Signals
Salem
Heber
Opportunity
71 · Top 21%
vs81 · Top 6%
Growth
84 · Top 2%
vs84 · Top 2%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs53 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 42%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 41%
vs67 · Bottom 29%
Access
97 · Top 23%
vs88 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
84 · Top 2%
vs79 · Top 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Salem | Heber | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,324 | 18,015 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,117 | $110,339 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,521 | $41,542 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 854/sq mi | 747/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $605,700 | $654,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,592 | $1,870 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 93.7% | 81.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | 0.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.0% | 45.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.2% | 5.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 673 | 594 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 65.2 | 33.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 6.3% | 62.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 20.2" | 16.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 21.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.3 | 28.7 | 2024 ACS 5-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: wildfire.
Heber
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: Salem, UT · Heber, UT · How this is calculated: methodology