Salem receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Salem
Independence
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs62 · Top 38%
Growth
74 · Top 12%
vs27 · Bottom 14%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 33%
vs43 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 27%
vs71 · Bottom 36%
Access
69 · Bottom 11%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 35%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Salem | Independence | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 178,865 | 10,199 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,487 | $85,375 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,066 | $31,794 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,654/sq mi | 3,394/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $416,900 | $378,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,400 | $1,665 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.9% | 54.6% | 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 | 31.5% | 27.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.4% | 12.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,177 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.6 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 67.7% | -100.0% | 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 | 51 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 27.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.0 | 30.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 55 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.17 | 20.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 88.9% | 94.1% | 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
Salem
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Independence
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.
Salem
62
Your Score
62
Area Score
Independence
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Salem, OR · Independence, OR · How this is calculated: methodology