Dent County Courthouse · National Register of Historic Places
Salem’s story
Salem in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →SalemMO
A town of 4,677. Public schools that outperform most of Missouri.
Population
4,677
−6.9% since 2010
Typical home
$192K
+6.1% in a year
Household income
$44K
median
Median age
42.3
years
Jobs based here
2,235
Balanced
What makes Salem stand out
The 3 things Salem does most differently from other towns.
Salem’s report card
SchoolsB−Beats 51% of MO districtsCommute25 miHalf of commuters travel lessOutdoors3 mi#42 for trails in MOHousing$192K28% below the MO typical homeHealthDHealthier than 8% of U.S. townsSafetyCLess crime than 31% of U.S. townsClimate88°/22°Summer high · winter low · 1″ snowHazards49/100Moderate risk of storm & flood damage
Now in Salem
What neighbors are saying. Town Square →
Residents weigh in
Salem is #254 of 254 in MO for “Snowiest”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Salem’s Town Square.
Weather
Forecast →72°
Clear
H 0° · L 61°
Local news
All →- Planned Citywide Power Outage in Salem, MO.Ozark Radio News · Sep 6
- Salem Crash Involving School Bus Seriously Injures 16-Year-Old DriverOzark Radio News · Aug 31
- Salem teen in serious condition after rear-ending school bus; phone distraction blamedKRCG · Aug 28
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Salem. Another town gets a different order.
Schools
Salem’s public schools outperform 51% of Missouri districts
The public schools Salem’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 51% of Missouri’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem Upper Elem. | 2–5 | 335 | C |
| WM. H. Lynch Elem. | PK–1 | 257 | Not graded |
| I Can Too Learning Center Private | PK–6 | 142 | |
| Salem Middle School | 6–8 | 254 | C+ |
| Salem SR. High | 9–12 | 606 | C− |
| Ozark Hills School | K–12 | 5 | Not graded |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MO on state tests and graduationAll 6 schools →
Work & commute
About one in four working residents works right in Salem
About one in 4 of Salem’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Rolla (9%), Columbia (2%) and St. James (2%). Half commute less than 25 miles.
28%work in town
Where working residents work
In Salem28%
Rolla9%
Columbia2%
St. James2%
Jefferson City2%
25 mi
median commute distance
2,235
jobs based in Salem
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors
1.8% of Salem is conserved land
2.6 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves.
#42for trails in MO
1.8%
conserved · 41 of 2,223 acres
2.6 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
#24
most walkable in MO
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Al Brown Ball Fields | — | 13 |
| 2. Dent County Fairgound | — | 6 |
| 3. Bonebrake | 0.2 mi | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Housing
A typical Salem home is worth about $192K
The typical Salem home is worth about $192,000, up 6.1% in a year, 28% below the Missouri typical home.
$192KZillow home value
Typical home value
Salem$192K
Missouri$268K
+6.1%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Health
Healthier than 8% of U.S. towns
Salem beats the Missouri average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15.
DHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Missouri
0 better17 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Salem | MO |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 25.6% | 15.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.2% | 8% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.3% | 6.8% |
Salem Memorial District Hospital
3.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
20th
percentile among MO towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 31% of U.S. towns
Salem reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 69% report less.
CSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Salem2.3
Missouri4.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Salem9.7
Missouri16.9
U.S.15.5
31st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
43rd
percentile among MO towns
11
violent crimes reported in 2025
46
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Climate
Mild winters, pleasant summers
Salem has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 1 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–46°
Spring43–67°
Summer63–86°
Fall44–68°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 17
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with cold waves at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 49% of U.S. communities.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesEarthquakesInland flooding
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
About Salem
City in Missouri, United States
Salem is a city in and the county seat of Dent County, Missouri, United States. The population was 4,608 at the 2020 census, which allows Salem to become a Class 3 city in Missouri; however, the city has chosen to remain a Class 4 city under Missouri Revised Statutes. Salem is located a few miles north of the Ozark Scenic Riverways and close to Montauk State Park, which contains the headwaters of the Current River. The name Salem is derived from the Hebrew word Shalom, meaning "peace".
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 4,608
- Area
- 3.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,184 ft
- ZIP code
- 65560
- Area code
- 573