South Salem is a somewhat small town located in the state of New York. With a population of 9,045 people and two associated neighborhoods, South Salem is the 197th largest community in New York.

South Salem home prices are not only among the most expensive in New York, but South Salem real estate also consistently ranks among the most expensive in America.

Of important note, South Salem is also a town of artists. South Salem has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape South Salem’s character.

Also of interest is that South Salem has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US.

One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 26.15% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

In addition, South Salem is home to many people who could be described as "urban sophisticates". Urban sophisticates are people who are both educated and wealthy, and thus tend to be older, richer, and more established than young professionals. "Urban sophisticates" is not just about being educated and well-off financially: it is a point of view and state of mind, one that you might call 'urbaneness'. But such people can and do regularly live in small towns, suburbs and rural areas, as well as in big cities. They read, support the arts and high-end shops, and love travel.

Because of many things, South Salem is a great place for families with children to consider. First of all, many other families with children live here, making South Salem a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families, as well as find family-oriented services and community. The town’s good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic values. With regard to real estate, South Salem has a high rate of owner-occupied single family homes, which tends to reflect stability in the local community. Finally, South Salem’s overall crime rate ranks among the lowest in the country, making it one of the safest places to raise a family.

One downside of living in South Salem, however, is that residents on average have to contend with a long commute, spending on average 34.65 minutes every day commuting to work. However, local public transit is widely used. For those who would prefer to avoid driving entirely and leave their car at home, it may be an option to use the transit instead.

Even though South Salem is a smaller town, it has many people who hop on public transportation – mostly the train for their daily commute to work. Typically, these people are commuting to good jobs in the surrounding cities.

Do you have a 4-year college degree or graduate degree? If so, you may feel right at home in South Salem. 70.89% of adults here have a 4-year degree or graduate degree, whereas the national average for all cities and towns is just 21.84%.

The per capita income in South Salem in 2022 was $88,003, which is wealthy relative to New York and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $352,012 for a family of four.

South Salem is a somewhat ethnically-diverse town. The people who call South Salem home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of South Salem residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in South Salem include Irish, Italian, German, English, and Polish.

The most common language spoken in South Salem is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and German/Yiddish.