Salem, WV · standard
ZIP Code 26426
Harrison County, West Virginia - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 7,003
- 21/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $56,163
- Median income Below-median income area
- $145,800
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 20.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Salem pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 23rd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 24th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 21
- people per sq mi
- 87%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 26426 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 26426 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Salem, Harrison County, West Virginia, home to 7,003 residents across 341.6 square miles, a density of 21 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 26426 reports a modest median household income of $56,163 (3% below the average West Virginia ZIP), while per-capita income is $30,549. The poverty rate is 15.1%, with unemployment at 1.5%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $145,800 (6% above the average West Virginia ZIP) and median rent is $522; 87.1% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.4, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Harrison County, so 26426 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 26426
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Salem, WV
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 26426.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
12 establishments
- Construction
Construction
11 establishments
- Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
10 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
8 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
8 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 26426, Salem, WV · 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
7,003
Population
341.6
Area (sq mi)
21
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 26426?
46.4
Median Age
57.3%
Male
42.7%
Female
1.1%
Foreign-Born
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?
$56,163
Median Household Income
-3% vs state ZIP avg
$30,549
Per Capita Income
15.1%
Poverty Rate
1.5%
Unemployment Rate
25.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 26426 ranks among West Virginia ZIPs
Salem, WV household income vs. every West Virginia ZIP code
Median household income among 539 reporting West Virginia ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$56,163 Top 48% higher than 52% of 539 West Virginia ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more West Virginia 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
3,137housing units
3,137
Total Housing Units
2,637
Occupied Units
500
Vacant Units
2.60
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$145,800
Median Home Value
+6% vs state ZIP avg
$522
Median Rent
1979
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 87 business establishments in ZIP 26426, employing approximately 891 people with a combined annual payroll of $36,158,000.
87
Businesses
891
Employees
$36.2M
Annual Payroll
13
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 12 | 13.8% |
| Construction | 11 | 12.6% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 10 | 11.5% |
| Retail trade | 8 | 9.2% |
| Health care and social assistance | 8 | 9.2% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 7 | 8.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 6 | 6.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 5.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 4.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 3 | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 3 | 3.5% |
| Information | 3 | 3.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 3.5% |
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 26426 vs 26422 →
ZIP 26426 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 26426
Salem (26426)
7,003 residents
- 26448 1,421
Wallace (26448)
1,421 residents
- 26411 707
New Milton (26411)
707 residents
- 26422 606
Reynoldsville (26422)
606 residents
- 26339 255
Center Point (26339)
255 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 26426 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 26426 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 26339
Center Point (26339)
$80,208 median income
- 26426
Salem (26426)
$56,163 median income
- 26411
New Milton (26411)
$50,000 median income
- 26448
Wallace (26448)
$32,955 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 26426 ranks #2 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 26426, both outside WV so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (7,003 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Harrison County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 26426 in?
ZIP code 26426 (Salem) is located in Harrison County, West Virginia. Harrison County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/harrison-wv.
What is the population of ZIP code 26426?
ZIP code 26426 in Salem, WV has a population of 7,003 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 26426?
The median household income in ZIP 26426 is $56,163, which is 26% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 26426?
The median home value in ZIP 26426 is $145,800, which is 48% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 26426?
The largest racial group in ZIP 26426 is White at 96.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 26426?
ZIP code 26426 has 87 business establishments employing approximately 891 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 26426?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 26426 are: Other services (except public administration) (12), Construction (11), Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (10). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 26426?
In ZIP code 26426, 62.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.5% 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 26426?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 26426 is 25.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 26426?
In ZIP code 26426, approximately 87.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 26426?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 26426 is 15.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 26426's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 26426 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Salem, WV ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.