DEMOGRAPHICS

Be a part of our growing community   

By any measure, downtown Salem is reaping the rewards of its many attractions as a place to live and work. While housing values were dropping in most parts of the country, Salem continued to grow - the result of its northwest quality of life, the expansion of its private sector, and its traditional role as Oregon’s capitol city combined in 2007 to keep home values appreciating and investment within the City strong.  Learn more about our people.

• This solid and expanding jobs base, plus Salem's reputation as an excellent location in which to retire, create some telling statistics: the per capita income of Salem's three fastest growing communities exceeds that of even Oregon's best-known resort communities, like Bend.  In 2007, Salem ranked seventh in the country for appreciating home values.  

If these conditions bode well for Salem, the future is even brighter.  A $250 million expansion of the Salem Hospital campus , including a new medical office building and new patient tower, leads a host of projects near the downtown corridor that are now underway. 

FAST FACTS - SALEM

Incorporated: 1860

Area: 48 square miles

Population: 152,290 (2007)

Popuation Growth 2000-05: 7.5%

Salem MSA (Marion & Polk Counties): 373,335 (2006)

Median Age: 33.1 (2006)

Median Household Income: $40,665 (2000)

Median Income of Salem's Two Fastest Growing Areas: $47,610 and $49,241 (2000)

Large Private Employers - Salem MSA  (2007) :

• Salem Hospital 
• Norpac Foods
• T-Mobile
• SAIF Corporation
• Truitt Brothers, Inc.
• Wachovia
• Kaiser Permanente
• Food Services of America
• Phillips Industries
• GE Infrastructure, Security
• Statesman Journal
• Champion Home Builders
• Kettle Chips
• RainSweet
• Garmin AT
• Marquis Spas

Gender (2006):

• 50.5% male
• 49.5% female

Ethnicity (2006):

• 83.4% Caucasian
• 17.3% Hispanic or Latino
• 3.6% American Indian/Alaska Native
• 3.5% Asian
• 1.7% African Amercian

Age (2006):

• 7.0% under 5
• 75.6% 18+
• 10.7% 65+

Education:

• 24.1% college/graduate degree
• 81.5% high school/some college

Housing Cost: $250,343 (2007)

Quick Links:

• Salem Conference Center
• Salem Area Chamber of Commerce
• Salem Convention and Visitors Association
• SEDCOR