Salem’s story
Salem in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
SalemSD
A town of 199. Healthier than 72% of U.S. towns.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: publichall · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
199
residents
Typical home
$254K
+7.2% in a year
Household income
$100K
median
Median age
57.4
years
Jobs based here
80
A commuter town
What makes Salem stand out
The 3 things Salem does most differently from other towns.
Small town
199 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
BentonEmerySun PrairieRichlandSalem
Salem’s report card
Now in Salem
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Live in Salem? Is a B+ for health right?
Your answer becomes a post in Salem’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →57°
Cloudy
H 61° · L 58°
Local news
All →- McCook Central vs Parkston - Girls Varsity Volleyball 09/29/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 23
- McCook Central vs SCW - Boys Junior Varsity Football 09/21/2026 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 16
- Corsica/Stickney claims under-12 state VFW baseball titleMitchell Daily Republic · Jul 20
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Salem. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Salem
Most working residents leave Salem for work: only 1% work in town. The top destinations are Sioux Falls (34%), Salem (22%) and Mitchell (7%). Half commute less than 32 miles.
1%work in town
Where working residents work
In Salem1%
Sioux Falls34%
Salem22%
Mitchell7%
Montrose5%
32 mi
median commute distance
80
jobs based in Salem
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
Healthier than 72% of U.S. towns
Salem beats the South Dakota average on 1 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 1.
B+Health Grade
26 measures vs. South Dakota
1 better24 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Salem | SD |
|---|---|---|
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 87.3% | 84.8% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.5% | 9.2% |
Madison Regional Health System
24.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
57th
percentile among SD towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Schools
Salem’s public schools outperform 31% of South Dakota districts
The public schools Salem’s kids attend trail 69% of South Dakota’s districts on state tests. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the bottom.
CSchool Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goldenview Colony School - 04 | K–8 | 28 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within SD on state testsAll 1 schools →
Housing
A typical Salem home is worth about $254K
The typical Salem home is worth about $254,000, up 7.2% in a year, 21% below the South Dakota typical home.
$254KZillow home value
Typical home value
Salem$254K
South Dakota$322K
+7.2%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Salem has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 7°, and about 31 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
31″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–29°
Spring34–57°
Summer59–82°
Fall36–59°
Oct 7
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Outdoors
12.2% of Salem is conserved land
1.0 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves.
12.2%conserved
12.2%
conserved · 2,719 of 22,286 acres
1.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 52% of U.S. communities.
52risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesDrought
27
paid flood claims since 1997
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Salem for work
Where Salem’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
80jobs based in Salem
1%of working residents work in town
32 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Salem
City in South Dakota, United States
Salem is a city in and the county seat of McCook County, South Dakota, United States. The city's population was 1,325 at the 2020 census. The current mayor is Shawn English.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 1,325
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,522 ft
- ZIP code
- 57058
- Area code
- 605
More about Salem
Still missing for Salem:archive photosupcoming events