City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Barnstable Town | Salem | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,711/mo | $1,224/mo | 39.8% higher in A |
| Median home value | $498,700 | $349,500 | 42.7% higher in A |
| Median household income | $94,387 | $67,540 | 39.7% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 98.2 | 104.9 | 6.4% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 140.7 | 110.8 | 27.0% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 99.6 | 101.6 | 1.9% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 102.2 | 101.4 | 0.8% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Barnstable Town, you'd need $99,924 in Salem to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Barnstable Town and Salem have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. Housing costs are roughly 3% lower in Barnstable Town than in Salem. If you earn $80,000 in Barnstable Town, you'd need about $79,939 in Salem to keep the same standard of living.