Salem, Massachusetts Income Statistics
Salem Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Salem Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Salem | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $86,266 | $104,336 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $69,015 | $80,230 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.5% | 4.9% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 15.5% | 20.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 12.9% | 22.3% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Salem is about 17% lower than in Massachusetts. Income has been growing slower in Salem (4.5%/yr) than in Massachusetts (4.9%/yr).
About 16% of adults in Salem earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Massachusetts average of 21%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Salem, Massachusetts grew by 50.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $86,266 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Salem
| Metric | Salem | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.506 | 0.531 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $76,333 | $90,842 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $70,924 | $75,629 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 7.1% | 16.7% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Salem, it is 0.506, lower than Massachusetts's 0.531, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 8% more than women's income in Salem, Massachusetts. Over a 35-year career, a 8% wage gap accumulates to roughly $189,315 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Salem, Massachusetts has narrowed from about 18% to 7% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 4% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,816 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Salem | Massachusetts Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 21.0% | 18.6% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 25 | 22 |
Approximately 1,382 people are unemployed in Salem, Massachusetts.
The average commute time in Salem is 21 minutes, shorter than the 25 minutes in Massachusetts.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Salem, Massachusetts has fallen from 10.2% to 5.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.9% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.0% in 2019.
Salem, MA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Salem, MA is the 2nd largest of the 5 cities compared here, 43,365 residents against a local median of 35,343. Where Salem, MA breaks from the cities next to it is median household income, sitting 26% below the local median of $116,800 at $86,266. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.5%/yr against a local median of 5.5%/yr, 19% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Salem, MA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The cities themselves spread $110,121 on median household income, so Salem, MA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Salem, MA has the 4th highest median household income of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, MA | 43,365 | $86,266 #4/5 | 4.5%/yr #5/5 | 5.1% #5/5 | 0.506 #3/5 |
| Marblehead, MA | 20,308 | $185,173 | 7.6%/yr | 2.6% | 0.489 |
| Beverly, MA | 42,584 | $108,139 | 5.0%/yr | 4.4% | 0.522 |
| Danvers, MA | 28,103 | $125,461 | 6.0%/yr | 4.7% | 0.491 |
| Lynn, MA | 101,709 | $75,052 | 5.0%/yr | 5.0% | 0.543 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Salem, Massachusetts has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it about on par with Massachusetts, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Salem, Massachusetts.
How Rich Is Salem, Massachusetts?
Salem has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $86,266, about 17% lower than the Massachusetts average of $104,336.
How has median household income changed in Salem, Massachusetts?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Salem, Massachusetts rose 50%, from $57,460 to $86,266. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Massachusetts as a whole: +50% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Salem in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Salem, Massachusetts was $86,714, up 7% from $80,913 in 2022. The Massachusetts median that year was $101,513.
What was the median household income in Salem in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Salem, Massachusetts was $67,800. By 2024 it had risen 27% to $86,266.
What is the Gini coefficient in Salem, Massachusetts?
The Gini coefficient in Salem is 0.506. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Salem, Massachusetts?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Salem, Massachusetts has narrowed from about 18% to 7% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 4% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,816 since 2009.
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