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Salem West Virginia

SalemWV

A town of 1,629. Healthier than 95% of U.S. towns.

Photo: Tim Kiser (w:User:Malepheasant) · CC BY-SA 2.5
Population
1,629
−3.6% since 2010
Typical home
$128K
+6% in a year
Household income
$39K
median
Median age
32.6
years
Jobs based here
356
A commuter town

What makes Salem stand out

The 3 things Salem does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data
College town

19% of Salem is in college

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Salem’s report card

See the data ↓

Now in Salem

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Local news

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Upcoming events

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The data

Ordered by what stands out in Salem. Another town gets a different order.

Health

Healthier than 5% of U.S. towns

Salem beats the West Virginia average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7.

DHealth Grade
32 measures vs. West Virginia
2 better23 too close to call7 worse
What stands outSalemWV
Fewer adults who have had cancer7.6%9.6%
Fewer adults with arthritis33.7%37.7%
More adults without reliable transportation12.4%8.9%
Clarksburg VA Medical Center
10.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
43rd
percentile among WV towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Schools

Salem’s public schools outperform 88% of West Virginia districts

The public schools Salem’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 88% of West Virginia’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

ASchool Grade
SchoolGradesStudentsGrade
Salem ElementaryPK–5173A
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WV on state tests and graduationAll 1 schools →
Natural hazards

High risk, with inland flooding at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 79% of U.S. communities.

79risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
79High riskLowerHigher
Inland flooding
21
paid flood claims since 1979
6
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Work & commute

Most working residents commute out of Salem

Most working residents leave Salem for work: only 7% work in town. The top destinations are Bridgeport (10%), Clarksburg (9%) and Fairmont (4%). Half commute less than 18 miles.

7%work in town

Where working residents work

In Salem7%
Bridgeport10%
Clarksburg9%
Fairmont4%
West Union3%
18 mi
median commute distance
356
jobs based in Salem
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Housing

A typical Salem home is worth about $128K

The typical Salem home is worth about $128,000, up 6% in a year, 29% below the West Virginia typical home.

$128KZillow home value

Typical home value

Salem$128K
West Virginia$180K
+6%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Climate

Four seasons, pleasant summers

Salem has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 24 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

24″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter24–43°
Spring40–65°
Summer60–83°
Fall43–66°
Oct 23
typical first frost
Apr 22
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
A commuter town

93% of working residents leave Salem for work

Where Salem’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

10% → Bridgeport Bridgeport 10% 9% → Clarksburg Clarksburg 9% 4% → Fairmont Fairmont 4% 3% → West Union West Union 3% 3% → Morgantown Morgantown 3% 2% → Charleston Charleston 2% Salem · 7% stay
356jobs based in Salem
7%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

Salem, West Virginia 1899
1899 · Salem, West Virginia 1899 · Wikimedia Commons
Salem’s story

Salem in pictures

5 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 2 places on the National Register.

Salem, West Virginia 1899Railroad Station Salem WV from Baltimore & Ohio Employes Magazine June 1914 Vol 02 No 09 Page 25WVMap-doton-Salem
Explore the history →

Landmarks

2 places in Salem on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Famous people from Salem

4 notable people were born in Salem.

See all 4 →

About Salem

City in West Virginia, US

Salem is a city in Harrison County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,485 at the 2020 census. It is located at the junction of U.S. Route 50 and West Virginia Route 23; the North Bend Rail Trail passes through the city. Salem University is located in Salem.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Population
1,529
Area
1.3 sq mi
Elevation
1,050 ft
ZIP code
26426
Area code
304

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Photo of Salem

Salem, WV · Photo: Tim Kiser (w:User:Malepheasant) · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Source ↗