City comparison
Salem, MA is about 90 miles (150 km) from Springfield, MA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 100 miles, or about 1 h 45 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Salem, MA to Springfield, MA takes about 11 min, covering roughly 90 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Springfield has a population of 155,305, vs 44,541 in Salem — about 3.5× larger by population. By land area, Springfield covers about 32 sq mi vs 8.3 sq mi for Salem.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
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 | Salem | Springfield | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,678/mo | $1,047/mo | 60.3% higher in Salem |
| Median home value | $464,200 | $198,500 | 133.9% higher in Salem |
| Median household income | $79,196 | $47,677 | 66.1% higher in Salem |
| Groceries index | 99.8 | 97.4 | 2.5% higher in Salem |
| Utilities index | 144.3 | 150.0 | 3.9% higher in Springfield |
| Transportation index | 102.9 | 100.7 | 2.2% higher in Salem |
| Healthcare index | 103.7 | 101.5 | 2.2% higher in Salem |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Salem, you'd need $75,599 in Springfield to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Springfield, MA is about 24.4% cheaper overall than Salem, MA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 92% higher in Salem than in Springfield. If you earn $80,000 in Salem, you'd need about $60,479 in Springfield to keep the same standard of living.