Get to know Salem
The practical stuff — trash day, town hall, schools — plus the town’s story and where to go. Kept current by neighbors.
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The basics
About Salem
Capital city of Oregon, United StatesSalem ( , SAY-ləm) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood of West Salem is in Polk County. The population was 175,535 at the 2020 census, and was estimated to be 180,406 in 2024, making it the second-most populous city in the state after Portland and before Eugene. Salem is the principal city of the Salem metropolitan area that covers Marion and Polk counties and had a combined population of 433,353 at the 2020 census and was estimated to…
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Town essentials
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