Salem, VA: Population, ZIP Codes & Nearby Cities

Salem is a small incorporated city in City of Salem, Virginia. In the dataset behind this page it has an estimated population of 25,301, sits at 37.286°N, 80.055°W, and observes Eastern time. Below you will find how it ranks inside Virginia, which ZIP codes it uses, the closest places around it, and how far it is from major US cities.

What are the key facts about Salem, VA?

What is the population of Salem, VA?

Salem has an estimated population of 25,301. That makes it the 44th largest of the 586 places we list in Virginia, and the largest place in its county. The typical place in Virginia has about 1,532 residents, so Salem is roughly 16.5 times the size of a typical neighbor in the state.

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 Virginia with a similar population include Cave Spring (26,001), Herndon (24,601), Chantilly (24,368), Woodlawn (24,351), Tysons (24,261). 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 1,740 people per square mile (672 per square kilometer), which we classify as suburban. Within Virginia, it is denser than about 74% 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 3 ZIP codes for Salem: 24153, 24155, 24157. Several codes in one place usually reflect separate delivery areas, post offices or large buildings with their own code. Codes beginning with 2 are assigned to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast coast (D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the Carolinas). 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 281 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 Virginia?

Salem lies in the southern part of Virginia, at 37.286° north latitude and 80.055° west longitude. The state capital, Richmond, is about 143 miles to the east. The closest listed place in another state is Lewisburg, WV, roughly 42 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 Roanoke, VA, 5 miles to the east.

Which cities are near Salem, VA?

The closest listed place to Salem is Cave Spring, VA, 5.0 miles to the southeast. 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.

Which county is Salem in?

Salem is in City of Salem, which has the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) code 51775. The county contains 1 places in our data, 1 of which have their own page here. 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 Atlanta, GA at about 346 miles and farthest from Los Angeles, CA at about 2,148 miles in a straight line. Road distances are usually 10 to 30 percent longer. Try the distance calculator for any other pair.

Are there other places called Salem?

Yes. Our data lists 18 other places named Salem: Salem, OR (266,804), Salem, MA (43,226), Salem, OH (17,571), Salem, UT (8,621), Salem, IL (7,730), Salem, IN (6,422), Salem, NJ (5,235), 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 City of Salem, Virginia.

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.