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Oregon · Census place 64900

Salem, OR population, income and ZIP codes

Quick answer

The population of the city of Salem, Oregon (Salem, OR — Census place “Salem city”) is 176,666 residents, ranking #3 of 426 places in Oregon. Median household income is $71,900, the median home is worth $382,400 and median gross rent runs $1,323 a month. Looking for the Salem Oregon ZIP code list? 6 ZIP codes serve Salem, OR: 97301, 97302, 97304, 97306, 97310, 97317.

Population
176,666Salem city residents
Median household income
$71,900Past 12 months, inflation adjusted
Median home value
$382,400Owner-occupied units
Median gross rent
$1,323Rent plus utilities, monthly
Median age
35.7 yrsAll residents
Homeownership rate
55.7%Owner-occupied households

Salem ZIP codes (Oregon)

Census ZCTAs whose delivery area overlaps Salem.

The Salem OR ZIP code list below covers 6 ZIP codes. Open any one for its population, income, housing and rent profile.

What the numbers mean in Salem city

Housing cost measured against local earnings.

A household earning the Salem city median would spend about 22.1% of gross income on the median rent. The 30% mark is the federal threshold for cost burden, so anything above it signals a stretched rental market. The median home costs 5.3× the median household income; nationally that ratio sits near 4.5×. Poverty affects 14.7% of residents and 55.7% of households own their home.

Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 2019-2023 5-year estimates · rates as published for 2019-2023 ACS 5-year

Salem city, OR in context

How this area compares with national benchmarks.

Salem city is a mid-size city in Oregon, with 176,666 residents counted in the Census American Community Survey 2019-2023 ACS 5-year estimates, which places it #3 of 426 ranked by population — larger than 99% of them. The median age here is 35.7 years against 39.1 nationally, a slightly younger profile than the country as a whole. At this size the Census also publishes one-year estimates; the five-year values used here are steadier and let you compare against smaller neighbours on the same basis.

Households in Salem city earn a median of $71,900 a year, 8.5% below the national figure of $78,538 and 3% below the $74,006 median for the 228 Oregon cities we cover. Household income here is measured before tax and pooled across everyone at the address, which is why it reads higher than typical individual earnings in the same area. Poverty reaches 14.7% of residents here, above the 12.4% national rate.

The typical owner-occupied home in Salem city is valued at $382,400, 26% above the national figure and within a couple of points of the $377,700 peer median, while median gross rent runs $1,323 a month, 5.9% below the national figure, or roughly $15,876 across a full year. A household on the local median income would put about 22.1% of gross pay toward that rent against the federal 30% cost-burden threshold, so renting here is within the standard affordability guideline. The home-price-to-income ratio works out to 5.3×, against roughly 3.9× nationally, so buying is harder here than in the average US market. 55.7% of occupied homes are owner-occupied versus 65% nationally, so the market leans more heavily on renters. Rent is reported gross — contract rent plus tenant-paid utilities — which is why it runs above the advertised price on a listing for the same unit.

All values below were released by the Census for this exact geography, with no gap-filling on our side. Small-area estimates still carry wider margins of error than state or national figures, so check the linked ACS tables before relying on them for lending, appraisal or legal work.

Compare with nearby places

Places of similar size in Oregon.

More Oregon coverage.

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about this area.

What is the population of Salem city?
Salem city has 176,666 residents on Census ACS 2019-2023 ACS 5-year estimates, ranking #3 of 426 in Oregon.
What is the median household income in Salem city?
Median household income in Salem city is $71,900 a year, 8.5% below the national figure of $78,538.
How much does it cost to rent or buy in Salem city?
Median gross rent is $1,323 a month and the median home value is $382,400, so rent absorbs about 22.1% of median household income.
Is Salem city affordable compared with the rest of the US?
Homes cost about 5.3× the local median income here versus roughly 3.9× nationally, so Salem city is less affordable to buy in than the typical US market, and rent takes 22.1% of median income against the 30% cost-burden line.
How current is this Salem city data?
All figures come from the US Census Bureau American Community Survey 2019-2023 ACS 5-year five-year estimates. At this size the Census also publishes one-year estimates; the five-year values used here are steadier and let you compare against smaller neighbours on the same basis.