The Town Files

Salem, Connecticut

Town · population 4,213 (2020 Census)

Map: where Salem is in ConnecticutSalem
Median home
$403,600
Household income
$123,245
Jan low / Jul high
21° / 84°
Snow a year
30 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
2
Median age
40.9

Salem is a town of 4,213 people, Connecticut. The median home is worth $403,600, above the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). It ranks easier by car than 97% of Connecticut towns, better for families than 90% of Connecticut towns, more of a college town than 82% of Connecticut towns.

Salem in our rankings:

How Salem ranks

Percentile among Connecticut towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Connecticut towns.

Salem lifestyle rankings vs other Connecticut townsRetirement67th pctFamilies90th pctQuiet50th pctWalkabilitybottomFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals60th pctVibrancy13th pctHip & trendy16th pctCollege town82nd pctUpscale66th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit25th pctDriving97th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Salem is worth $403,600, above the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $123,245, which is more affordable than 64% of Connecticut towns. Median rent is $1,440 a month. 86.6% of households own their home.

Salem vs county vs typical Connecticut townSalemCountyTypical Connecticut townHome value$403,600$376,000Household income$123,245$109,167Monthly rent$1,440$1,462
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Connecticut towns with 500+ people.
HousingSalemTypical Connecticut town
Median home value$403,600$376,000
Median rent$1,440$1,462
Median household income$123,245$109,167
Home value ÷ income3.3×3.6×
Homeownership86.6%80.3%
Median year built19881969
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Salem

PeopleSalemTypical Connecticut town
Median age40.945.0
Age 65 and over19.7%20.6%
Under 1823.2%—
Bachelor's degree or higher50.6%45.8%
Below the poverty line6.2%5.7%
Veterans9.9%—
Born outside the U.S.5.9%—
Work from home18.0%16.8%
Average commute31.5 min27.6 min
Homes with broadband99.3%93.8%

Weather in Salem

July highs average 84.1°F and January lows 21.2°F. About 52.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.6 inches of snow (typical Connecticut town: 39.0 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 124 nights at or below freezing.

Salem monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing38°21°Jan41°23°Feb48°29°Mar59°39°Apr70°49°May78°59°Jun84°65°Jul83°63°Aug76°55°Sep64°44°Oct53°34°Nov43°27°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.98.43.88.45.15.14.71.03.64.33.64.44.84.94.20.65.06.1
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Norwich Public Utility Plt station (10.3 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Salem since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Connecticut town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 16, 2002 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 16, 2002.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Salem by decade01950s11960s01970s01980s01990s12000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 29, 2020.

Public schools in Salem

1 public school with 383 students, about 12.0 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Salem Elementary SchoolPK-838312.0

Towns near Salem

Salem questions

Is Salem, Connecticut a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Salem scores better for retirees than 67% of Connecticut towns and quieter than 50%. 19.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.9).

How much does a house cost in Salem?

The median owner-occupied home in Salem is valued at $403,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $123,245, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,440 a month.

What is the weather like in Salem?

July highs average 84.1°F and January lows 21.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.2 inches of precipitation a year and 29.6 inches of snow.

Does Salem get tornadoes?

2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Salem since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 16, 2002. The typical Connecticut town has had 8.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Salem's Census boundary (GEOID 0918066210). Comparisons use the median of Connecticut towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.