1st Advantage MortgageIn Salem County, New Jersey, the typical household earns $79,960 a year and the typical rent is $1,253. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's New Jersey license first.
On this page
- Who lives in Salem County
- Housing costs in Salem County
- How much Salem County households make
- Work, industries and travel time in Salem County
- Counties near Salem County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Salem County
- Who lives in Salem County, in numbers
- Reading the Salem County data as a borrower
- A Salem County household budget, worked through
- Four steps for Salem County borrowers
- Lender oversight for Salem County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Salem County
Salem County is home to about 65,275 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 21st most populous of 21 county-level areas in New Jersey. Packed into 332 square miles, that is close to 197 residents for every square mile of land. It is one of the counties that make up the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Pennsville is the biggest of its 12 Census places, at roughly 12,233 people (19% of the county total).
Housing costs in Salem County
Renters in Salem County pay a median of $1,253 a month, 27% below the New Jersey figure of $1,720. 55% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 30% spend half or more. With a median value of $239,500, a typical Salem County house costs 3.0 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 71%. Half the housing stock was built before 1962.
| Cost | Salem County | New Jersey figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,253/mo | $1,720/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $239,500 | $454,400 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 71% | 64% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 55% | 52% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 29% | 32% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.3% | 0.9% | n/a |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
How much Salem County households make
Half of Salem County households take in less than $79,960 a year and half take in more, 23% below the New Jersey median of $103,556. Only 18 New Jersey counties post a higher median.
| Household income | Salem County | vs New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.2% | +5.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 38.2% | +6.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 29.7% | -0.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.9% | -11.7 pts |
About 22% of households earn under $35,000, while 40% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 12.7%, 3 points higher than the state's 9.7%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.438 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $79,960 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Work, industries and travel time in Salem County
Education and health care employs 26% of working residents, the largest share; transportation, warehousing and utilities is next with 11%. Compared with New Jersey, the county leans toward transportation, warehousing and utilities (11% against 7%). Averaged over the five survey years, 7.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 80% drive to work alone and 15% have trips of 45 minutes or more.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Salem County | Gap to New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.9% | +1.6 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 10.8% | +4.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.5% | 0.0 pts |
| Manufacturing | 10.0% | +2.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.0% | -5.5 pts |
| Construction | 7.2% | +1.2 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
Counties near Salem County
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Salem County's, from 15 to 31 miles away. Gloucester County leads the group on income ($105,115), Cumberland County trails ($67,436), and Salem County out-earns 1 of the six. Some neighbors are in Delaware and Maryland and Pennsylvania. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Salem County resident follows New Jersey rules.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem County | - | $79,960 | $1,253/mo | 71% |
| Gloucester County, NJ | 15 mi | $105,115 | $1,531/mo | 80% |
| New Castle County, DE | 15 mi | $91,166 | $1,448/mo | 69% |
| Cumberland County, NJ | 21 mi | $67,436 | $1,282/mo | 67% |
| Delaware County, PA | 24 mi | $89,546 | $1,372/mo | 70% |
| Camden County, NJ | 26 mi | $88,755 | $1,402/mo | 65% |
| Cecil County, MD | 31 mi | $92,007 | $1,377/mo | 75% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Salem County
12 Census places fall mainly inside Salem County; the 12 biggest are below. They account for 40,682 residents, leaving about 38% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Auburn has the highest median household income on the list ($222,212) and Salem the lowest ($38,721), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Salem ($1,075) and steepest in Elmer ($1,741). None of the 12 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsville | CDP | 12,233 | $76,032 | $1,252 | 9 mi |
| Carneys Point | CDP | 8,050 | $77,273 | $1,434 | 11 mi |
| Salem | city | 5,322 | $38,721 | $1,075 | 6 mi |
| Penns Grove | borough | 4,882 | $45,781 | $1,117 | 12 mi |
| Woodstown | borough | 3,715 | $98,828 | $1,359 | 6 mi |
| Olivet | CDP | 1,573 | $128,849 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Alloway | CDP | 1,455 | $140,962 | n/a | 1 mi |
| Elmer | borough | 1,176 | $95,357 | $1,741 | 10 mi |
| Auburn | CDP | 1,100 | $222,212 | n/a | 8 mi |
| Quinton | CDP | 432 | $90,625 | n/a | 3 mi |
| Pedricktown | CDP | 424 | $90,417 | $1,857 | 14 mi |
| Hancocks Bridge | CDP | 320 | $80,625 | n/a | 7 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Who lives in Salem County, in numbers
25% of Salem County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 5% go without health insurance.
| Residents | Salem County | New Jersey | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 40.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 25.0% | 43.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.5% | 9.3% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.7% | 7.5% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 9.6% | 11.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.5% | 16.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.7% | 9.7% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 7.4% | 6.3% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 25.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 36.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 23.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.1% |
| 60+ min | 8.9% |
Reading the Salem County data as a borrower
Based on the Salem County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- 55% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Salem County borrower sees (free reports).
- Consolidating cards in Salem County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
A Salem County household budget, worked through
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Salem County's medians:
- Monthly gross at the median, Salem County: $6,663
- 19% goes to median rent ($1,253)
- $1,612: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Four steps for Salem County borrowers
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Only work with lenders licensed for New Jersey borrowers.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Lender oversight for Salem County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Salem County resident can confirm its license with the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. More on New Jersey: New Jersey personal loans.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the New Jersey guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Salem County earn?
The median is $79,960; 40% earn $100,000 or more and 22% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Salem County?
$1,253 a month at the median, about 19% of median household income.
Should Salem County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 71% of Salem County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
What are the biggest places in Salem County?
By population: Pennsville, Carneys Point, Salem, Penns Grove, Woodstown. The county has 12 Census places in all.
Does living in Salem County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Salem County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.