Metro area profile · Oregon
Salem, OR metro area market data
How the Salem metro area compares with other metro areas for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 445,814
- +2.7% since 2020
- Households
- 159,856
- Median household income
- $78,900
- +31.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $424,100
- Jobs located here
- 191,982
- Highest market score
- 78
- Funeral homes, #34 of 377 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Salem metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Salem metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Salem metro area has an estimated 445,814 people and 159,856 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Salem metro area from 2020 to 2025 at +2.7%, in step with the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the Salem metro area is $78,900, 2% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 31.1%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Salem metro area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 113, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on clothing, shoes and related services (86).
Of the business types scored in the Salem metro area, funeral homes (78), gas stations (75) and martial arts and dance studios (74) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For funeral homes, that ranks #34 of 377 scored metro areas.
The Salem metro area takes in 2 counties: Marion County and Polk County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for oil change and quick-lube shops (57% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for yoga, Pilates and fitness studios (42% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Salem metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Salem metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funeral homes | 78 | #34 of 377 | 21 | 1.3 | $1.2M | 169 | 9 |
| Gas stations | 75 | #32 of 387 | 126 | 7.9 | $3.5M | 147 | 80 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 74 | #18 of 387 | 59 | 3.7 | $2.9M | 142 | 33 |
| Auto repair and car care | 73 | #36 of 387 | 524 | 32.8 | $331K | 123 | 218 |
| Tire shops | 73 | #42 of 386 | 45 | 2.8 | $3.9M | 154 | 22 |
| Auto repair shops | 73 | #43 of 387 | 310 | 19.4 | $559K | 126 | 147 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 71 | #29 of 387 | 192 | 12.0 | $883K | 133 | 80 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 71 | #31 of 347 | 23 | 1.4 | $7.4M | 182 | 47 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 70 | #41 of 386 | 40 | 2.5 | $5.1M | 162 | 24 |
| Pet stores | 69 | #58 of 382 | 24 | 1.5 | $6.4M | 142 | 13 |
| Gyms | 68 | #46 of 387 | 110 | 6.9 | $1.5M | 118 | 47 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 67 | #61 of 387 | 73 | 4.6 | $6.1M | 128 | 122 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 67 | #76 of 381 | 40 | 2.5 | $4.3M | 141 | 42 |
| Nail salons | 66 | #63 of 387 | 63 | 3.9 | $2.5M | 152 | 30 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 66 | #70 of 387 | 1,033 | 64.6 | $197K | 129 | 498 |
| Dry cleaners | 65 | #44 of 272 | 8 | 0.5 | $35.5M | 226 | 12 |
| Hair salons | 65 | #59 of 387 | 344 | 21.5 | $464K | 108 | 64 |
| Car washes and detailing | 65 | #77 of 387 | 50 | 3.1 | $3.5M | 138 | 30 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 65 | #88 of 387 | 91 | 5.7 | $2.2M | 126 | 183 |
| Pizza | 64 | #94 of 387 | 94 | 5.9 | $6.6M | 131 | 330 |
| Home inspectors | 63 | #54 of 243 | 10 | 0.6 | Index only | 108 | 9 |
| Child care and preschools | 61 | #104 of 387 | 73 | 4.6 | $1.4M | 142 | 141 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 60 | #88 of 387 | 675 | 42.2 | $236K | 111 | 146 |
| Pest control | 60 | #109 of 345 | 18 | 1.1 | $11.5M | 112 | 15 |
| Pet businesses | 60 | #113 of 387 | 172 | 10.8 | $898K | 102 | 94 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 59 | #126 of 386 | 61 | 3.8 | $2.5M | 99 | 34 |
| Veterinarians | 57 | #146 of 384 | 57 | 3.6 | $2.7M | 100 | 47 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 57 | #157 of 387 | 199 | 12.4 | $3.1M | 103 | 330 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 56 | #125 of 387 | 401 | 25.1 | Index only | 130 | 227 |
| Physical therapy | 56 | #150 of 386 | 83 | 5.2 | $2.5M | 102 | 56 |
| Grocery stores | 56 | #156 of 387 | 99 | 6.2 | $9.7M | 105 | 52 |
| Electricians | 55 | #156 of 383 | 36 | 2.3 | $12.4M | 103 | 103 |
| Real estate | 53 | #153 of 387 | 552 | 34.5 | Index only | 119 | 406 |
| Home repair trades | 53 | #169 of 387 | 173 | 10.8 | $2.6M | 106 | 320 |
| Spas and skin care | 52 | #173 of 387 | 167 | 10.4 | $956K | 109 | 37 |
| Insurance agencies | 50 | #182 of 387 | 212 | 13.3 | $1.5M | 117 | 169 |
| Property management | 50 | #187 of 374 | 52 | 3.3 | Index only | 98 | 88 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 48 | #208 of 387 | 865 | 54.1 | $721K | 109 | 330 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 48 | #213 of 387 | 138 | 8.6 | $4.5M | 109 | 131 |
| Barbershops | 47 | #222 of 387 | 88 | 5.5 | $1.8M | 96 | 11 |
| Laundromats | 45 | #210 of 364 | 26 | 1.6 | $10.9M | 87 | 7 |
