Clarksville and Salem receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Clarksville
Salem
Opportunity
60 · Top 41%
vs61 · Top 39%
Growth
76 · Top 9%
vs74 · Top 12%
Climate
75 · Top 27%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 39%
vs42 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
80 · Top 50%
vs65 · Bottom 27%
Access
73 · Bottom 15%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
61 · Top 48%
vs52 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Clarksville | Salem | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 176,456 | 178,865 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,303 | $75,487 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,565 | $38,066 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,763/sq mi | 3,654/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $263,600 | $416,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,307 | $1,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.6% | 55.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 5.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | 1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.9% | 31.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 14.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,002 | 1,177 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.3 | 6.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.4% | 67.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.2" | 40.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 50 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.0 | 36.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 37 | 55 | 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
Clarksville
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Salem
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Clarksville
63
Your Score
62
Area Score
Salem
62
Your Score
62
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Clarksville, TN · Salem, OR · How this is calculated: methodology