Salem and Lowell receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Salem
Lowell
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 47%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
73 · Top 13%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
63 · Bottom 27%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
78 · Top 27%
vs88 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
52 · Bottom 12%
vs59 · Bottom 20%
Schools
40 · Bottom 35%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Access
98 · Top 15%
vs92 · Top 50%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs58 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Salem | Lowell | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,795 | 118,368 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,153 | $78,658 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,339 | $36,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,401/sq mi | 8,697/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $542,800 | $429,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,836 | $1,625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.7% | 43.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.8% | 30.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.1% | 16.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 177 | 229 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 378.4% | 34.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.9" | 40.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 30.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.3 | 35.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.78 | 12.67 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 19.5% | 22.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.5% | 37.1% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Salem
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, earthquake, hurricane.
Lowell
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Salem, MA · Lowell, MA · How this is calculated: methodology