| Convenience stores | 42 | #248 of 387 | 127 | 7.9 | $7.6M | 96 | 108 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 42 | #254 of 387 | 317 | 19.8 | $896K | 102 | 152 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 41 | #198 of 290 | 17 | 1.1 | $10.2M | 74 | 18 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 41 | #258 of 387 | 294 | 18.4 | $3.3M | 97 | 160 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 40 | #260 of 387 | 1,789 | 111.9 | $349K | 94 | 782 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 40 | #268 of 387 | 234 | 14.6 | $1.2M | 96 | 133 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 40 | #270 of 387 | 222 | 13.9 | $917K | 93 | 151 |
| Chiropractors | 39 | #283 of 386 | 94 | 5.9 | $2.2M | 91 | 70 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 38 | #281 of 373 | 89 | 5.6 | Index only | 82 | 44 |
| Roofing and gutters | 34 | #311 of 381 | 64 | 4.0 | $7M | 82 | 95 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 33 | #326 of 387 | 231 | 14.5 | $2.7M | 73 | 117 |
| House cleaning | 32 | #321 of 375 | 41 | 2.6 | $5M | 79 | 130 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 32 | #322 of 387 | 155 | 9.7 | $1.3M | 80 | 396 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 31 | #315 of 385 | 96 | 6.0 | $2.2M | 74 | 251 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.3 | $50.9M | 207 | 14 |
Household spending in the Salem metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $173.3M | $1,084 | 113 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $442.7M | $2,770 | 107 |
| Food away from home | $623.9M | $3,903 | 96 |
| Groceries | $963.3M | $6,026 | 95 |
| Personal care products and services | $159.6M | $998 | 99 |
| Child care and other personal services | $103.7M | $649 | 112 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $169.5M | $1,060 | 108 |
| Medical and dental services | $203.6M | $1,274 | 99 |
| Pets | $154.4M | $966 | 106 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $283.9M | $1,776 | 86 |
| Vehicle insurance | $312.7M | $1,956 | 100 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $445.6M | $2,787 | 92 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $207M | $1,295 | 92 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $2.8B | $17,766 | 107 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Salem metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 445,814+2.7% since 2020
- Households
- 159,856
- Median age
- 38.6
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 63%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.0
- Land area
- 1,922 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 228
- Median household income
- $78,900+31.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $101,988
- Median home value
- $424,100
- Jobs located here
- 191,982
- Daytime population
- 440,002Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Salem metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Salem metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Salem metro area 2
- Marion County, OR349,244 people
- Polk County, OR89,662 people
Other markets based in Oregon 12
- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area2,520,987 people
- Eugene-Springfield, OR metro area384,207 people
- Bend, OR metro area257,814 people
- Medford, OR metro area222,645 people
- Albany, OR metro area130,706 people
- Corvallis, OR metro area96,303 people
- Grants Pass, OR metro area88,179 people
- Roseburg, OR area112,072 people
- Hermiston-Pendleton, OR area92,240 people
- Klamath Falls, OR area70,247 people
- Coos Bay-North Bend, OR area64,827 people
- Ontario, OR-ID area58,725 people
Questions
How fast is the Salem, OR metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Salem metro area at 445,814 people in 2025, up 2.7% since 2020, in step with the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 159,856 households. Median household income rose 31.1% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the Salem, OR metro area spend?
Households in the Salem metro area spend about $2.8B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $963.3M on groceries and $623.9M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Salem metro area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 113, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on clothing, shoes and related services (86).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Salem, OR metro area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Salem metro area are for funeral homes (78), gas stations (75) and martial arts and dance studios (74). The Salem metro area ranks #34 of 377 scored metro areas for funeral homes.
How does the Salem, OR metro area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Salem metro area is $78,900 a year, 2% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 2.7% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $424,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Salem metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for oil change and quick-lube shops (57% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for yoga, Pilates and fitness studios (42% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 55 of the 56 business types have a score in the Salem metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Salem metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Oregon · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Salem metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Salem metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.