Roanoke, VA vs Salem, VA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricRoanoke, VASalem, VA
Population98,35525,618
Median Household Income$55,378$66,725
Median Rent$996/mo$1,133/mo
Median Home Value$190,500$258,600
Cost of Living (US = 100)9494
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income41.9%48%
Poverty Rate18.3%10.2%
Unemployment Rate3.6%3.3%
Violent Crime Rate /100k554153
Property Crime Rate /100k3,5251,187
Median AQI—31
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs86°F86°F
Winter Lows30°F30°F
Snowfall15 in/yr15 in/yr
Avg Commute19 min19 min
Hospitals12
Avg Hospital Rating3.0 / 53.0 / 5
Students per Teacher13.312.4
College Degree Rate30%33%
Foreign-Born %8%4.5%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-0.9%+1.9%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.