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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Salem

Massachusetts · 38,091 residents · 8.29 sq mi
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The short version

Salem is a city of 38,091 people in Massachusetts. 46% of homes are owner-occupied. Median home value sits at $161,900. Renters pay $608 a month at the median. 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Headcount has barely moved since 2000.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 33.4
US median: 33.0
More educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
38,091
−6%vs 2000
vs 40,407 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
33.4
−8%vs 2000
vs 36.4 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
8.29 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
37K39K41K43K45K19902000201020202024Salem
202445K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 56.5%(2,482)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 94.9%(1,874)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 144.6%(1,764)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 195.8%(2,222)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 249.8%(3,722)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3421.7%(8,253)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4414.3%(5,428)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 548.9%(3,392)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 648.3%(3,162)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 748.5%(3,223)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 845.4%(2,071)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.3%(498)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$32,645
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $44,033 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$16,155
−32%vs 2000
vs $23,857 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
11.7%
+2.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 9.7% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$161,900
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $188,300 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$608
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $705 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
46.0%
−3.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 49.1% in 2000
54.0% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic82.4%(33,277)
Black2.4%(966)
Hispanic / Latino11.2%(4,541)
Asian2%(797)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic93.1%(35,481)
Black2.7%(1,017)
Hispanic / Latino6.1%(2,330)
Asian1%(378)
Other3.2%(1,215)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

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)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
24.5%
−6.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 31.1% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
78.2%
−7.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 85.2% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
8.5%
−1.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 10.2% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.5 min
+4%vs 2000
vs 20.6 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
3.1%
−1.5 ptssince 2013
from 4.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
60.0%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 60.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.6%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 13.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
17.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 18.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
26.0%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 27.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
70.4%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 71.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
39.1%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 40.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)14.6%(199)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.9%(244)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era51.4%(701)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.7%(37)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.9%(26)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,364 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Salem to nearby cities

SALEM VS
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Home value$771,100+376%
Population15,277−66%
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SALEM VS
Marblehead
Income$182,132+458%
Home value$943,900+483%
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SALEM VS
Lynn
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Home value$510,100+215%
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SALEM VS
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Home value$596,200+268%
Population55,953+23%
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Salem, Massachusetts?

Salem, Massachusetts has about 38,091 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Salem, Massachusetts?

The typical household in Salem, Massachusetts earns about $32,645 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 $161,900, and the typical rent is about $608 a month.

How educated are people in Salem, Massachusetts?

About 24.5% 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 11.7% of people in Salem, Massachusetts live below the federal poverty line.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →