Salem

Population: 44,241
Median household income: $85,137
Median home value: $497,400

Salem, a community in Essex County, Massachusetts, has 44,241 residents. The median household income of $85,137 is below the Essex County median ($99,431).

From 2019 to 2023, Salem's population grew 2.3% from 43,252 to 44,241, while its median home value rose 35.5% from $367,200 to $497,400.

49.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Owners occupy 51.4% of the area's occupied homes.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 44,241
Median age: 38.5 yrs
Median household income: $85,137
Median home value: $497,400
Median gross rent: $1,800
Housing units: 21,000
Homeownership rate: 51.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 49.6%
Unemployment rate: 5.2%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

43,25244,241

Median household income

$68,808$85,137

Median home value

$367,200$497,400

Median gross rent

$1,289$1,800

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	43,252	$68,808	$367,200	$1,289
2020	43,350	$66,428	$379,400	$1,325
2021	44,452	$72,884	$396,700	$1,493
2022	44,541	$79,196	$464,200	$1,678
2023	44,241	$85,137	$497,400	$1,800

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 53.8%

5 to 1711.8%

18 to 2412.0%

25 to 3417.8%

35 to 4413.6%

45 to 5411.1%

55 to 6413.5%

65 to 7410.1%

75 and over6.3%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,691	3.8%
5 to 17	5,230	11.8%
18 to 24	5,295	12.0%
25 to 34	7,862	17.8%
35 to 44	6,018	13.6%
45 to 54	4,901	11.1%
55 to 64	5,957	13.5%
65 to 74	4,486	10.1%
75 and over	2,801	6.3%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	29,927	67.6%
Black or African American	2,235	5.1%
American Indian & Alaska Native	48	0.1%
Asian	1,444	3.3%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	31	0.1%
Some other race	483	1.1%
Two or more races	1,476	3.3%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	8,597	19.4%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma8.1%

High school graduate20.6%

Some college or associate's21.7%

Bachelor's degree28.9%

Graduate or professional degree20.7%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	2,602	8.1%
High school graduate	6,597	20.6%
Some college or associate's	6,940	21.7%
Bachelor's degree	9,256	28.9%
Graduate or professional degree	6,630	20.7%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 30 min

Drove alone57.6%

Carpooled5.6%

Public transit6.3%

Walked6.2%

Bicycle0.8%

Worked from home19.4%

Other means4.0%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	14,566	57.6%
Carpooled	1,425	5.6%
Public transit	1,581	6.3%
Walked	1,578	6.2%
Bicycle	206	0.8%
Worked from home	4,914	19.4%
Other means	1,017	4.0%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	5,007	24.6%
15 to 29 min	7,036	34.5%
30 to 44 min	3,405	16.7%
45 to 59 min	1,485	7.3%
60+ min	3,440	16.9%

Households

Average household size: 2.16
Poverty rate: 13.7% (5,870 of 42,894)

	Count	Share
Family households	10,465	52.9%
Nonfamily households	9,324	47.1%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1938

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	19,789	94.2%
Vacant	1,211	5.8%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	10,163	51.4%
Renter-occupied	9,626	48.6%

1-unit, detached25.3%

1-unit, attached6.6%

2 to 4 units37.4%

5 to 19 units14.1%

20 or more units16.5%

Mobile home & other0.1%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	5,316	25.3%
1-unit, attached	1,390	6.6%
2 to 4 units	7,845	37.4%
5 to 19 units	2,959	14.1%
20 or more units	3,471	16.5%
Mobile home & other	19	0.1%

Geography

Place GEOID: 2559105
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 8.29 sq mi
Water area: 10 sq mi
Center point: 42.4992, -70.8982