3% work in Keizer41% work in Salem
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 6.9%Highest 2.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 54.5 miHighest 2.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.1 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 86Highest 17Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 89.6Lowest 129Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #99 of 121 in OR—
School district Oregon Department of Education · Willamette ESDSalem-Keizer SD 24J
High school in town McKay High SchoolMcNary High School
Students per teacherat that high school 24.7Highest 24.2Lowest
Oregon 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.

Keizer neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Keizer’s Town Square.

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Bordering Salem

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Hayesville21,246 people · $365K homes
F
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Four Corners16,275 people · $340K homes

Towns like Salem

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Gresham112,378 people · $459K homes
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Medford86,315 people · $417K homes
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Hillsboro108,231 people · $521K homes
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Eugene179,591 people · $460K homes

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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