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CITY

Salem

Massachusetts · 45,381 residents (2025 est.) · 8.294 sq mi
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The short version

Salem has roughly average household income, with a median household income of $85,153. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 48% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $542,800.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.3
US median: 38.9
More educated
48% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 58%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
44,795
+11%since 2000
from 40,407 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
5,401 / sq mi
+8%since 2009
from 5,009 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
39.3
+8%since 2000
from 36.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:45,381 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
37K39K41K43K45K1990201020202024Salem
202445K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54%(1,806)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.5%(2,017)
US avg: 6%
10 to 144.8%(2,171)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.7%(2,555)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.1%(3,200)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3417.3%(7,741)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4414.2%(6,349)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.5%(5,138)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.6%(6,097)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.3%(4,621)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.1%(2,282)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(818)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$85,153
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $44,033 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$50,339
+111%since 2000
from $23,857 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
55.3%
+18.4 ptssince 2009
from 36.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.1%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 9.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.452
+4%since 2010
from 0.436 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade7.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services5.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5%
US avg: 5.1%
Wholesale trade4.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Public administration4%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food2.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$542,800
+58%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $188,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,836
+43%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $705 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
49.7%
+0.6 ptssince 2000
from 49.1% in 2000
50.3% rent
Vacancy rate
5.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
32.6%
−6.6 ptssince 2009
from 39.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
52.1%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
6.4
+5%since 2009
from 6.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
58
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Salem on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic82.4%(33,277)
Black2.4%(966)
Hispanic / Latino11.2%(4,541)
Asian2%(797)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic66.4%(29,764)
Black4.6%(2,050)
Hispanic / Latino20.7%(9,292)
Asian3.4%(1,502)
Other4.9%(2,187)
Diversity Score
64
+42%since 2009
from 45 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Dominican11.8%(5,291)
Puerto Rican4.1%(1,845)
Salvadoran0.8%(339)
Colombian0.6%(263)
Guatemalan0.5%(224)
Mexican0.5%(211)
Peruvian0.3%(142)
Honduran0.3%(137)
Venezuelan0.1%(66)
Cuban0.1%(64)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Paraguayan0.1%(63)
Costa Rican0.1%(44)
Spaniard0.1%(38)
Chilean0.1%(27)
Argentine0%(19)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.7%(306)
Bangladeshi0.7%(293)
Filipino0.6%(256)
Chinese0.5%(238)
Korean0.3%(119)
Thai0.2%(89)
Cambodian0.1%(60)
Japanese0.1%(50)
Vietnamese0.1%(38)
Pakistani0.1%(23)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
Irish21.9%(9,820)
Italian12.6%(5,658)
English9%(4,034)
German5.3%(2,360)
Polish4.4%(1,967)
French4.1%(1,845)
French Canadian3.6%(1,614)
Portuguese3.3%(1,469)
Scottish2.5%(1,122)
American1.9%(840)
Greek1.5%(679)
+ 39 more ancestry groups with data
Brazilian0.9%(386)
Swedish0.8%(362)
West Indian0.8%(347)
Norwegian0.7%(333)
Arab0.7%(311)
Russian0.7%(297)
Cape Verdean0.6%(277)
Ukrainian0.6%(270)
Canadian0.6%(265)
Lithuanian0.5%(229)
Welsh0.5%(226)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(202)
Haitian0.4%(196)
Dutch0.4%(187)
Danish0.4%(184)
Romanian0.3%(145)
British0.3%(134)
Iraqi0.3%(130)
Swiss0.3%(117)
Jamaican0.2%(108)
Armenian0.2%(84)
Nigerian0.2%(77)
Finnish0.2%(72)
Hungarian0.1%(61)
Czech0.1%(45)
Austrian0.1%(43)
Iranian0.1%(43)
Slovak0.1%(36)
Turkish0.1%(36)
Moroccan0.1%(33)
Belgian0%(14)
Croatian0%(11)
Syrian0%(10)
Barbadian0%(10)
Slovene0%(7)
RANKED:Largest Irish population · Largest Italian population · Largest Dominican population · Largest English population · Largest German population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
47.8%
+16.6 ptssince 2000
from 31.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
91.9%
+6.6 ptssince 2000
from 85.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
20.5%
+10.3 ptssince 2000
from 10.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
28.5 min
+38%since 2000
from 20.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
55.9%
−14.2 ptssince 2009
from 70.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
5.9%
−3.5 ptssince 2009
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
5.3%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
21.6%
+18.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
6.6%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.7%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
14.7%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.1%
−5.1 ptssince 2011
from 10.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
70.2%
−1.4 ptssince 2011
from 71.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
13.5%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
50.0%
−19.3 ptssince 2009
from 69.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
45.5%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 46.5% in 2009
Female
54.5%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 53.5% in 2009
Foreign born
16.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 16.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.6%
−41.8 ptssince 2009
from 45.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.6%
−1.0 ptssince 2012
from 12.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
3.1%
−92.3 ptssince 2013
from 95.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.4%
+7.4 ptssince 2017
from 83.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
76.2%
−1.1 ptssince 2016
from 77.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
13.7%
+0.4 ptssince 2016
from 13.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married44.2%(7,520)
Married44.4%(7,552)
Widowed1.8%(312)
Divorced9.6%(1,627)
Women 15+
Never married46.1%(10,037)
Married35.5%(7,727)
Widowed6.1%(1,331)
Divorced12.4%(2,695)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Compare Salem to nearby cities

SALEM VS
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Home value$771,100+42%
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SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SALEM VS
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Home value$943,900+74%
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SALEM VS
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SALEM VS
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Home value$596,200+10%
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Salem, Massachusetts?

Salem, Massachusetts has about 44,795 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Salem, Massachusetts?

The typical household in Salem, Massachusetts earns about $85,153 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Salem, Massachusetts expensive?

In Salem, Massachusetts, the median home is worth about $542,800, and the typical rent is about $1,836 a month.

How educated are people in Salem, Massachusetts?

About 47.8% of adults age 25 and over in Salem, Massachusetts hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Salem, Massachusetts?

About 12.1% of people in Salem, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.

Has Salem, Massachusetts grown since 1990?

Yes, Salem, Massachusetts has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,704 residents, a change of about 18 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →