WorkspaceTop ListsAboutContact Us

Salem, VA

View of Salem, VA
Image credit: Mojo Hand / CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
25,816
U.S. Census Population Estimates Program · 2025
Elevation
1,069 ft
Median Home Value
$258,600
U.S. Census American Community Survey 5-Year · 2024
Median Rent
$1,133/mo
U.S. Census American Community Survey 5-Year · 2024
Median Income
$66,725
U.S. Census American Community Survey 5-Year · 2024

Explore

Salem in context.

Overall#23 best place in VirginiaPopulation rankingHighest population places in VirginiaNearest larger communityRoanoke, Virginia5.4 miles away · 99,111 residents.

About Salem

Salem is an independent city in Virginia's Roanoke Valley, home to Roanoke College and a long-running minor league baseball tradition. Its Civil War history includes Union attacks and the local Salem Flying Artillery, while its modern life is closely tied to Roanoke-area jobs, schools, and sports. Salem has a real downtown, mountain views, and a college presence without losing its small-city feel. It comes across as sturdy, local, and distinctly connected to the western Virginia landscape.

Top Rating Signals

Highest current ratings for this town.

Lower County Wildfire Hazard Potential ClassA+100.0ratingLower FEMA County Drought Risk IndexA+100.0ratingLower Projected Late-Century County-Area Exposure to Sea-Level RiseA+100.0rating

Loading town details...