PlainZIP

Salem, OR · standard

ZIP Code 97304

Polk County, Oregon — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

28,454
197/sq mi
$98,031
Median income
$499,300
Median home value
39.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Salem pairs an upper-quartile household income with upper-quartile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 20%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 13%
home value, US ZIPs
197
people per sq mi
64%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 97304 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 97304 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 144.5 square miles in Salem, Polk County, Oregon. The area is home to 28,454 residents, producing a population density of 197 people per square mile, and falls within the Los Angeles time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 97304 against Oregon and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 97304 sits at $98,031 (26% above the Oregon average), while per-capita income is $48,486. The poverty rate stands at 10.8% and the unemployment rate at 5.5%. On housing, the median home value is $499,300 (15% above the state average) with median rent at $1,485 per month, and 64.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 97304 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 39.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39, and the average commute is 23 minutes. We also surface 5 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Polk County, so you can benchmark 97304 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 97304

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 97304.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 97304, Salem, OR · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

28,454

Population

144.5

Area (sq mi)

197

People / sq mi

Los Angeles

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 97304?

39.0

Median Age

50.4%

Male

49.6%

Female

7.4%

Foreign-Born

White 79.0%
African American 0.7%
Asian 3.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 1.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.6%
Hispanic or Latino 11.9%

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?

$98,031

Median Household Income

+26% vs state

$48,486

Per Capita Income

10.8%

Poverty Rate

5.5%

Unemployment Rate

23.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 97304 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$98,031 Top 20% higher than 80% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 58.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 39.1%

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

What does housing look like?

14,570

Total Housing Units

13,781

Occupied Units

789

Vacant Units

2.52

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 64.3%
Renter 35.7%

$499,300

Median Home Value

+15% vs state

$1,485

Median Rent

1989

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

+2.6%

YoY Change (2024)

280

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+180%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 97304 have increased 2.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +180% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.4% 204
2021 +16.1% 237
2022 +13.7% 270
2023 +1.3% 273
2024 +2.6% 280

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 584 business establishments in ZIP 97304, employing approximately 5,378 people with a combined annual payroll of $247,768,000.

584

Businesses

5,378

Employees

$247.8M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 114 19.5%
Health care and social assistance 69 11.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 59 10.1%
Other services (except public administration) 59 10.1%
Accommodation and food services 46 7.9%
Retail trade 44 7.5%
Real estate and rental and leasing 42 7.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 34 5.8%
Finance and insurance 32 5.5%
Manufacturing 25 4.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 12 2.0%
Wholesale trade 10 1.7%
Information 10 1.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 9 1.5%
Transportation and warehousing 7 1.2%
Educational services 5 0.9%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.5%

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 97304 vs 97303 →

ZIP 97304 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 97304 ranks #4 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 97304 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 97304 ranks #2 of 5 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
97303 Salem, OR 38,663 4.3 mi
97371 Rickreall, OR 730 5.0 mi
97302 Salem, OR 37,131 7.7 mi
97301 Salem, OR 53,518 6.6 mi
97101 Amity, OR 3,794 7.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Polk County

97338 standard
Dallas, OR
Pop: 20,045
97361 standard
Monmouth, OR
Pop: 11,258
97351 standard
Independence, OR
Pop: 10,307
97347 standard
Grand Ronde, OR
Pop: 1,878
97344 standard
Falls City, OR
Pop: 1,076
97371 standard
Rickreall, OR
Pop: 730

Related Areas

Polk County Salem, OR Oregon

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 97304 in? ▼
ZIP code 97304 (Salem) is located in Polk County, Oregon. Polk County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/polk-or.
What is the population of ZIP code 97304? ▼
ZIP code 97304 in Salem, OR has a population of 28,454 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 97304? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 97304 is $98,031, which is 29% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 97304? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 97304 is $499,300, which is 80% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 97304? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 97304 is White at 79.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 97304? ▼
ZIP code 97304 has 584 business establishments employing approximately 5,378 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 97304? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 97304 are: Construction (114), Health care and social assistance (69), Professional, scientific, and technical services (59). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 97304? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 97304 increased by 2.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 180%. 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 97304? ▼
In ZIP code 97304, 58.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 39.1% 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 97304? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 97304 is 23.4 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 97304? ▼
In ZIP code 97304, approximately 64.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 35.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 97304? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 97304 is 10.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Reading Census Demographics
How to interpret population, income, and education data from the Census Bureau.
Understanding ZIP Code Data
What ZIP codes are, how ZCTAs differ, and what the data reveals.
Best ZIP Codes for Families
Key factors to evaluate when choosing a family-friendly neighborhood.
ZIP Codes for Relocation
Data-driven tips for evaluating ZIP codes before a move.

Official Data Resources for Salem, OR

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.

U.S. Census Bureau
Official demographic, economic, and housing data from the American Community Survey.
HUD Fair Market Rents
Department of Housing and Urban Development rental cost estimates by metropolitan area.
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
Official crime statistics compiled from law enforcement agencies nationwide.
FHFA House Price Index
Federal Housing Finance Agency home value trends based on repeat sales and appraisals.

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