Salem, North Carolina
Salem is a community of 2,377 people in Burke County, North Carolina.
Why visit Salem
Townapedia lists 24 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 29 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Alphonse Calhoun Avery House and Avery Avenue Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 28°F.
Weather in Salem
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Salem
Salem is a census-designated place (CDP) in Burke County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Salem had a population of 2,356. It is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article Salem, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks24
Alphonse Calhoun Avery House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Photograph of Calhon Avery House
Avery Avenue Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Historic district in North Carolina, United States
Avery Avenue School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Historic school building in North Carolina, United States
Broughton Hospital
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Hospital in North Carolina, United States
Burke County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Courthouse in North Carolina, United States
Creekside
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Dr. Joseph Bennett Riddle House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Dunavant Cotton Manufacturing Company
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic cotton mill in Morganton, North Carolina, active 1888-1949
Franklin Pierce Tate House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Gaither House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Historic house in Morganton, North Carolina, United States
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Garrou-Morganton Full-Fashioned Hosiery Mills
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Textile factory in Morganton, United States of America
Jonesboro Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Burke County, North Carolina
12 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes29
Village Inn Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.5 mi
1016 Burkemont Avenue, Morganton
11:00-22:00
Alllison's
Diner · American · 1.6 mi
1010 Burkemont Avenue, Morganton
Buffalo Wild Wings
Restaurant · Wings · 2.0 mi
635 West Fleming Drive, Morganton
Tokyo Diner Japanese Restaurant
Restaurant · Japanese · 1.1 mi
1223 Burkemont Avenue, Morganton
Zeko's Village
Restaurant · Italian · 1.0 mi
1243 Burkemont Avenue, Morganton
Butch's Barbeque & Breakfast
Restaurant · 1.2 mi
1234 Burkemont Avenue, Morganton
China King Buffet
Restaurant · Chinese · 1.9 mi
A114 Morganton Heights Boulevard, Morganton
Dilishi Frozen Yougart
Restaurant · Ice Cream · 1.9 mi
A110 Morganton Heights Boulevard, Morganton
El Portal Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.9 mi
A136 Morganton Heights Boulevard, Morganton
17 more on the map.
Where to stay2
History
Gilboa Methodist Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
From the History section of Salem, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship10
Gaston Chapel
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Gilboa Methodist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Shopping10
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries21
Healthcare1
UNC Health Blue Ridge Urgent Care - Morganton
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.1 mi
695 West Fleming Drive, Morganton
Map of Salem
105 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 28°F | 4.3 in | 1.0 in |
| Feb | 53°F | 30°F | 3.7 in | 0.3 in |
| Mar | 61°F | 37°F | 4.4 in | 1.6 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 45°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 78°F | 54°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 62°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 66°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 65°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 58°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 71°F | 46°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 61°F | 35°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 52°F | 30°F | 4.7 in | 1.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Morganton Hcn (3 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
Burke County has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-28: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2021-03-03: Tropical Storm Eta (Severe Storm)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Foothills Regional Airport (MRN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 10 miles away.
- Morganton 3 mi north, about 5 min by car
- Glen Alpine 5 mi northwest, about 8 min by car
- Drexel 6 mi northeast, about 10 min by car
- Valdese 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
- Rutherford College 10 mi east, about 17 min by car
- Connelly Springs 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
- Nebo 12 mi west, about 20 min by car
- Gamewell 13 mi northeast, about 20 min by car
- Cajah's Mountain 14 mi northeast, about 22 min by car
- Icard 14 mi east, about 22 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
- Creekside Mansion, Morganton, cropped, Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- Garrou-Morganton Full-Fashioned Hosiery Mills, Morganton, NC, Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Valdese Avenue, Morganton, NC (49010214561), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- North Carolina School For The Deaf - Main Building - Morganton, NC, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Doctor Joseph Bennett Riddle House, Morganton, NC, Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gaston Chapel AME Church, Morganton, NC, Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gaither House, Morganton, NC, Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Alphonse Calhoun Avery House, Morganton, NC (49010224196), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- Dale's USB Market, G Keith Hall, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Franklin Pierce Tate House, Morganton, NC, Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Historic Burke County Courthouse - Morganton, NC, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Avery-Ave-School, PLHicks, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Southern Railway Freight Station, rossograph, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tate-house, PLHicks, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mountain View, Morganton, NC, Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Burke County Courthouse (North Carolina), Frances Benjamin Johnston, Public domain
- Grace Episcopal Church, Morganton, NC (49009715563), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- ISS044-E-27646 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Magnolia Place, Morganton, NC (49009675188), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- Magnolia Place, Morganton, NC (49009675573), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- Magnolia Place, Morganton, NC (49009674828), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- Magnolia Place, Morganton, NC (49010207661), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- Magnolia Place, Morganton, NC, Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Magnolia Place, Morganton, NC (49010412632), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- Magnolia Place, Morganton, NC (49010524007), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- Magnolia Place, Morganton, NC (49010412867), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- Magnolia Place, Morganton, NC (49010412262), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- Gilboa Methodist Church, Upstateherd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Daniel Laird Memorial (32603920997), Region 5 Photography, Public domain
- Rhondthaler Hall, North Carolina School for The Deaf, Morganton, NC (49021736957), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- Service Building, North Carolina School for The Deaf, Morganton, NC (49021534516), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- Hoffmeyer Hall, North Carolina School for The Deaf, Morganton, NC (49021012253), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
- Rhondthaler Hall, North Carolina School for The Deaf, Morganton, NC (49021012118), Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0
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