Housing data for Salem Township (Luzerne County), PA
Salem Township (Luzerne County), PA has an estimated 4,047 residents and 2,180 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a township in Luzerne County.
8.8% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,040 a month.
Its population shrank measurably since 2015–2019 (−3.8%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 4,047 (±15)
- Housing units
- 2,180 (±158)
- Households that rent
- 8.8%
- Median gross rent
- $1,040
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −3.8%
What stands out in Salem Township (Luzerne County)
Households that rent: 8.8% (±4.1 points) in Salem Township (Luzerne County), lower than in Luzerne County (32.2%).
Homes heated by fuel oil: 29.1% (±8.7 points) in Salem Township (Luzerne County), higher than in Luzerne County (15.8%).
Households without a vehicle: 1.8% (±1.7 points) in Salem Township (Luzerne County), lower than in Luzerne County (9.5%).
Households that moved in since 2020: 9.7% (±4.8 points) in Salem Township (Luzerne County), lower than in Luzerne County (19.1%).
- Renters and owners in Salem Township (Luzerne County)
- Heating fuel in Salem Township (Luzerne County)
- Commute and cars in Salem Township (Luzerne County)
Housing in Salem Township (Luzerne County) at a glance
- Median rent: $1,040 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,049 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Rent burden: 54.4% of renters pay 30% or more of income (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Renters and owners: 8.8% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $78,560 median household income
- Home values: $200,600 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,383 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $2,528 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 3.6% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 77.4% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 74.4% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 16.6% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 42.8% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 29.3 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 0 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: −3.8% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 9.7% moved in since 2020 (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Crowding and facilities: 4.1% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Salem Township (Luzerne County) against Luzerne County, its state and the nation
| Salem Township (Luzerne County) | Luzerne County | Pennsylvania | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 4,047 (±15) | 327,675 (exact) | 13,018,639 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 2,180 (±158) | 151,287 (±105) | 5,806,452 (±672) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 8.8% (±4.1 points) | 32.2% (±0.9 points) | 30.7% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,040 (±$250) | $1,004 (±$25) | $1,209 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $78,560 (±$9,062) | $63,691 (±$1,684) | $77,971 (±$342) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $200,600 (±$36,249) | $174,100 (±$3,161) | $254,500 (±$767) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $2,528 (±$353) | $2,530 (±$47) | $3,311 (±$12) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 74.4% (±13.8 points) | 74.4% (±1.5 points) | 67.3% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 29.3 minutes (±5.3) | 23.5 minutes (±0.5) | 26.3 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 93.6% (±3.4 points) | 87.8% (±0.7 points) | 89.7% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 55.0 years (±5.7) | 42.0 years (±0.2) | 40.9 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Salem Township (Luzerne County) covers 28.7 square miles of land, about 141 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Salem Township (Luzerne County) has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 4,208 (±20) | 4,047 (±15) | −3.8% | Measurable decrease |
| Housing units | 2,088 (±153) | 2,180 (±158) | +4.4% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $773 (±$117) | $1,040 (±$250) | +34.5% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $136,300 (±$10,141) | $200,600 (±$36,249) | +47.2% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median household income | $60,682 (±$6,796) | $78,560 (±$9,062) | +29.5% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,276 (±$84) | $1,383 (±$398) | +8.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $2,007 (±$287) | $2,528 (±$353) | +26.0% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 12.3% (±4.4 points) | 8.8% (±4.1 points) | −3.5 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% (±10.7 points) | 16.6% (±24.4 points) | +16.6 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Salem Township (Luzerne County)
In 2025, the Salem Township Police Department, Luzerne County reported 0 violent and 463 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
ZIP codes in Salem Township (Luzerne County)
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18603 | 42% | 18,827 | $810 | $170,500 | $60,352 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Salem Township (Luzerne County)
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shickshinny | 3.7 mi | $817 | $84,800 | 41.7% |
| Nescopeck | 4.0 mi | $873 | $168,200 | 32.8% |
| Conyngham Township (Luzerne County) | 4.3 mi | $950 | $116,700 | 25.2% |
| Briar Creek Township | 4.8 mi | $941 | $189,500 | 14.1% |
| Berwick | 5.0 mi | $797 | $156,500 | 39.7% |
| Nescopeck Township | 5.0 mi | $1,091 | $208,100 | 8.5% |
| Hollenback Township | 6.0 mi | $1,008 | $206,700 | 10.8% |
| Huntington Township (Luzerne County) | 6.1 mi | $1,130 | $217,000 | 11.8% |
Places in Pennsylvania most like Salem Township (Luzerne County)
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felton | $1,125 | $194,400 | $77,083 | 7.2% |
| Butler Township (Schuylkill County) | $1,048 | $173,100 | $79,730 | 10.8% |
| Elizabeth Township (Allegheny County) | $1,070 | $167,000 | $80,589 | 11.4% |
| Big Beaver | $975 | $186,100 | $71,678 | 4.6% |
| Fawn Township (Allegheny County) | $982 | $221,200 | $87,674 | 9.8% |
| Woodbury Township (Blair County) | $967 | $160,400 | $76,845 | 12.0% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Pennsylvania.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Salem Township (Luzerne County), fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $949 | $1,106 | $1,363 | $1,786 | $1,962 |
HUD income limits for Salem Township (Luzerne County), fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $19,350 | $32,200 | $51,550 |
| 2 people | $22,100 | $36,800 | $58,900 |
| 3 people | $27,320 | $41,400 | $66,250 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $46,000 | $73,600 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $49,700 | $79,500 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $53,400 | $85,400 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $57,050 | $91,300 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $60,750 | $97,200 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $92,400.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
The figures for Salem Township (Luzerne County) include the places inside it that have pages of their own: East Berwick.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Salem Township (Luzerne County)
What is the average rent in Salem Township (Luzerne County), PA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Salem Township (Luzerne County) is $1,040 (±$250) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How many renters are there in Salem Township (Luzerne County)?
Salem Township (Luzerne County) has an estimated 161 (±78) renting households, 8.8% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Salem Township (Luzerne County)?
The median household income in Salem Township (Luzerne County) is $78,560 (±$9,062) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Salem Township (Luzerne County), PA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $200,600 (±$36,249) for owner-occupied homes in Salem Township (Luzerne County) (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average mortgage payment in Salem Township (Luzerne County)?
The Census Bureau publishes total owner costs rather than the mortgage alone: the median for owners with a mortgage in Salem Township (Luzerne County), PA is $1,383 (±$398) a month, including taxes, insurance and utilities.
How much are property taxes in Salem Township (Luzerne County)?
The median real estate tax paid by homeowners in Salem Township (Luzerne County), PA is $2,528 (±$353) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Salem Township (Luzerne County) growing?
In Salem Township (Luzerne County), the number of residents went from 4,208 in 2015–2019 to 4,047 in 2020–2024 (−3.8%), a measurable decrease.
What ZIP codes are in Salem Township (Luzerne County)?
The ZIP code that covers Salem Township (Luzerne County) is 18603.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 18603?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 18603 is $810 (±$84) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Salem township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Salem township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Salem township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Salem township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Salem township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Salem township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Salem township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Salem Township Police Department, Luzerne County (ORI PA0404700)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Salem township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania (county subdivision:67456, in state:42 county:079).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .