ZIP Code 26426 — Salem city, WV Demographics & Data

ZIP code 26426 covers Salem, WV in Doddridge County with a population of about 7,302.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 46.9 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area codes 304, 681; U.S. House district WV-2; the CLARKSBURG - WESTON media market.

Salem, WV sits in a university / college context (near salem university (0.4 mi)). Expect stronger interest in student housing, rentals, walkability, transit, and a younger adult age mix versus typical suburban ZIPs.

Median household income in ZIP 26426 is about $52,009 — about 31% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 15.4%; unemployment rate near 1.5%; 18.9% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 14.8 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Education, Retail trade, and Public administration; about 4.4% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 10.8 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $117,700 — about 66% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $485 (about 58% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 86.7% (about 21.3 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 26426 in Salem, WV, a household would need roughly $32,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $756. That sits below the local median household income ($52,009), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Salem city, WV as Very Low (composite score 14.4), which is relatively lower than many U.S. communities. The strongest component scores on US5 are flood (43.6) and hurricane (36.7). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Salem city, WV show little to no average snow and around 49.1 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 271 for ZIP 26426 (Salem city, WV) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.