CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

42.54° N · 88.13° W · GEOID 5571163

Salem Lakes

Kenosha County, Wisconsin · part of the Kenosha, WI metro

WisconsinSalem Lakes, WISalem LakesSalem Lakes

The short answer

Salem Lakes is home to 14,366 people. Median household income is $94,819 a year and median rent is $1,184 a month, 15.0% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $316,100, about 3.3x annual median household income.

Salem Lakes stands out on value for money. Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 85 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings. Also notable: OpenStreetMap shows 0 grocery stores per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 93% of places its size. It is the lowest of 158 Wisconsin places we track.

55OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Above average

Salem Lakes scores better than 55% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 146th of 158 in Wisconsin.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%77
Economy 20%65
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%40
Education 10%39
Commute 10%16
Growth 5%25

Not rated: safety, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,184
13% below the median place
Median household income
$94,819
18% above the median place
Median home value
$316,100
1% below the median place
Unemployment
4.2%
14% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

01

Moving to Salem Lakes

Kenosha County loses about 3.3 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in6,847
Moved out7,319
Net−472

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Wisconsin, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within WisconsinOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$60K
Leavers$65K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Kenosha County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.1% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 3.8% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Kenosha County report $60,200 a year in income on average; those leaving, $64,700, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$47,400 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,184 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,869 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $316,100.
Getting to work
32 minutes each way on average; 12.7% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
New Baltimore, MI matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
3.8%
92% above the median place
Moved here in the past year1
5.1%
12% below the median place
Income of households moving in7
$60,168
15% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureSalem LakesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year15.1%12% below
Moved from another state13.8%92% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-3.3below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$60,16815% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$64,7288% below
02

What it costs to live here

The median rent takes 15% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 90% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Salem Lakes15.0%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$47,360
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
15.0%
26% below the median place
Home price to income
3.3x
12% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
15%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$79,000
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Salem Lakes, $1,184 a month, and local prices for everything else (102.2 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Salem Lakes, but easier on the budget

Places that match Salem Lakes on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
New Baltimore, MI9811.8% vs 15.0%$13,400Compare
Waterloo, IL9210.8% vs 15.0%$10,700Compare
Amherst, OH9112.0% vs 15.0%$3,500Compare
Johnsburg, IL9111.2% vs 15.0%$26,600Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Salem Lakes.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Salem Lakes? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Homeownership1
83.2%
25% above the median place
Property tax rate1
1.5%
66% above the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$4,779
46% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureSalem LakesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,18413% below
Rent to income115.0%26% below
Property tax rate11.5%66% above
Home price to income13.3x12% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure101.10% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,44111% below
Property tax paid (median)1$4,77946% above
Median home value1$316,1001% below
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure5.3%68% above
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure53.4%4% above
Homeownership183.2%25% above
Renters paying 30%+145.3%11% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,8690% below
Vacant homes16.7%5% below
Median year built119870% above
03

Work and pay

Counting remote workers as zero, the average worker spends about 210 hours a year commuting, more than in 85% of the 2,241 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. It is the 2nd-highest of 156 Wisconsin places we track.

Mean commute1
32 min
27% above the median place
Poverty rate1
6.6%
39% below the median place
Income per person1
$47,885
20% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Unemployment4.2% −14%
Median household income$94,819 +18%
Works from home12.7% +2%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureSalem LakesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$94,81918% above
Income per person1$47,88520% above
Unemployment14.2%14% below
Average annual pay5County figure$60,0049% below
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure2.7%27% below
Jobs5County figure75,99650% below
Poverty rate16.6%39% below
Mean commute132 min27% above
Works from home112.7%2% above
Commutes by transit1County figure0.7%18% below
04

Who lives here

Born abroad is 3.0%, 66% below the median place.

