Newburyport, MA vs Salem, MA

Salem is moderately more affordable than Newburyport, with a 11.5% lower cost of living index. Newburyport scores 149 compared to 134 for Salem, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Newburyport can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Newburyport is $1,511/month compared to $1,800/month in Salem — a 16% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Newburyport has cheaper rent, Salem actually has lower median home values ($497,400 vs $792,400).

Median household income in Newburyport is $144,259 compared to $85,137 in Salem (+69.4%). While Newburyport is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Newburyport spend roughly 12.6% of their income on rent, less than the 25.4% in Salem.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (50.1°F vs 49.9°F). Salem receives more rainfall at 44.9" per year compared to 40.9" in Newburyport.