Population 30,829 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Salem
Household size in Salem
| Period | Salem | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.58 | 2.54 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.61 | 2.59 | 2.50 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.56 | 2.60 | 2.49 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.50 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Salem run a little small, averaging 2.50 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has edged down from 2.58 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Salem
| Period | Salem | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.9 | 38.9 | 40.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.6 | 39.7 | 42.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.1 | 40.4 | 43.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.2 | 40.8 | 44.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.4 | +1.9 | +3.5 | +2.3 |
Salem skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 42.9, mirroring the country.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Salem
| Period | Salem | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 10.4% | 9.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 9.6% | 8.9% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 9.7% | 8.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.9 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.0% of households in Salem, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Salem
Renters in Salem
| Period | Salem | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.4% | 36.8% | 27.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.8% | 38.5% | 29.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.0% | 38.3% | 28.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 24.5% | 38.4% | 27.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +1.6 pts | −0.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Salem is largely a place of homeowners: only 24.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About three in ten owners (30.8%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 3.0 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Salem
| Period | Salem | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 8.1% | 12.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 7.4% | 12.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 7.3% | 12.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 6.7% | 11.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Salem than nationally: 11.3%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 3.0 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Salem
| Period | Salem | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1958 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1959 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1961 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1964 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Salem was built around 1979, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the Boston area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1964. The median year built has moved up from 1972 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the southeast has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Salem
| Period | Salem | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,044 | $1,171 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,193 | $1,251 | $1,094 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,314 | $1,537 | $1,224 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,792 | $2,051 | $1,597 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$747 | +$881 | +$580 | +$606 |
The median renter in Salem pays $1,792 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the Boston area overall ($2,051). Rent has climbed $747 a month since 2006–10, up 72%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 32.1% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Salem
Bachelor's degrees in Salem
| Period | Salem | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.4% | 42.2% | 33.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.5% | 44.1% | 35.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.3% | 48.2% | 37.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 39.5% | 51.9% | 41.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.1 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Salem (39.5%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. Still, the share is lower than in the Boston area overall (51.9%). The share with a degree is up 10.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Salem
| Period | Salem | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.8% | 89.8% | 91.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.3% | 90.6% | 92.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.2% | 91.5% | 93.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.8% | 91.8% | 94.5% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +2.1 pts | +3.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Salem: 95.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Salem
| Period | Salem | Boston area | New Hampshire | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 7.0% | 5.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 8.0% | 6.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 4.6% | 3.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 4.9% | 3.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Salem has been low: just 2.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Salem compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem | 2.50 | 44.2 | 8.0% | 24.5% | 11.3% | 1979 | $1,792 | 39.5% | 95.8% | 2.9% |
| Methuen Town | 2.87 | 40.6 | 12.2% | 28.2% | 4.4% | 1967 | $2,014 | 31.6% | 88.5% | 5.7% |
| Windham | 3.06 | 41.7 | 7.7% | 6.2% | 4.9% | 1995 | $3,217 | 63.3% | 97.5% | 5.1% |
| Atkinson | 2.49 | 52.9 | 5.3% | 9.3% | 4.6% | 1981 | $1,195 | 42.8% | 95.9% | 4.8% |
| Lawrence | 2.93 | 33.6 | 26.2% | 71.7% | 3.0% | 1951 | $1,671 | 15.8% | 72.6% | 9.2% |
| Methuen | 2.56 | 35.3 | 7.6% | 46.7% | 4.3% | 2000 | $2,535 | 84.1% | 100.0% | 2.0% |
| Pelham | 2.91 | 40.4 | 9.1% | 13.2% | 3.1% | 1986 | $1,544 | 40.6% | 96.6% | 3.5% |
| Haverhill | 2.59 | 40.7 | 13.9% | 37.2% | 5.8% | 1961 | $1,643 | 32.1% | 90.2% | 5.9% |
| Hampstead | 2.57 | 48.7 | 6.8% | 15.6% | 6.5% | 1982 | $1,467 | 42.7% | 97.1% | 6.9% |
| Plaistow | 2.58 | 40.7 | 15.6% | 22.1% | 1.7% | 1977 | $1,654 | 35.8% | 95.2% | 4.3% |
| Derry | 2.71 | 40.6 | 11.7% | 30.2% | 9.7% | 1982 | $1,715 | 37.3% | 94.0% | 3.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Pataskala, OH · Mount Airy, MD · Mustang, OK · Newberg, OR · Newington, CT · North Royalton, OH · Oak Park, MI · Oak Ridge, FL · Okemos, MI · Parsippany, NJ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Salem. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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