The Town FilesNew Salem, Pennsylvania
Borough in York County · population 822 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $254,500
- Household income
- $106,806
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 34.4
New Salem is a borough of 822 people in York County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $254,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for cycling than 77% of Pennsylvania towns, more upscale than 70% of Pennsylvania towns.
How New Salem ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in New Salem is worth $254,500, above the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $106,806, which is more affordable than 75% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $1,054 a month. 96.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | New Salem | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $254,500 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $1,054 | $996 |
| Median household income | $106,806 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 96.7% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in New Salem
| People | New Salem | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.4 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.4% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 27.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.7% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 3.9% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.2% | 89.0% |
Weather in New Salem
July highs average 87.7°F and January lows 21.3°F. About 46.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 24.6 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 120 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Salem since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 5, 1952 about 0.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 18, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 30, 1999.
Severe weather in York County since 1996
York County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4618: Remnants Of Hurricane Ida |
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2016 | Snowstorm | DR-4267: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| February 6, 2014 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3367: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in York County
York County had 182,614 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,427 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in New Salem itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Towns near New Salem
- West Manchester, PA2.9 mi · 19,206 people · home $239,000
- North Codorus, PA3.0 mi · 9,152 people · home $289,800
- West York, PA3.8 mi · 5,094 people · home $123,600
- Grantley, PA4.1 mi · 4,524 people · home $429,400
- Spring Grove, PA4.2 mi · 2,372 people · home $204,000
- Jackson, PA4.4 mi · 8,748 people · home $247,700
- Jacobus, PA4.4 mi · 1,830 people · home $274,000
- Spring Garden, PA4.5 mi · 13,683 people · home $258,700
New Salem questions
Is New Salem, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, New Salem scores better for retirees than 40% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 33%. 12.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.4).
How much does a house cost in New Salem?
The median owner-occupied home in New Salem is valued at $254,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $106,806, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $1,054 a month.
What is the weather like in New Salem?
July highs average 87.7°F and January lows 21.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.5 inches of precipitation a year and 24.6 inches of snow.
Does New Salem get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Salem since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 5, 1952. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)