The Town FilesSalem, Utah
City in Utah County · population 9,298 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $605,700
- Household income
- $111,117
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 66 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 29.3
Salem is a city of 9,298 people in Utah County, Utah. The median home is worth $605,700, above the typical Utah town ($457,300). It ranks better for families than 84% of Utah towns, more of a college town than 82% of Utah towns, more upscale than 76% of Utah towns.
How Salem ranks
Percentile among Utah towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Utah towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Salem is worth $605,700, above the typical Utah town ($457,300). Homes cost about 5.5 times the median household income of $111,117, which is more affordable than 29% of Utah towns. Median rent is $1,592 a month. 93.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Salem | Typical Utah town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $605,700 | $457,300 |
| Median rent | $1,592 | $1,395 |
| Median household income | $111,117 | $93,194 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.5× | 4.8× |
| Homeownership | 93.7% | 81.7% |
| Median year built | 2005 | 1991 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Salem
| People | Salem | Typical Utah town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.3 | 34.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.8% | 13.0% |
| Under 18 | 35.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.0% | 31.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 6.5% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.7% | — |
| Work from home | 14.3% | 14.9% |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 22.7 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.1% | 94.3% |
Weather in Salem
July highs average 93.1°F and January lows 22.0°F. About 20.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 66.0 inches of snow (typical Utah town: 45.4 in). Expect about 60 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 118 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Salem since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Utah town. The strongest, an F0, struck on August 13, 1984 about 7.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 13, 1984.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 21, 1987.
Severe weather in Utah County since 1996
Utah County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 21, 2026 | Fire | FM-5639: Iron Fire |
| December 23, 2023 | Flood | DR-4752: Flooding |
| September 7, 2020 | Fire | FM-5353: Ether Hollow Fire |
| June 28, 2020 | Fire | FM-5318: Knolls Fire |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4525: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Utah County
Utah County had 295,152 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,648 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Salem itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Salem
7 public schools with 5,826 students, about 23.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem Hills High | 9-12 | 1,585 | 23.0 |
| Salem Junior High | 7-9 | 953 | 23.8 |
| Valley View Middle | 6-7 | 936 | 24.0 |
| Mt. Loafer School | PK-6 | 668 | 26.7 |
| Foothills School | PK-6 | 642 | 23.8 |
| American Preparatory Academy - Salem (charter) | K-10 | 555 | 22.2 |
| Salem School | PK-6 | 487 | 23.2 |
Towns near Salem
- Elk Ridge, UT3.2 mi · 4,687 people · home $614,800
- Payson, UT4.0 mi · 21,101 people · home $429,600
- Spanish Fork, UT4.2 mi · 42,602 people · home $481,500
- Mapleton, UT6.6 mi · 11,365 people · home $745,200
- Springville, UT7.9 mi · 35,268 people · home $454,400
- Santaquin, UT8.9 mi · 13,725 people · home $465,100
- Provo, UT13.2 mi · 115,162 people · home $467,200
- Orem, UT16.9 mi · 98,129 people · home $472,300
Salem questions
Is Salem, Utah a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Salem scores better for retirees than 22% of Utah towns and quieter than 35%. 9.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.3).
How much does a house cost in Salem?
The median owner-occupied home in Salem is valued at $605,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $111,117, so homes cost about 5.5 times income. Median rent is $1,592 a month.
What is the weather like in Salem?
July highs average 93.1°F and January lows 22.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.2 inches of precipitation a year and 66.0 inches of snow.
Does Salem get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Salem since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on August 13, 1984. The typical Utah town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)