PlainZIP

Salem, MA · standard

ZIP Code 01970

Essex County, Massachusetts - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

41,109
1,957/sq mi
$85,041
Median income
$542,900
Median home value
47.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Salem pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

Top 32%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 11%
home value, US ZIPs
1,957
people per sq mi
50%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 01970 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 01970 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Salem, Essex County, Massachusetts, with 41,109 residents across 21.0 square miles, a density of 1,957 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 01970 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $85,041 (26% below the Massachusetts average), while per-capita income is $50,314. The poverty rate stands at 12.1% and the unemployment rate at 5.1%. On housing, the median home value is $542,900 (9% below the state average) with median rent at $1,836 per month, and 49.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 47.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.3, and the average commute is 29 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 10 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 01970, plus 6 more within Essex County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 01970

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Salem, MA

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 01970.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 01970, Salem, MA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

41,109

Population

21.0

Area (sq mi)

1,957

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 01970?

39.3

Median Age

45.5%

Male

54.5%

Female

16.3%

Foreign-Born

White 72.8%
African American 4.9%
Asian 3.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.1%
Hispanic or Latino 20.8%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$85,041

Median Household Income

-26% vs state

$50,314

Per Capita Income

12.1%

Poverty Rate

5.1%

Unemployment Rate

28.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 01970 ranks nationally

Salem, MA household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$85,041 Top 32% higher than 68% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 69.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 47.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

21,447

Total Housing Units

20,222

Occupied Units

1,225

Vacant Units

2.14

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 49.6%
Renter 50.4%

$542,900

Median Home Value

-9% vs state

$1,836

Median Rent

1938

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+7.1%

YoY Change (2024)

285

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+185%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 01970 have increased 7.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +185% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.5% 200
2021 +11.6% 223
2022 +14.5% 255
2023 +4.5% 266
2024 +7.1% 285

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 1,168 business establishments in ZIP 01970, employing approximately 16,559 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,121,834,000.

1,168

Businesses

16,559

Employees

$1.1B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 183 15.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 163 14.0%
Accommodation and food services 144 12.3%
Other services (except public administration) 141 12.1%
Health care and social assistance 126 10.8%
Construction 95 8.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 54 4.6%
Finance and insurance 48 4.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 38 3.3%
Manufacturing 37 3.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 35 3.0%
Wholesale trade 31 2.6%
Transportation and warehousing 29 2.5%
Educational services 19 1.6%
Information 15 1.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 4 0.3%
Industries not classified 4 0.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 01970 vs 01907 →

ZIP 01970 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 01970 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 01970 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 01970 ranks #9 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
01907 Swampscott, MA 14,027 2.5 mi
01945 Marblehead, MA 19,808 2.2 mi
01902 Lynn, MA 45,139 3.4 mi
01960 Peabody, MA 50,944 3.8 mi
01904 Lynn, MA 18,203 3.8 mi
01901 Lynn, MA 1,689 4.2 mi
01915 Beverly, MA 39,502 4.4 mi
01908 Nahant, MA 3,410 5.8 mi
01923 Danvers, MA 26,342 4.8 mi
01984 Wenham, MA 4,875 6.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Essex County

01960 standard
Peabody, MA
Pop: 50,944
01844 standard
Methuen, MA
Pop: 47,249
01841 standard
Lawrence, MA
Pop: 47,225
01902 standard
Lynn, MA
Pop: 45,139
01915 standard
Beverly, MA
Pop: 39,502
01810 standard
Andover, MA
Pop: 33,201

Related Areas

Essex County Salem, MA Massachusetts

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 01970 in? ▼
ZIP code 01970 (Salem) is located in Essex County, Massachusetts. Essex County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/essex-ma.
What is the population of ZIP code 01970? ▼
ZIP code 01970 in Salem, MA has a population of 41,109 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 01970? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 01970 is $85,041, which is 11% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 01970? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 01970 is $542,900, which is 95% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 01970? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 01970 is White at 72.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 20.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 01970? ▼
ZIP code 01970 has 1,168 business establishments employing approximately 16,559 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 01970? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 01970 are: Retail trade (183), Professional, scientific, and technical services (163), Accommodation and food services (144). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 01970? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 01970 increased by 7.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 185%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 01970? ▼
In ZIP code 01970, 69.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 47.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 01970? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 01970 is 28.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 01970? ▼
In ZIP code 01970, approximately 49.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 50.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 01970? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 01970 is 12.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.