97306 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
97304
97306
Opportunity
67 · Top 26%
vs68 · Top 24%
Growth
74 · Top 10%
vs74 · Top 10%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 32%
vs42 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 45%
vs81 · Top 49%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 37%
vs70 · Top 31%
Measured values
| Metric | 97304 | 97306 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,879 | 34,383 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $98,031 | $101,753 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,486 | $49,220 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 614/sq mi | 1,061/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $499,300 | $463,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,485 | $1,592 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.3% | 69.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | 1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.1% | 43.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.8% | 9.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,177 | 1,177 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.6 | 6.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 67.7% | 67.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.1" | 40.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 47 mi | 50 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.0 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.56 | 21.68 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 88.8% | 88.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
97304
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
97306
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: 97304 — Salem, OR · 97306 — Salem, OR · How this is calculated: methodology