Salem, NJ: Population, ZIP Codes & Nearby Cities
Looking for facts about Salem? It is an incorporated town-sized municipality in Salem County, New Jersey, with an estimated 5,235 people according to our dataset. It lies at 39.568°N, 75.472°W in Eastern time. The sections below cover its size, ZIP codes, neighbors and distances.
What are the key facts about Salem, NJ?
| Place | Salem |
|---|---|
| Type | Incorporated town-sized municipality |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Salem County (FIPS 34033) |
| Estimated population | 5,235 |
| Density | 2,007 per sq mi (775 per sq km) |
| Coordinates | 39.5681, -75.4724 |
| Time zone | Eastern time (UTC−5, America/New_York) |
| ZIP codes | 1 (08079) |
| Rank in state | 240th of 508 listed places |
| Nearest city over 100,000 | Dover, DE (28 mi) |
What is the population of Salem, NJ?
Salem has an estimated population of 5,235. That makes it the 240th largest of the 508 places we list in New Jersey, and the largest place in its county. The typical place in New Jersey has about 4,722 residents, which puts Salem close to the state's middle in size.
Estimates for places of this size carry wider margins of error than those for big cities, so treat the figure as a guide to scale. Our guide to understanding city population numbers explains why sources disagree.
Places in New Jersey with a similar population include Englewood Cliffs (5,354), Union Beach (5,305), Hightstown (5,304), McGuire AFB (5,113), Highland Lakes (5,098). Comparing these pages is a quick way to see how Salem differs from communities of the same scale.
How dense is Salem?
Salem has about 2,007 people per square mile (775 per square kilometer), which we classify as suburban. Within New Jersey, it is denser than about 39% of the listed places. Land at this level is usually a mix of single-family neighborhoods, shopping corridors and parks, where driving is common but destinations are close. Read how to interpret population density to see how we draw these lines.
What ZIP codes does Salem use?
The postal data lists a single ZIP code for Salem: 08079. A single code usually means a compact delivery area, but the same code may also serve addresses just outside the town line. Codes beginning with 0 are assigned to the Northeast (New England, New Jersey and Puerto Rico). Learn more in our guide to how ZIP codes work or check any code with the ZIP code lookup.
What time zone is Salem in?
Salem is in the Eastern time zone, which is UTC−5 from Coordinated Universal Time in standard time (IANA zone America/New_York). The area observes daylight saving time, so clocks move forward in March and back in November. The nearest listed place in a different time zone is Fairfield Glade, TN, about 569 miles away, which gives a sense of how far the nearest zone boundary may be. Current local time: see the Eastern time hub. For the rules behind these zones, read US time zones explained.
Where is Salem located in New Jersey?
Salem lies in the southwestern part of New Jersey, at 39.568° north latitude and 75.472° west longitude. The state capital, Trenton, is about 59 miles to the northeast. The closest listed place in another state is New Castle, DE, roughly 9 miles to the northwest, which shows how near Salem is to a state line. For big-city services, the nearest place with more than 100,000 people is Dover, DE, 28 miles to the south.
Which cities are near Salem, NJ?
The closest listed place to Salem is New Castle, DE, 8.6 miles to the northwest. Of the eight nearest places below, 0 are in the same county. Distances are straight-line (great-circle) miles measured between place centers; see how distance is calculated.
| Place | Distance | Direction | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle, DE | 8.6 mi | Northwest | 5,392 |
| Wilmington Manor, DE | 10.1 mi | Northwest | 7,903 |
| Bear, DE | 11.6 mi | West | 20,850 |
| Wilmington, DE | 12.5 mi | North | 70,166 |
| Edgemoor, DE | 13.1 mi | North | 6,934 |
| Elsmere, DE | 13.4 mi | Northwest | 5,872 |
| Brookside, DE | 14.6 mi | Northwest | 13,396 |
| Glasgow, DE | 14.8 mi | West | 14,359 |
Which county is Salem in?
Salem is in Salem County, which has the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) code 34033. The county contains 7 places in our data, 1 of which have their own page here and 6 smaller communities that appear only in county and state lists. Other places in the county include Penns Grove (4,757), Woodstown (4,112), Olivet (1,394), Elmer (1,308), Pedricktown (360). Codes like this one help separate places that share a name; see the guide to counties and FIPS codes.
How far is Salem from major US cities?
Among six major hubs, Salem is closest to New York, NY at about 113 miles and farthest from Los Angeles, CA at about 2,381 miles in a straight line. Road distances are usually 10 to 30 percent longer. Try the distance calculator for any other pair.
| Major city | Straight-line distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | 113 mi | Northeast |
| Los Angeles, CA | 2,381 mi | West |
| Chicago, IL | 658 mi | West |
| Houston, TX | 1,314 mi | Southwest |
| Atlanta, GA | 637 mi | Southwest |
| Denver, CO | 1,557 mi | West |
Are there other places called Salem?
Yes. Our data lists 18 other places named Salem: Salem, OR (266,804), Salem, MA (43,226), Salem, VA (25,301), Salem, OH (17,571), Salem, UT (8,621), Salem, IL (7,730), Salem, IN (6,422), Salem, MO (4,919), and 10 more. When you search for Salem, add the state or county so you land on the right one. This page covers the Salem in Salem County, New Jersey.
Planning a move to Salem?
If you are weighing Salem, start with the practical numbers: how far it is from where you live, whether it changes your time zone, and how its size and density compare with your current city. Use the distance calculator to measure the trip from where you live. The radius search tool lists every place within any distance of it. Our checklist for comparing cities explains what to check next.
Where to go next
Population and density come from a compiled dataset and are estimates. They may differ from official Census Bureau counts. Verify important figures at census.gov.