Born abroad1
3.0%
66% below the median place
Population change since 20206
-2.3%
below the median place (median 1.1%)
Homes with broadband1
87.4%
5% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Median age43.9 +13%
No health insurance4.4% −31%
Bachelor's or higher27.1% −16%
High school or higher92.0% −0%
Household size2.5 −0%
All 9 people measures
MeasureSalem LakesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population114,3663095th largest
Population change since 20206-2.3%below (median 1.1%)
Median age143.913% above
Bachelor's or higher127.1%16% below
High school or higher192.0%0% below
Household size12.50% below
Born abroad13.0%66% below
No health insurance14.4%31% below
Homes with broadband187.4%5% below
05

Life in Salem Lakes

OpenStreetMap shows 20.9 parks per 10,000 residents, more than in 84% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

29 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents20.9 2.1×
Playgrounds per 10k22.3 2.4×
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k9.8 −13%
Libraries per 10k1.4 +60%
Named paths and bike trails1 km −40%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Pullman National Historical Park 64 miles
  • Indiana Dunes National Park 81 miles
  • Ice Age Trail 102 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars22.6 +9%
Shops29.4 −3%
Arts, recreation and fitness3.4 −17%
Doctors' offices and clinics17.3 −14%
Child care centers2.7 +17%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site10
63.9
107% above the median place
Public school students12
25,132
above the median place (median 4,897)
Public schools12
46
above the median place (median 9)
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureSalem LakesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12County figure46above (median 9)
Public school students12County figure25,132above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher12County figure15.03% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure22.69% above
Shops per 10k8County figure29.43% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure3.417% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure17.314% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure2.717% above
Parks per 10k920.9105% above
Playgrounds per 10k922.3137% above
Grocery stores per 10k90.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k99.813% below
Libraries per 10k91.460% above
Named paths and bike trails91.240% below
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1063.9107% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles100below (median 2)
National Register listings11County figure29123% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

January average low is 15°F, 42% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Salem Lakes. Larger places are fetched first.

January average low13
15°F
42% below the median place
Hurricane risk14
18.1
74% below the median place
July average high13
82°F
5% below the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasureSalem LakesAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure82°F5% below
January average low13County figure15°F42% below
Average temperature13County figure48°F12% below
Annual precipitation13County figure35.6 in19% below
Natural hazard risk14County figure85.08% below
Hurricane risk14County figure18.174% below
Tornado risk14County figure92.714% above
Wildfire risk14County figure29.152% below
Heat wave risk14County figure80.411% below
Median air quality index15County figure422% below
Good air days15County figure69.2%1% above
08

Salem Lakes in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 15% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 15% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Salem Lakes does better than 76% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 57%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,184/mo (2024)$1,510/mo$1,240 to $1,840/mo+4.2%
Median household income$94,819 (2024)$120,500$102,000 to $142,500+4.1%
Median home value$316,100 (2024)$455,000$331,000 to $627,000+6.3%
Population14,271 (2025)14,22013,640 to 14,830−0.1%

The median home would be worth 3.8 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.3 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Salem Lakes

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Caledonia, WI$1,141$93,152Compare
Middle Valley, TN$1,180$95,000Compare
Williamstown, NJ$1,266$89,414Compare
Northampton, PA$1,174$90,762Compare
Northampton, PAWilliamstown, NJMiddle Valley, TNCaledonia, WISalem Lakes, WISalem LakesCaledoniaMiddle ValleyWilliamstownSalem LakesCaledoniaMiddle ValleyWilliamstown

Places built like Salem Lakes

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Salem Lakes performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Salem Lakes, WI15.0%5.0%/yr-2.3%
New Baltimore, MI11.8%6.4%/yr0.1%Compare
Sellersburg, IN19.1%2.9%/yr10.3%Compare
Waterloo, IL10.8%7.8%/yr1.2%Compare
Marysville, MI17.5%1.4%/yr-1.3%Compare
Caledonia, WI14.7%2.9%/yr-0.4%Compare
Woodhaven, MI16.7%4.0%/yr-3.4%Compare

Common questions

Is Salem Lakes a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 55 out of 100, better than 55% of the places we rate and 146th of 158 in Wisconsin. On cost, space and class size it scores 91 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Salem Lakes expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 15.0% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $316,100.

What salary do you need to live in Salem Lakes?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $47,360 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Salem Lakes?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Caledonia, WI, Middle Valley, TN, Williamstown, NJ and Northampton, PA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Salem Lakes with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Salem Lakes itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/salem-lakes-wisconsin

Citytistics. “Salem Lakes, Wisconsin.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/salem-lakes-wisconsin/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.