Salem and Silverton 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
Salem
Silverton
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs63 · Top 35%
Growth
74 · Top 12%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 33%
vs42 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 27%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Access
69 · Bottom 11%
vs75 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 35%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Salem | Silverton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 178,865 | 10,456 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,487 | $79,960 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,066 | $37,857 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,654/sq mi | 2,981/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $416,900 | $484,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,400 | $1,580 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.9% | 61.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | 1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.5% | 33.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.4% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,177 | 61 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.6 | 5.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 67.7% | 1.7% | 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 | 41 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.0 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 55 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 21.17 | 21.19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 88.9% | 50.7% | 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.
Silverton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: Salem, OR · Silverton, OR · How this is calculated: methodology