Salem, Indiana
Salem is a city of 6,489 people in Washington County, Indiana, founded in 1814.
Why visit Salem
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 8 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Blue River Friends Hicksite Meeting House and Cemetery and John Hay Center.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 24°F.
Weather in Salem
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Salem
Salem is a city in and the county seat of Washington Township, Washington County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of the 2020 census, Salem had a population of 6,371.
From the Wikipedia article Salem, Indiana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks6
Blue River Friends Hicksite Meeting House and Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
United States historic place
John Hay Center
Museum · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Indiana, United States
Salem Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Indiana, USA
Washington County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Courthouse in Indiana
Washington County Jail and Sheriff's Residence
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Listed on the NRHP in Indiana
Salem Boxcar
Monument and historic site
Boxcar; dedicated as part of opening of Monon South Trail in Salem, Indiana
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes8
Burger King
Fast food · Burger · 1.0 mi
1601 East Hackberry Street, Salam
Mo-Sa 06:00-22:00; Su 07:00-22:00
DQ Grill & Chill
Fast food · Ice Cream, Burger, Chicken · 0.4 mi
604 South Main Street, Salem
Mo-Th 06:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-24:00; Su 07:00-22:00
Papa John's
Fast food · Pizza · 0.4 mi
400 North Main Street, Salem
Mo-Th 09:30-24:00; Fr-Sa 09:30-01:00; Su 11:00-24:00
History
Salem was laid out and platted in 1814. It was named for Salem, North Carolina, the hometown of one of the city founders.
From the History section of Salem, Indiana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Cobblestone Hotel & Suites - Salem
Motel and hotel · 0.7 mi
1015 East Hackberry Street, Salem
Churches and places of worship3
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries3
Healthcare1
Map of Salem
29 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 24°F | 3.5 in | 4.9 in |
| Feb | 46°F | 26°F | 3.2 in | 4.1 in |
| Mar | 56°F | 34°F | 4.8 in | 2.2 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 43°F | 4.8 in | 0.3 in |
| May | 76°F | 53°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 62°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 65°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 63°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 81°F | 56°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 45°F | 3.0 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 35°F | 3.6 in | 0.2 in |
| Dec | 44°F | 28°F | 4.0 in | 2.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Salem Hcn (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Washington County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-08-15: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-07-22: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-04-03: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2012-03-09: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Freeman Municipal Airport (SER) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 24 miles away.
- New Pekin 8 mi southeast, about 13 min by car
- Greenville 17 mi south, about 28 min by car
- Austin 18 mi northeast, about 29 min by car
- Brownstown 19 mi north, about 31 min by car
- Galena 19 mi southeast, about 31 min by car
- Orleans 20 mi west, about 31 min by car
- Paoli 20 mi west, about 33 min by car
- Sellersburg 22 mi southeast, about 36 min by car
- Floyds Knobs 22 mi southeast, about 35 min by car
- New Albany 25 mi southeast, about 40 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Washington County Courthouse - Salem, IN, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Washington County Jail and Sheriff's Residence, Nyttend, Public domain
- Hay-Morrison House from southwest, Nyttend, Public domain
- Washington County Courthouse, Salem, Nyttend, Public domain
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