Should I Move To
Salem, Massachusetts is home to about 44,541 people. On cost of living, it lands in the expensive band — 25% above the national average. The median renter pays around $1,678 a month against a typical household income of $79,196. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 59 out of 100 (grade C), putting it at #176 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Salem's composite cost-of-living index lands at 125 (100 = US average), which puts it in the expensive band. At $1,678/mo against $79,196 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 25% of income on housing — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Median home value sits around $464,200.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is four-season — summer averages around 80°F, winter averages around 26°F. Precipitation totals about 44 inches a year. Walkability varies a lot by neighborhood — denser pockets work fine on foot, the rest leans on driving. AQI runs about 34 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Salem doesn't obviously fit families. The profile-weighted score is 54/100 — a C-. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (91/100); the soft spot is affordability (23/100).
Salem doesn't obviously fit retirees. The profile-weighted score is 53/100 — a C-. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (91/100); the soft spot is affordability (23/100).
Salem doesn't obviously fit remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 51/100 — a C-. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (91/100); the soft spot is affordability (23/100).
Salem doesn't obviously fit young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 52/100 — a C-. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (91/100); the soft spot is affordability (23/100).
Our overall score for Salem is 59/100 — a C, sitting at #176 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Salem sits at 125 — expensive, 25% above the national average. Median renter pays around $1,678 a month.
Salem runs four-season on the weather. Summer's near 80°F, winter's near 26°F; 44 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 68/100. Walkability varies a lot by neighborhood — denser pockets work fine on foot, the rest leans on driving.
Roughly 44,541 people live here, with 48% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 38.
Drop Salem into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Salem with other Massachusetts cities scored on UrbRank.
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