Salem is best known around the world for the infamous 17th century witch trials, but the local history and culture are much more expansive than that (although spooky subject matter is a huge draw for tourism here, especially around Halloween). Historic buildings have been well-preserved all over town, giving the community a very distinctive environment; many of these buildings can be seen around Salem’s highly walkable downtown area.
The town keeps a packed roster of community events, from summer concerts on Salem Common to Restaurant Week in the spring to festivals celebrating poetry, art, music, film, and more. Boston is easily reachable from your Salem apartment by road or rail, with an MBTA station on the north side of town.
As of October 2025, the average apartment rent in Salem, MA is $1,636 for a studio, $2,161 for one bedroom, $2,632 for two bedrooms, and $3,059 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Salem has increased by 1.1% in the past year.
Open to exploring your options? Discover other great cities in Massachusetts with our detailed guide.
Very Walkable
out of 100 WalkScore® Rating
If you enjoy walking, you’ll enjoy renting in this area! It’s a very walkable neighborhood.
Some Transit
out of 100 TransitScore® Rating
You'll likely want a car when living in this area since it has few transit options.
Bikeable
out of 100 BikeScore® Rating
While there’s some bike infrastructure in this area, you’ll still need a car for many errands.
Public
Grades PK-5
374 Students
Witchcraft Heights Elementary School
Public
Grades K-5
455 Students
Public
Grades K-8
397 Students
Public
Grades K-5
246 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
297 Students
Public
Grades K-8
397 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
612 Students
Public
Grades K-8
378 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
888 Students
Salem - New Liberty Innovation School
Public
Grades 9-12
56 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
14 Students
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† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in September 2025.
