Town guide

Salem, Missouri

Salem is a city in Dent County, Missouri, home to about 4,677 people across 3.2 square miles. Its ZIP code is 65560.

Homes sold for a median of $120 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.

Population4,6771,475 per sq mi
Median home value$115,000Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$120Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking17%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Salem

1 ZIP code

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Salem. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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We’re writing up Salem’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around Salem

Distances

Nearest major airportSt. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)100 miles away
Closer regional airportWaynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport-Forney Field (TBN)35 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+St. Louis, MO99 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL356 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Salem; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Salem

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Salem had 4,608 residents in the 2020 census, down 5% since 2000.

It’s the 157th largest of 1,060 towns in Missouri by population.

Dent County grew from 12,986 residents in 1900 to 14,421 in 2020.

Salem population by census2000: 4,854, 2010: 4,950, 2020: 4,6084,85420004,95020104,6082020

Dent County, 1900–2020

Dent County population, 1900 to 20201900: 12,986, 1910: 13,245, 1920: 12,318, 1930: 10,974, 1940: 11,763, 1950: 10,936, 1960: 10,445, 1970: 11,457, 1980: 14,517, 1990: 13,702, 2000: 14,927, 2010: 15,657, 2020: 14,42113K’00’1012K’20’3012K’40’5010K’60’7015K’80’9015K’00’1014K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 88°F in summer, and winter lows average 22°F. About 46.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 1 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near SalemJan: high 43°F, low 22°F, 2.7 in; Feb: high 48°F, low 26°F, 2.8 in; Mar: high 57°F, low 34°F, 4 in; Apr: high 68°F, low 44°F, 5 in; May: high 76°F, low 53°F, 5.6 in; Jun: high 83°F, low 61°F, 4.2 in; Jul: high 88°F, low 65°F, 3.7 in; Aug: high 87°F, low 63°F, 4.3 in; Sep: high 80°F, low 56°F, 4 in; Oct: high 69°F, low 45°F, 3.7 in; Nov: high 56°F, low 35°F, 3.9 in; Dec: high 45°F, low 26°F, 3 in43°22°Jan2.748°26°Feb2.857°34°Mar4.068°44°Apr5.076°53°May5.683°61°Jun4.288°65°Jul3.787°63°Aug4.380°56°Sep4.069°45°Oct3.756°35°Nov3.945°26°Dec3.0Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Salem, MO weather station (about a mile away).

Jobs in Dent County

3,870 jobs at 292 businesses in Dent County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Dent CountyHealth care and social assistance: 720 jobs; Manufacturing: 659 jobs; Wholesale trade: 588 jobs; Retail trade: 480 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 355 jobs; Administrative and support: 200 jobs; Construction: 180 jobs; Finance and insurance: 146 jobsHealth care and social assistance 19% Manufacturing 17% Wholesale trade 15% Retail trade 12% Hotels and restaurants 9% Administrative and support 5% Construction 5% Finance and insurance 4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

60 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Salem.

Nearest hospitals

  • Salem Memorial District HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · SalemUnder a mile
  • Phelps County Regional Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · Rolla27.1 miles
  • Texas County Memorial HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · Houston31.5 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors9
Dentists3
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants13
Mental health providers21
Physical and occupational therapists2
Optometrists2
Chiropractors10
Pharmacies4

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around Salem

Grocery stores (1 nearby)

  • Country Mart1.4 mi

Pharmacies

  • Moser Pharmacy Healthmart1.5 mi

Libraries

  • Salem Public Library2.1 mi

Museums

  • Dent county museum2.0 mi
  • Bonebrake Center of Nature and History2.1 mi

Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Schools in Salem

Public schools here are run by Dent-Phelps R-III, North Wood R-IV, Salem R-80 and others. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (9)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Dent-Phelps Elem.SalemPre-K–8256Public10.0 mi
North Wood Elem.SalemPre-K–8155Public4.4 mi
Wm. H. Lynch Elem.SalemPre-K–1257Public2.0 mi
Green Forest Elem.SalemK–8152Public7.9 mi
Oak Hill Elem.SalemK–8149Public3.3 mi
Ozark Hills SchoolSalemK–125Special Education1.7 mi
Salem Upper Elem.Salem2–5335Public0.9 mi
Salem Middle SchoolSalem6–8254Public2.3 mi
Salem Sr.. HighSalem9–12606Public2.4 mi
Private schools (1)
SchoolGradesStudentsAffiliationDistance
I Can Too Learning CenterSalemPre-K–656Nonsectarian2.3 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Towns near Salem

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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.