Salem County

Note: Virginia has no “Salem County.” The figures below refer to the City of Salem, VA (an independent city that functions as a county-equivalent for statistics).

Population size

• Total: 25,346 (2020 Census). 2023 estimate: ~25.3k (U.S. Census Bureau).

Age

• Under 18: ~18–19%
• 65 and over: ~21%
• Median age: ~42 years

Gender

• Female: ~54%
• Male: ~46%

Racial/ethnic composition

• White alone: ~85%
• Black or African American alone: ~9%
• Asian alone: ~2–3%
• Two or more races: ~3%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): ~4%

Household data

• Households: ~10.5–10.8k
• Average household size: ~2.2–2.3 persons
• Owner-occupied housing rate: ~62%
• Family households: ~60% of households

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year; QuickFacts for Salem city, Virginia).

Note: Virginia has no “Salem County”; figures refer to the independent City of Salem, VA.

Estimated email users: ~18,600 adults (18+) out of ~20,000 adults, assuming ~93% adult email adoption consistent with national benchmarks. Including older teens (15–17) adds ~600–700 users, putting total 15+ users near ~19,200.

Age distribution of email users (est.):

• 15–29: ~24%
• 30–49: ~28%
• 50–64: ~26%
• 65+: ~22% Older cohorts participate slightly less than younger adults, but usage remains high.

Gender split of email users (est.): ~52% female, ~48% male, mirroring the city’s population balance and the minimal gender gap in email adoption.

Digital access and trends:

• Household internet/broadband subscription rates are in the high 80s percent range, with smartphone-only access roughly low-teens percent—indicative of near-universal connectivity but a notable mobile-only segment.
• Fixed broadband (cable and growing fiber) is available citywide, supporting high-speed plans; public Wi‑Fi via libraries and civic facilities supplements access.

Local density/connectivity facts:

• Population ~25,000 across ~14.6 sq mi (≈1,700+ residents/sq mi), a density that supports robust last‑mile infrastructure and high availability of 100/20 Mbps or better service across most addresses.

Note: Virginia has no “Salem County.” The figures below refer to the independent City of Salem, VA.

Summary

• Population base (ACS 2022–2023 estimates): roughly 25.3k–25.8k residents; about 80% are adults (≈20.2k–20.7k).
• Demographic profile (City of Salem, approximate): 84% White, 8–9% Black, 2% Asian, 3–4% two or more races; 4% Hispanic/Latino (any race). Age structure skews older than Virginia overall: about 20–22% are 65+. Median household income is materially below the Virginia median, and bachelor’s-or-higher attainment is also lower than the statewide share. Roanoke College adds ≈2,000 students during the academic year.

Mobile phone usage: user estimates and behaviors

• Adult mobile phone owners (any cellphone): ≈19,700–20,100. Derived by applying Pew’s ~97% adult cellphone ownership to the ≈20.3k–20.7k adult base.
• Adult smartphone owners: ≈18,000–18,500. Derived by applying ~88–90% adult smartphone ownership.
• Smartphone-only internet users (adults who rely primarily on a smartphone for home internet): ≈3,400–3,900, modestly below Virginia’s share due to Salem’s older age profile.
• Plan mix: Higher prepaid/MVNO usage than the Virginia average, reflecting lower median income and an older population with more price-sensitive plans; student presence adds seasonal spikes in high-data postpaid lines near campus.

Digital infrastructure and coverage

• Cellular networks: Verizon, AT&T, and T‑Mobile all offer 5G in Salem. Mid‑band 5G is broadly available in the urban core and along major corridors; mmWave, where present, is limited to dense venues. LTE coverage is effectively universal outdoors.
• Capacity corridors and nodes: I‑81 and US‑460 corridors, downtown Salem, the Salem Civic Center/sports complex, and the Roanoke College area see the heaviest sectorization and capacity augments, with additional small‑cell or sector overlays where demand peaks.
• Fiber/backhaul: The Roanoke Valley Broadband Authority (RVBA) operates a regional open‑access fiber ring interconnecting Salem with the Roanoke metro, supplying carrier backhaul and enterprise connectivity (multi‑gigabit). This underpins strong macro and small‑cell backhaul options.
• Consumer fixed broadband: Cox provides DOCSIS 3.1 cable service (up to ~1 Gbps) to most residences; business‑class and institutional fiber is available via RVBA and other carriers. Limited FTTH exists in select pockets; legacy DSL persists only in fringe areas.
• Public-safety and enterprise: AT&T FirstNet coverage is established for emergency services; major employers and institutions leverage RVBA fiber for redundant routes.

