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Salem, MA

Full City Profile · Massachusetts · Essex County County

3.4 /5.0
B Good
44,241 Population 5,337/sq mi density
$85,137 Median Income $49,734 per capita
$497,400 Home Value $597,459 Zillow
$1,800 Median Rent 32.1% income on rent
51°F Avg Temperature 259 sunny days/yr
249 Violent Crime/100K 1,673 property/100K
B
Overall
3.4 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.1 / 5.0
$85,137 median income, 3.7% unemployment
B
Affordability
3.4 / 5.0
$497,400 home value, $1,800/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
249 violent crimes/100K
A+
Education
5.0 / 5.0
49.6% bachelor's degree or higher

Salem, MA

At a Glance

Median Income
$85,137
13% above
$49,734 per capita
Home Value
$497,400
76% above
Zillow: $597,459
Median Rent
$1,800/mo
55% above
32.1% of income on rent
Violent Crime
249/100K
35% below
1,673/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
49.6%
47% above
91.9% high school+
Unemployment
3.7%
3% above
11.6% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
30.1%
6% below
11.4% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
51°F
259 sunny days/yr

How Salem Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Salem's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
113%
Home Value
176%
Rent
155%
Poverty
94%
Bachelor's
147%
Unemployment
103%
Crime
65%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Salem a Good Place to Live?

B
3.4 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Salem residents earn a median household income of $85,137 , which is 13% above the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $49,734. The unemployment rate stands at 3.7% (3% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 11.6% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 28,628 business establishments, including 1,878 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Salem is $497,400 , 76% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $597,459. Median rent is $1,800/month, with 32.1% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 105.8 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1940.

Safety & Crime

Salem reports 249 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 35% below the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 1,673/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

49.6% of adults in Salem hold a bachelor's degree or higher (47% above the national average). 91.9% have completed high school. Local schools score 6.5/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Salem has an average annual temperature of 51°F (11°C). Winters average 30°F in January while summers reach 73°F in July. The area gets 259 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 52.3 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 37.

Data Overview

People

Population44,241
Median Age38.5 yrs
Density5,337/mi²
Male / Female45% / 55%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans3.6%

Economy

A
Median Income$85,137
Per Capita$49,734
Unemployment3.7%
Poverty11.6%
County GDP$60,733M
Avg Weekly Wage$1,453

Housing

B
Home Value$497,400
Rent$1,800
Ownership51.4%
Zillow$597,459
Housing Units21,086
Rent Burden32.1%

Crime

F
Violent249/100K
Property1,673/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault168/100K
Burglary200/100K

Health

Obesity30.1%
Diabetes8.6%
Smoking11.4%
Heart Disease5.0%
Premature Death5,853/100K

Climate

Avg Temp51°F
Sunny Days259/yr
Rain52.3 in/yr
AQI37 (Good)
Elevation26 ft

Education

A+
Bachelor's+49.6%
High School+91.9%
Graduate+19.7%
School Score6.5/10

Community

2024 VoteR 39% / D 59%
Commute30 min
Broadband90.7%
Internet Speed201 Mbps
EV Stations41
Libraries38

Did You Know?

Salem was founded in 1626.
The median home in Salem was built in 1940.
19.4% work from home.
The nearest airport is Beverly Regional (6 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.483 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively High" by FEMA.
11.8% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 201 Mbps.
There are 1,878 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 30 fatal vehicle crashes.