Salem ( SAY-ləm) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood of West Salem is in Polk County. Salem was founded in 1842, became the capital of the Oregon Territory in 1851, and was incorporated in 1857.
Salem had a population of 175,535 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in the state after Portland and Eugene. Salem is the principal city of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area, a metropolitan...
| Ethnicity | Salem | USA |
|---|---|---|
| White | 66.6% | 60.1% |
| African American | 1.1% | 12.2% |
| American Indian | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Asian | 3.1% | 5.6% |
| Hawaiian | 1.5% | 0.2% |
| Multiracial | 4.2% | 2.8% |
| Hispanic | 22.4% | 18.2% |
| Other | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| HOUSEHOLD INCOME | Salem | USA |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $10,000 | 5.3% | 5.8% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 4.4% | 4.1% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 8.9% | 8.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 10.5% | 8.6% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 13.2% | 12.0% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 19.7% | 17.2% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 13.6% | 12.8% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 15% | 15.6% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 5.7% | 7.1% |
| Education | Salem | USA |
|---|---|---|
| < 9th Grade | 7% | 5.0% |
| 9-12th Grade | 6% | 7.0% |
| High School or GED | 23% | 27.0% |
| Other College | 26% | 20.0% |
| Associate's Degree | 9% | 9% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 18% | 20.0% |
| Master's Degree | 8% | 9.0% |
| Professional Degree | 2% | 2.0% |
| Doctorate Degree | 1% | 1.0% |