Salem County, New Jersey Income Statistics
Salem County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Salem County Around averageLess wealthy than 75% of counties in New Jersey
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Salem County | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $82,265 | $103,817 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $63,035 | $76,200 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.8% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.8% | 19.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 9.9% | 21.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Salem County is about 21% lower than in New Jersey. Income has been growing slower in Salem County (3.8%/yr) than in New Jersey (4.4%/yr).
About 12% of adults in Salem County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the New Jersey average of 20%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Salem County, New Jersey grew by 37.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $82,265 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Salem County
| Metric | Salem County | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.529 | 0.544 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $71,504 | $87,197 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $59,343 | $70,502 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.0% | 19.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Salem County, it is 0.529, lower than New Jersey's 0.544, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 20% more than women's income in Salem County, New Jersey. Over a 35-year career, a 20% wage gap accumulates to roughly $425,635 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Salem County, New Jersey has narrowed from about 27% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,324 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Salem County | New Jersey Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.4% | 6.3% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.5% | 16.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 26 | 22 |
Approximately 2,354 people are unemployed in Salem County, New Jersey.
The average commute time in Salem County is 23 minutes, shorter than the 26 minutes in New Jersey.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Salem County, New Jersey has fallen from 11.0% to 7.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.8% in 2013 and fell as low as 6.0% in 2019.
Salem County, NJ Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Salem County, NJ is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 65,196 residents against a local median of 526,561. Nothing separates Salem County, NJ sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is unemployment, 10% above the local median at 7.4% against 6.8%. Salem County, NJ has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem County, NJ | 65,196 | $82,265 #5/6 | 3.8%/yr #5/6 | 7.4% #6/6 | 0.529 #2/6 |
| Gloucester County, NJ | 306,962 | $105,231 | 3.7%/yr | 5.3% | 0.525 |
| New Castle County, DE | 577,338 | $91,590 | 4.1%/yr | 4.8% | 0.530 |
| Cumberland County, NJ | 153,308 | $68,265 | 4.1%/yr | 6.8% | 0.550 |
| Delaware County, PA | 578,234 | $90,232 | 3.8%/yr | 6.8% | 0.549 |
| Camden County, NJ | 526,561 | $89,385 | 4.5%/yr | 6.9% | 0.535 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Salem County, New Jersey has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it about on par with New Jersey, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Salem County, New Jersey.
How Rich Is Salem County, New Jersey?
Salem County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $82,265, about 21% lower than the New Jersey average of $103,817.
How fast is household income rising in Salem County, New Jersey?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Salem County, New Jersey rose 38%, from $59,635 to $82,265. Over the same years, income here lagged behind New Jersey as a whole: +38% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Salem County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Salem County, New Jersey was $79,361, up 8% from $73,604 in 2022. The New Jersey median that year was $101,191.
What was the median household income in Salem County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Salem County, New Jersey was $65,306. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $82,265.
What is the Gini coefficient in Salem County, New Jersey?
The Gini coefficient in Salem County is 0.529. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Salem County, New Jersey?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Salem County, New Jersey has narrowed from about 27% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,324 since 2009.
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