Retirement Communities in Salem, Oregon

CaringScore for Salem, OR

CaringScore was designed to help millions of Americans find the best places to retire, age in place, or receive eldercare. The CaringScore for retirement communities in Salem was based on more than 50 factors in three key categories: health, cost, and livability. By compiling and analyzing this data, Caring.com is able to rate the quality of life you or a loved one might expect should you choose retirement communities in Salem.

A CaringScore can range from 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and provides a quick way to compare cities, counties, and even specific zip codes. With a CaringScore of 5, Salem is on par with the national average for those seeking retirement communities.

The charts below highlight a few of the factors we used to calculate the CaringScore for Salem. Choose a category score to learn more.

Physicians Per Capita

Cost of Healthcare Index

Sunny Days Per Year

HealthScore for Salem, OR

HealthScore, a component of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Salem, rates a region on a scale of 1 (less healthful) to 10 (more healthful). It's specifically tailored to anyone looking for retirement communities. The HealthScore for Salem is based on the availability of healthcare resources, air and water quality, the overall health of the local population, and other key factors. With a HealthScore of 6.2, Salem rates above average for those seeking retirement communities.

Easy access to physicians -- especially geriatricians and other key specialists -- is important to older adults. At just 180.6 physicians per capita, Salem trails the national average by 18.1 percent. Salem trails the national average in geriatricians per capita by 53.8 percent, with 0.6, and scores 31.8 percent below the national average in specialists per capita, with 13.3. These medical specialists include cardiologists, oncologists, and orthopedists. The average life expectancy from birth in Salem is 78.2 years -- on par with the rest of the country. Air quality in Salem -- one factor in gauging the healthfulness of a region -- is 13.3 percent below average, and water quality -- another key measure of Salem's environmental health -- is 9.1 percent above average.

Doctors Per Capita	Salem, OR	Nat'l Avg
Physicians	180.6	220.5
Geriatricians	0.6	1.3
Cardiologists	3.4	7.7
Oncologists	1.6	3.5
Orthopedists	7.8	7

Average Life Expectancy

CostScore for Salem, OR

CostScore, part of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Salem, rates the cost of living for older adults on a scale of 1 (more expensive) to 10 (less expensive). It's specifically tailored to people looking for retirement communities. The CostScore for Salem is based on data such as the average monthly cost of retirement communities in the region, the cost of housing and healthcare, regional tax rates, and other key factors. With a CostScore of 4.3, the costs associated with retirement communities in Salem are generally more expensive than the national average.

Because of the broad range of housing, service, and healthcare options available at retirement communities, no average monthly cost data is available for Salem. The entry fee or purchase price for an independent living community can range from $50,000 to $500,000 or more, and typically requires an additional monthly service fee of $1,000 to $3,000 on average. The cost of living indices below provide the best proxy for comparing costs of retirement communities in Salem to the rest of the country. Overall, the cost of living for Salem is roughly equal to the national average. Average healthcare costs are 14.0 percent more expensive than the national average, and the cost of housing index is 110 of 10, which mirrors the rest of the country.

Cost of Living	Salem, OR
Aggregate Index	104
Healthcare Index	114
Housing Index	110
Food Index	93
Utilities Index	86
Transportation Index	114

Cost of Healthcare Index

LivabilityScore for Salem, OR

LivabilityScore makes up part of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Salem. On a scale of 1 (less livable) to 10 (more livable), it's a rating of the quality of life in a region, specifically tailored to those looking for retirement communities. The LivabilityScore for Salem is based on weather, crime rates, economic factors, average age of the population, and other key demographics. With a LivabilityScore of 4.1, Salem rates below average for retirement communities.

Weather is an important factor in choosing the best place for retirement communities. The sun shines an average of 154 days each year in Salem, 24.9 percent fewer sunny days than the rest of the U.S. sees. With an average temperature of 33°F in January, winters tend to be milder in Salem than in other parts of the country, and summers are often more temperate than other places, averaging 82°F in July.

Local crime rates are another important indicator. The violent crime rate index in Salem is 4 out of 10, which is about average, and the property crime rate is 50.0 percent higher than average. At $45,654 per year, the population of Salem earns a lower than average median household income. Salem has an unemployment rate of 10.60 percent, roughly 16.5 percent higher than the national average. And about 12.59 percent of the population in Salem is of retirement age -- 65 or older -- which matches the national average.

Sunny Days Per Year

Avg Temperature (°F)

Property Crime Index

Amenities Per Capita	Salem	Nat'l Avg
Parks	13	136.1
Libraries	2.2	18.8
Places of Worship	78.6	220.5
Public Transit	293.9	110.4
Grocery Stores	119.4	97.7
Pharmacies	13.6	13.8

Percent of Population Over Age 65