97304 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
97317
97304
Opportunity
60 · Top 39%
vs67 · Top 26%
Growth
74 · Top 10%
vs74 · Top 10%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 33%
vs42 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 41%
vs77 · Bottom 45%
Access
69 · Bottom 11%
vs71 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 31%
vs52 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | 97317 | 97304 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,966 | 34,879 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,393 | $98,031 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,713 | $48,486 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 470/sq mi | 614/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $402,800 | $499,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,436 | $1,485 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.8% | 64.3% | 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 | 23.2% | 39.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.9% | 10.8% | 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 | 50 mi | 47 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 25.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 39.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 22.67 | 21.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 88.7% | 88.8% | 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
97317
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
97304
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: 97317 — Salem, OR · 97304 — Salem, OR · How this is calculated: methodology