Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, home to about 44,795 people across 8.3 square miles. Its ZIP code is 01970.
Homes sold for a median of $418 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Salem. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Salem’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)12 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Boston, MA14 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | New York, NY202 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Salem; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Salem had 44,480 residents in the 2020 census, up 10% since 2000.
It’s the 31st largest of 351 towns in Massachusetts by population.
Essex County grew from 357,030 residents in 1900 to 809,829 in 2020.
Essex County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 80°F in summer, and winter lows average 18°F. About 48.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 39 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Marblehead, MA weather station (2 miles away).
287,960 jobs at 19,988 businesses in Essex County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
1,413 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Salem.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 86 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 177 |
| Dentists | 54 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 160 |
| Mental health providers | 880 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 43 |
| Optometrists | 6 |
| Chiropractors | 7 |
| Pharmacies | 8 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (54 nearby)
Grocery stores (7 nearby)
Pharmacies (7 nearby)
Libraries (10 nearby)
Museums (25 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (3 nearby)
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1626.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Salem, Swampscott, Salem Academy Charter. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BatesSalem | Pre-K–5 | 410 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Bentley Academy Innovation SchoolSalem | Pre-K–5 | 286 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Horace Mann LaboratorySalem | Pre-K–5 | 293 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Salem Early ChildhoodSalem | Pre-K | 106 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| CarltonSalem | K–5 | 247 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Saltonstall SchoolSalem | K–8 | 412 | Public | 0.5 mi |
| Swampscott Elementary SchoolSwampscott | K–4 | 734 | Public | 3.0 mi |
| Witchcraft HeightsSalem | K–5 | 455 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Collins MiddleSalem | 6–8 | 611 | Public | 0.3 mi |
| Salem Academy Charter SchoolSalem | 6–12 | 480 | Charter | 0.7 mi |
| New Liberty Innovation SchoolSalem | 9–12 | 36 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| Salem HighSalem | 9–12 | 952 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Salem Prep High SchoolSalem | 9–12 | 23 | Public | 0.6 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.