New Salem, Pennsylvania Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 364, New Salem's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

New Salem is a small community located in Pennsylvania, within Fayette County. The total population is 364. It ranks as the 1502nd most populous out of 1,991 Census-designated places in Pennsylvania.

Age Demographics

The median age in New Salem is 64.5 years. This is 58% higher than the state median of 40.9 years. Only 10.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in New Salem is $84,250. This is 8% higher than the state median of $77,971. It is also 4% higher than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in New Salem. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The unemployment rate is 11.5%. This is 119% higher than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $159,300. Housing costs are 37% lower than the state median of $254,500. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, New Salem is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 44% higher than the state average of 69.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in New Salem is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 10.2%.

Education

3.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 91% lower than the state rate of 35.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 96.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for New Salem, Pennsylvania is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Pennsylvania state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,991 Census-designated places in Pennsylvania. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.