County · code 34033
Salem CountyNew Jersey
Salem County is a county in southwestern New Jersey, with its seat in Salem, formed in 1694.
- Founded1694
- County seatSalem
- Land area332 sq mi + 41 sq mi water
- Population64,837 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped32,597 checked 15 October 2026
Where it is
Salem on the map of New Jersey
New Jersey has 21 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Founded in 1694
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
In 1681, West New Jersey established the court of Salem to cover the southwestern quarter of the colony with indefinite boundaries. The court was converted to Salem County in 1694 with still-incomplete boundaries, which were not fully defined and clarified until 1710. In 1748, Salem lost territory to the creation of Cumberland County, and boundary adjustments continued through the 19th century.
- 1681Salem County created In 1681, West New Jersey created from Non-County Area (West) the county-like court of Salem to cover the southwestern quarter of the colony but did not provide definite limits. Together, the unbounded courts of Salem and Burlington covered the southern half of the colony, which area is mapped here as a single polygon under the name Indefinite Counties Area. The boundary between Non-County Area (West) and the Indefinite Counties Area is estimated to run along Assunpink Creek, where the line between Burlington and the non-county area would be formalized in 1694. · Snyder, 12
- 1686Salem County created West New Jersey created the county-like court of Gloucester between Salem and Burlington courts within the Indefinite Counties Area; limits of Gloucester also were not defined completely and clearly. · Snyder, 12
- 1702Became part of New Jersey Proprietors of East and West New Jersey surrendered to Queen Anne their rights to govern their colonies, and the two colonies were united into the single royal province of New Jersey. Salem became a county in the royal province of New Jersey; boundaries were unchanged. · Pomfret, Colonial New Jersey, 87; Snyder, 13; Swindler, 6:439-445, Van Zandt, 79
- 1710Gained territory 21 January 1709/1710. Salem gained from Cape May. Salem's redefined boundaries were complete and Clear. The Indefinite Counties Area was eliminated.from Cape May.from Clear· Paterson, 2-4; Snyder, 30-32
- 1748Lost territory 19 January 1747/1748. Salem lost to creation of Cumberland. · McMahon, 163; Paterson, 13-14; Snyder, 32
Show all 12 changes
- 1681Salem County created In 1681, West New Jersey created from Non-County Area (West) the county-like court of Salem to cover the southwestern quarter of the colony but did not provide definite limits. Together, the unbounded courts of Salem and Burlington covered the southern half of the colony, which area is mapped here as a single polygon under the name Indefinite Counties Area. The boundary between Non-County Area (West) and the Indefinite Counties Area is estimated to run along Assunpink Creek, where the line between Burlington and the non-county area would be formalized in 1694. · Snyder, 12
- 1686Salem County created West New Jersey created the county-like court of Gloucester between Salem and Burlington courts within the Indefinite Counties Area; limits of Gloucester also were not defined completely and clearly. · Snyder, 12
- 1694Changed West New Jersey converted the court of Salem to Salem County; boundaries of Salem remained incomplete and unmappable. · Snyder, 29-31
- 1700Gained territory Within the Indefinite Counties Area of West New Jersey, Salem gained non-county territory west of Cape May; boundaries of Salem remained incomplete and unmappable. · Leaming and Spicer, 574; Snyder, 30
- 1702Became part of New Jersey Proprietors of East and West New Jersey surrendered to Queen Anne their rights to govern their colonies, and the two colonies were united into the single royal province of New Jersey. Salem became a county in the royal province of New Jersey; boundaries were unchanged. · Pomfret, Colonial New Jersey, 87; Snyder, 13; Swindler, 6:439-445, Van Zandt, 79
- 1710Gained territory 21 January 1709/1710. Salem gained from Cape May. Salem's redefined boundaries were complete and Clear. The Indefinite Counties Area was eliminated.from Cape May.from Clear· Paterson, 2-4; Snyder, 30-32
- 1748Lost territory 19 January 1747/1748. Salem lost to creation of Cumberland. · McMahon, 163; Paterson, 13-14; Snyder, 32
- 1763Boundary clarified Boundary between Salem and Cumberland redefined (no change).with Cumberlandno change· Paterson, 17; Snyder, 34
- 1822Changed Salem's jurisdiction was extended to the main ship channel of the Delaware River, thereby asserting New Jersey's claim to the eastern half of the river. · N.J. Acts 1822, p. 35; Snyder, 34-36
- 1846Boundary clarified Salem, Cape May, and Cumberland boundaries in Delaware Bay redefined. · N.J. Rev. Stat. 1877, p. 203; Snyder, 38-40
- 1867
- 1868
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Salem
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 32,597 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 15 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 29,712 in all from NJOGIS.
edited 23 September 2026 · checked 14 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Salem by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Zoning and code
County government
- County government
The official website of Salem County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Salem County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Salem County
- When was Salem County founded?
- Salem County was founded in 1694.
- What is the county seat of Salem County?
- The county seat of Salem County is Salem.
- Is there an online parcel map for Salem County?
- Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 32,597 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Salem County's boundary or name changed?
- Salem County was created in 1681. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 9 later changes, chiefly involving Cumberland County, Cape May County and Cape May. County.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Salem County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby