Salem's standout: it is among the most walkable places in the country. Overall it grades C, ranked 234th of 282 in Massachusetts. Residents are healthier than 82% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and it has 27 miles of trail. Its weakest subject is cost of living: homes are expensive, about $604K for a typical one and 5.2 times the Boston metro’s $116K median household income. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 100% of U.S. towns, with 49 places on the National Register. Its National Register listings include Nathaniel Bowditch House and Peabody Museum of Salem. Salem’s trail density is 1.5 miles per square mile, below Massachusetts’ towns (1.8) but above U.S. towns (0.4). Salem is home to Salem State University.

StrongestA⁺History A⁺Walkability A⁺OutdoorsWeakestDCost of living DSchools

What makes Salem stand out

Where Salem beats most towns.

Nathaniel Bowditch House

HistoryA⁺

Settled in 1626

A history going back 400 years.

WalkabilityA⁺

More walkable than 99% of U.S. towns

12.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

Nathaniel Bowditch House · National Register of Historic Places

Salem’s story

400 years in pictures

Nathaniel Bowditch House is one of 8 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1626, comes before those of 96% of the Massachusetts towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 7,921 in 1790, 44,480 in 2020. The archive holds 11 old photos and papers going back to 1790 and 7 maps from 1888 on.

49 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1626Salem is settled

Explore the history →

How Salem grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Massachusetts), ordered by how far Salem is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 14.3 of 20; 14.7% of households have no carA⁺Open →Cost of livingDOpen →SchoolsDOpen →HealthNorth Shore Medical Center 1 miles awayA⁻Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 21% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA⁻Open →Jobs & income$85K median household incomeBOpen →SafetyB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors12% conserved landA⁺Open →History46 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life2.4 library visits per resident; 3.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market20 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.3–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Fenway Park and 156 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Salem. Close and well known come first.

All 230 attractions →

Big draw15 mi Stadium & arenaFenway Park

Big draw34 mi Stadium & arenaGillette Stadium

Big draw15 mi MuseumIsabella Stewart Gardner Museum

13 mi AttractionFreedom Trail

12 mi MuseumBunker Hill Monument

15 mi MuseumMuseum of Fine Arts Boston477K visitors a year

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Fenway Park: Gatorfan252525, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gillette Stadium: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: Sean Dungan, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Freedom Trail: Ingfbruno, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bunker Hill Monument: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Museum of Fine Arts Boston: Martin~jawiki at Japanese Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0

Getting set up

Moving to Salem: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Salem, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerNational Grid33.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterSalem Water DepartmentNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site

SchoolsSalem School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Massachusetts you can register online until 10 days before Election Day, in person until 10 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 10 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereSalem City ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025

ZIP code0197001970 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Salem.

Salem costs less than Peabody or any other town next door, is safe by national standards but not by Massachusetts’s and is healthy by national standards but mid-pack in Massachusetts.

SchoolsD

Salem’s public schools trail 88% of Massachusetts districts

Each of its 5 graded neighbors has a higher School Grade than its D, Marblehead highest at A−.

Its public schools are run by the Salem school district. Two of its 13 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

12%of MA districts it outscoresDSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Collins MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8	Grades 6–8	611	C⁻
Salem HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	952	B⁻

Full pageSalem’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsSalem Vs. the neighborsBehind its 5 graded neighbors Every school13 schools · Witchcraft Heights Questions“Are Salem’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within MA on state tests and graduation

HealthA⁻

Salem earns an A− for health

Within Massachusetts it is less healthy than 63% of the 279 graded towns: Massachusetts sets a high bar.

29% of Salem adults have high blood pressure, where Massachusetts’ towns sit at 32% and U.S. towns at 35%. Salem beats the Massachusetts average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 30% of Salem adults have obesity.

82%healthier than U.S. townsA⁻Health Grade

	Salem	Massachusetts towns	U.S. towns
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	29%	32%	35%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)	30%	28%	35%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	9.2%	9.3%	12%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)	22%	19%	25%

32 measures vs. Massachusetts

1 better31 too close to call0 worse

What stands out	Salem	MA
Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth	9.2%	11.9%

North Shore Medical Center

1 mi away · emergency room

None

primary care, dental or mental-health shortage

37th

percentile among MA towns

Full pageSalem’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore adults sleeping under 7 hours Hospitals & doctors nearby1 miles to an ER · North Shore Medical Center How adults are doingFewer lonely adults Every CDC estimateBetter than MA on 1 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A⁻

Salem faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

147 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 22 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 79% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 147 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Salem.

21risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingEarthquakesHurricanes

147

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageSalem’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims147 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters13 federal disasters · Paid out in Salem Get ready2.7 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

OutdoorsA⁺

11.8% of Salem is conserved land

The biggest place to walk is Salem Woods, 119 acres with 2.3 miles of trail.

#174for trails in MA

11.8%

conserved · 1,376 of 11,638 acres

27 mi

of trails · 1.5 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Misery Island Reservation	2.6 mi	72
2. Salem Woods	2.3 mi	119
3. Spring Pond Water Department Land	1.7 mi	75

Full pageSalem’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map27 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk2.6 miles of trail · Misery Island Reservation Conserved land11.8% conserved · 1,376 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Salem?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Climate

In Salem, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

Salem has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Salem is 81°F.

39″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter23–39°

Spring38–56°

Summer61–78°

Fall45–62°

Oct 20

typical first frost

Apr 25

typical last frost

+1.9°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageSalem’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 81°, January lows 20°Rain & snow39″ of snow a winter · 48 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.9° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B

Most of Salem’s workers commute out: the town has 0.8 jobs for each of them

Most working residents leave Salem for work: only 17% work in town. 22% of workers work from home in Salem. Jobs based in Salem fell to 17,304 in 2023, 1,105 fewer than in 2013.

17%work in town

	Salem	Massachusetts towns	U.S. towns
Work from home	22%	18%	11%
Working residents who work in town	17%	9.8%	8%
Below the poverty line	12%	6%	9.6%
Median household income	$85,000	$120,000	$80,000

Where working residents work

In Salem17%

Boston18%

Beverly6%

Danvers5%

Peabody5%

11 mi

median commute distance

17,304

jobs based in Salem

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

A+

Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns

Full pageSalem’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here17,304 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work17% work in Salem Commute times29 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 11 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Who lives here

More young adults than Massachusetts overall

Adults 18 to 34 are 28% of residents (24% statewide). Salem has grown 2% since 2020, to 45,381 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 48% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 47% across Massachusetts.

39.3median age · MA 40

	Salem	Massachusetts towns	U.S. towns
Under 18	16%	20%	22%
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	48%	47%	29%
Median age	39.3 years	43.4 years	40.5 years
Aged 65 or older	17%	19%	18%

SalemMassachusettsUnited States

MAU.S.

Ages · share of residents

17%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma8%

High school22%

Some college15%

Associate’s7%

Bachelor’s27%

Graduate21%

Women and men · all residents

55% women, 45% men

About 83 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.9 points). Across Massachusetts, 51.1% of residents are women. Median age: women 40.8, men 37.7.

Ages and education in Salem
	Salem	MA	U.S.
Under 10	8.5%	10.2%	11.6%
10 to 17	7.2%	9.2%	10.3%
18 to 24	10.5%	9.8%	9.1%
25 to 34	17.3%	14%	13.7%
35 to 44	14.2%	13%	13.2%
45 to 54	11.5%	12.3%	12.2%
55 to 64	13.6%	13.6%	12.7%
65 to 74	10.3%	10.5%	10.2%
75 and older	6.9%	7.4%	7%
No diploma	8.1%	8.6%	10.4%
High school	21.8%	22.6%	26%
Some college	14.9%	14.1%	19.1%
Associate’s	7.4%	7.5%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	27.3%	25.5%	21.6%
Graduate	20.5%	21.8%	14.1%

Full pageSalem by the numbersOpen the page

Ages39.3 median age · 17% are 65 or older Schooling48% have a four-year degree Homes50% own their home · Homeowners Income$85K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

HousingCost of living grade D

Salem earns a D for cost of living

Its typical home is the least expensive on its borders; Peabody is next at $691K.

Salem’s median rent is $1,836 a month. The typical Salem home is worth about $604,000, up 0.6% in a year, 8% below the Massachusetts typical home.

$604KZillow home value

	Salem	Massachusetts towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	50%	79%	73%
Median rent	$1,836 a month	$1,682 a month	$1,185 a month
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	55%	52%	48%

Typical home value

Salem$604K

Massachusetts$655K

Market temperature

days on market

100.7%

sale-to-list price

+0.6%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageSalem’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 0.6% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 7.1 years of income Rents$1,836 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 3 of its 5 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

SafetyB⁻

Salem reports more crime per resident than 54% of U.S. towns

At 20.1 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 76% of Massachusetts’s graded towns. Each of the 5 graded towns on its borders reports less crime per resident, from Danvers (B−) to Marblehead (A−).

46%of U.S. towns report more crimeB⁻Safety Grade

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Salem0.7

Massachusetts3

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Salem12.7

Massachusetts10.4

U.S.15.5

46th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

24th

percentile among MA towns

violent crimes reported in 2025

585

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageSalem’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type0.7 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsBehind its 5 graded neighbors Questions“Is Salem, MA safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Salem

20pages on Salem

The big questions

SchoolsDBehind 88% of MA districts · 13 schools SafetyB⁻0.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA⁻Better than MA on 1 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingD$604K typical home · up 0.6% in a year Work & commuteB$85K median household income · 17,304 jobs here Natural hazardsA⁻FEMA risk higher than 21% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁺27 mi of trails · 12% conserved land PlacesAttractions230 nearby · Peabody Essex Museum under 1 mi LibraryC⁺2.4 library visits per resident CollegesSalem State University, in town

The story

HistoryA⁺Settled 1626 · 49 on the National Register Famous people46 born in Salem Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 37 residents Climate81° summer highs · 39″ of snow

Day to day

News23 recent stories about Salem WeatherHandbookZIP code 01970, 01971 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

30 within 15 miles of the center of Salem

Salem State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · SalemIn town$12,338 in-state tuition Montserrat College of ArtUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Beverly3.7 mi$40,690 tuition North Shore Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Danvers7.2 mi$5,352 in-state tuition

About 8 of every 100 Salem residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Massachusetts.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

By the sea

Salem lives by the ocean

Coastal flooding makes up 10% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.

10%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding

98thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally

147paid flood-insurance claims since 1978

10storm & flood disasters paid out here

On the water

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap

Landmarks

49 places in Salem on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Nathaniel Bowditch HouseNational Historic Landmark

Peabody Museum of SalemBuilt 1915 · National Historic Landmark

John Ward HouseNational Historic Landmark

Peirce-Nichols HouseNational Historic Landmark

Famous people from Salem

46 notable people were born in Salem.

See all 46 →

Nathaniel HawthorneAmerican author · 1804–1864

Benjamin PeirceAmerican mathematician · 1809–1880

Timothy PickeringAmerican statesman · 1745–1829

William Hickling PrescottAmerican historian and Hispanist · 1796–1859

Mike FlanaganAmerican filmmaker · born 1978

Christopher CassidyAmerican astronaut · born 1970

About Salem

City in Massachusetts, United States

Official town website ↗

Salem (, SAY-ləm) is a historic coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, located on the North Shore of Greater Boston. Continuous settlement by Europeans began in 1626 with English colonists. Salem was one of the most significant seaports for trading commodities in early American history. Prior to the dissolution of county governments in Massachusetts in 1999, it served as one of two county seats for Essex County, alongside Lawrence. Today, Salem is a residential and tourist area that is home to the House of Seven Gables, Salem State University, Pioneer Village, the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, Salem Willows Park, and the Peabody Essex Museum. It features histor…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1626
Area: 18 sq mi
Elevation: 26 ft
ZIP code: 01970, 01971

Salem’s neighbors

5 towns share a border with Salem.

Explore the map →

All 5 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its C; Peabody (C+) is closest.

BeverlyMarbleheadPeabodyDanversSwampscottSalem

Beverly

NE · 6% of Salem workers commute here

Visit

Marblehead

E · 2% of Salem workers commute here

Visit

Peabody

NW · 5% of Salem workers commute here

Visit

Danvers

NW · 5% of Salem workers commute here

Visit

Swampscott

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	MA rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Salem	#234	C	D	B⁻	D	A⁻
Beverly	#106	A⁻	D	B⁺	B⁻	A
Marblehead	#40	A⁺	D	A⁻	A⁻	A⁺
Peabody	#221	C⁺	D	B⁻	C⁻	A⁻
Danvers	#144	B⁺	D	B⁻	B⁻	A
Swampscott	#110	A⁻	D⁻	B⁺	B	A

Compare Salem with a neighbor →

Questions about Salem

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Salem, MA a good place to live?

Salem grades C overall, better than 35% of U.S. towns and #234 of 282 in Massachusetts. It grades A− for health, B− for safety and D for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Salem, MA safe?

Massachusetts has less crime than most states, so among its own towns Salem sits nearer the middle.

What is Salem, MA known for?

46 notable people were born here, including Nathaniel Hawthorne and Benjamin Peirce.

Post to Salem

Check your email

SalemMA

Is Salem a good place to live?

What makes Salem stand out

400 years in pictures

How Salem grades

Fenway Park and 156 more within 40 miles

Moving to Salem: who provides what

The data

Salem’s public schools trail 88% of Massachusetts districts

Salem earns an A− for health

Salem faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

11.8% of Salem is conserved land

In Salem, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

Typical low → high °F

Most of Salem’s workers commute out: the town has 0.8 jobs for each of them

Where working residents work

More young adults than Massachusetts overall

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

Women and men · all residents

Salem earns a D for cost of living

Typical home value

Salem reports more crime per resident than 54% of U.S. towns

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Everything we know about Salem

Colleges nearby

Salem lives by the ocean

Landmarks

Famous people from Salem

About Salem

Salem’s neighbors

Questions about Salem