What it's like to live in Salem
Salem is a small city in Massachusetts with crime rates well below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, a highly educated workforce, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Salem deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 39" per year
How Salem compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Salem
Based on Salem's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,672
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $73,440 a year
- 52% of Salem renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$108,560
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $54,280
- Homes cost 6.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 30% above US
$1,836/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,836 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $542,800. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $542,800 · 52% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.5%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 79% below US
69 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1276/100k · Salem Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.5 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 5% take public transit; 22% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 78°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 21°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 5.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 33% above US
48% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 48% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
12 public schools inside the boundary
There are 12 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Salem Maritime National Historical Park (2 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Salem's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,836/mo) equals 26% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (22% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
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