Cost of Living: Salem, MA vs Lowell, MA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,224/mo in Salem, MA versus $4,224/mo in Lowell, MA. In the model, rent is about 26.23% of gross in Salem, MA versus 23.37% in Lowell, MA, so Lowell, MA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Salem, MA
$4,224/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Lowell, MA
$4,224/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Salem, MA
26.23%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Lowell, MA
23.37%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Salem, MA and Lowell, MA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Lowell, MA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Lowell, MA
  • Lower home prices: Lowell, MA
  • Higher median household income: Salem, MA

Cost of Living Index

Salem, MA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Lowell, MA: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Both cities have the same cost-of-living index (U.S. average = 100).

Median Rent

Salem, MA: $1,710/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Lowell, MA: $1,523/mo

Median rent in Salem, MA is $187/mo higher than in Lowell, MA.

Median Home Price

Salem, MA: $497,400 · Lowell, MA: $395,100

Median home price in Salem, MA is $102,300 higher than in Lowell, MA.

Median Household Income

Salem, MA: $85,137 · Lowell, MA: $76,205

Salem, MA has a higher median household income than Lowell, MA by $8,932.

Salem, MA overview · Lowell, MA overview · Popular comparisons