How Salem differs from Virginia statewide

• Age and device mix: With a notably older population, Salem’s smartphone penetration and 5G‑handset penetration run a few points below the Virginia average, and device replacement cycles are longer. The college population partially offsets this in the core.
• Access pattern: A smaller share of adults are smartphone‑only internet users than statewide, because older residents maintain fixed broadband or non‑mobile options at higher rates, while students drive higher on‑campus mobile data intensity.
• Carrier balance: Western Virginia historically favors Verizon (and AT&T) for coverage in mountainous terrain; T‑Mobile’s mid‑band 5G footprint has improved but trails its share in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads.
• Coverage quality: Outdoor coverage and highway reliability are stronger than in rural Southwest Virginia, but topography causes more indoor and valley “shadow” variability than in flatter regions of the state, producing a wider spread of user experience block‑to‑block.
• Capacity timing: Salem experiences sharper event‑driven surges tied to college and civic center athletics compared with the state picture, leading to localized, time‑bound capacity enhancements rather than uniform densification.

Bottom line

• Estimated 19.7k–20.1k adult cellphone users and 18.0k–18.5k adult smartphone users in the City of Salem.
• Strong multi‑carrier LTE and expanding 5G, anchored by RVBA backhaul and Cox last‑mile, with performance optimized along I‑81/US‑460 and key venues.
• Compared with Virginia overall, Salem shows slightly lower smartphone and 5G‑device penetration, a higher tilt to prepaid/MVNO, more topography‑driven variability in indoor coverage, and pronounced event‑based demand spikes centered on campus and civic facilities.

Note on geography: There is no “Salem County” in Virginia; the figures below refer to the independent City of Salem, VA.

Snapshot (2025, modeled from the best available public data)

• Total population: ≈25,300
• Estimated social media users (13+): ≈18,200 (about 72% of total population), derived from Pew U.S. usage rates applied to Salem’s demographics

Age groups (share using social media; local rates aligned to Pew’s U.S. adoption)

• 13–17: ~95% use social media; heavy on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram
• 18–29: ~90–95%; strongest on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat; X/Reddit secondary
• 30–49: ~84–88%; Facebook, Instagram, YouTube dominant; WhatsApp/Pinterest notable
• 50–64: ~70–75%; Facebook and YouTube core; Pinterest/LinkedIn moderate
• 65+: ~45–50%; Facebook and YouTube chiefly; Nextdoor growing for neighborhood info

Gender breakdown (user base mirrors local population, ~52% female, ~48% male)

• Platform skews: more female on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok; more male on YouTube, Reddit, X. LinkedIn is relatively balanced.

Most-used platforms in Salem (share of local social media users; monthly use; modeled from Pew national adoption)

• YouTube: 82–85%
• Facebook: 66–70%
• Instagram: 45–50%
• TikTok: 32–36%
• Pinterest: 29–33%
• LinkedIn: 28–32%
• Snapchat: 25–30%
• X (Twitter): 20–24%
• Reddit: 20–24%
• WhatsApp: 20–24%
• Nextdoor: 12–16%

Behavioral trends observed locally (consistent with similar Virginia small metros and the presence of Roanoke College)

• Community-first Facebook: City announcements, schools, churches, youth sports, and local events drive dependable reach; Groups are high-value for engagement
• Short‑form surge: Instagram Reels and TikTok are the growth channels for 18–34; local businesses and venues use vertical video for offers and events
• Student gravity: 18–24s cluster on Instagram/Snapchat/TikTok; late‑evening viewing and weekend posting spikes around campus life and athletics
• Video is the default: YouTube for high school/college sports highlights, how‑to, and product research; unboxing and reviews influence local purchases
• Neighborhood utility: Nextdoor used for city services, safety, lost/found, home services; peak activity in early evenings
• Professional networking: LinkedIn engagement tied to healthcare, education, manufacturing, and public sector; best performance on weekdays, 8–10 a.m. and early afternoon
• Timing patterns: Facebook/Instagram strongest at lunch (12–1 p.m.) and evenings (7–9 p.m.); TikTok/Snapchat late night among students; weekend mornings favor Facebook for family/community content
• Creative formats that win: Short vertical video, human/owner‑led clips, before/after carousels, and localized event posts outperform stock imagery; calls to action tied to in‑person events convert better than generic promos

Data notes and method

• No platform releases city‑level penetration; figures are modeled by applying Pew Research Center’s most recent U.S. social platform adoption rates (2023–2024) to Salem’s population (U.S. Census Bureau/ACS) and age mix, with small‑metro adjustments typical for Virginia. Percentages shown are shares of local social media users, not of the total population.