PlainZIP

Salem, NJ · standard

ZIP Code 08079

Salem County, New Jersey - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

10,987
47/sq mi
$54,641
Median income
$196,700
Median home value
20.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Salem pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

21th pct
household income, US ZIPs
43th pct
home value, US ZIPs
47
people per sq mi
58%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 08079 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 08079 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Salem, Salem County, New Jersey, home to 10,987 residents across 235.8 square miles, a density of 47 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 08079 reports a modest median household income of $54,641 (55% below the New Jersey average), while per-capita income is $36,791. The poverty rate stands at 15.7% and the unemployment rate at 5.9%. On housing, the median home value is $196,700 (62% below the state average) with median rent at $1,113 per month, and 57.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42, and the average commute is 29 minutes. We also surface 8 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Salem County, so you can benchmark 08079 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 08079

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Salem, NJ

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 08079.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 08079, Salem, NJ · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

10,987

Population

235.8

Area (sq mi)

47

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 08079?

42.0

Median Age

45.8%

Male

54.2%

Female

2.0%

Foreign-Born

White 59.5%
African American 32.1%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.6%
Hispanic or Latino 6.0%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$54,641

Median Household Income

-55% vs state

$36,791

Per Capita Income

15.7%

Poverty Rate

5.9%

Unemployment Rate

29.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 08079 ranks nationally

Salem, NJ household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$54,641 21st percentile higher than 21% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 61.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

5,406

Total Housing Units

4,478

Occupied Units

928

Vacant Units

2.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 57.5%
Renter 42.5%

$196,700

Median Home Value

-62% vs state

$1,113

Median Rent

1951

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+10.0%

YoY Change (2024)

213

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+113%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 08079 have increased 10.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +113% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.5% 140
2021 +11.4% 156
2022 +17.5% 184
2023 +5.2% 193
2024 +10.0% 213

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 159 business establishments in ZIP 08079, employing approximately 2,124 people with a combined annual payroll of $143,054,000.

159

Businesses

2,124

Employees

$143.1M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 32 20.1%
Retail trade 26 16.4%
Other services (except public administration) 25 15.7%
Construction 20 12.6%
Accommodation and food services 15 9.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 8 5.0%
Transportation and warehousing 7 4.4%
Finance and insurance 6 3.8%
Manufacturing 4 2.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 4 2.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 1.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 08079 vs 08072 →

ZIP 08079 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 08079 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 08079 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 08079 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
08072 Quinton, NJ 225 0.7 mi
08001 Alloway, NJ 844 4.3 mi
08038 Hancocks Bridge, NJ 124 5.7 mi
08070 Pennsville, NJ 13,059 7.0 mi
08098 Woodstown, NJ 9,090 8.5 mi
08023 Deepwater, NJ 451 10.6 mi
08323 Greenwich, NJ 804 10.8 mi
08353 Shiloh, NJ 516 9.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Salem County

08069 standard
Penns Grove, NJ
Pop: 13,076
08070 standard
Pennsville, NJ
Pop: 13,059
08318 standard
Elmer, NJ
Pop: 12,702
08098 standard
Woodstown, NJ
Pop: 9,090
08344 standard
Newfield, NJ
Pop: 5,847
08067 standard
Pedricktown, NJ
Pop: 1,635

Related Areas

Salem County Salem, NJ New Jersey

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 08079 in? ▼
ZIP code 08079 (Salem) is located in Salem County, New Jersey. Salem County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/salem-nj.
What is the population of ZIP code 08079? ▼
ZIP code 08079 in Salem, NJ has a population of 10,987 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 08079? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 08079 is $54,641, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 08079? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 08079 is $196,700, which is 29% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 08079? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 08079 is White at 59.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 08079? ▼
ZIP code 08079 has 159 business establishments employing approximately 2,124 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 08079? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 08079 are: Health care and social assistance (32), Retail trade (26), Other services (except public administration) (25). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 08079? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 08079 increased by 10.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 113%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 08079? ▼
In ZIP code 08079, 61.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 08079? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 08079 is 29.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 08079? ▼
In ZIP code 08079, approximately 57.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 08079? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 08079 is 15.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.