Population

Salinas

161,993

Salem

44,241

Median Income

Salinas

$89,150

Salem

$85,137

Home Value

Salinas

$610,900

Salem

$497,400

Rent

Salinas

$1,923

Salem

$1,800

Crime Rate

Salinas

5.27

Salem

1.52

Cost of Living

Salinas

169.1

Salem

158.7

Avg Temp

Salinas

N/A

Salem

N/A

Unemployment

Salinas

4.7%

Salem

5.2%

Loading map…

How Similar Are Salinas & Salem?

Salem is Salinas's #23 most similar city

4/10

4 of 10 key metrics match within 10%

Population

👥

Salinas

161,993

vs

Salem

44,241

Different · 73% difference

Salinas (161,993) is about 3.7x larger than Salem (44,241).

Violent Crime

Salinas

5.27

vs

Salem

1.52

Different · 71% difference
🚨

Salinas's violent crime is significantly higher than Salem's — 71% difference.

Property Crime

🔒

Salinas

16.75

vs

Salem

15.54

Match · 7% difference

Both cities have similar property crime — just a 7% difference.

Political Leaning

Salinas

33.6%

vs

Salem

38.9%

Different · 14% difference
🗳️

Both cities lean Democratic, but Salem has a stronger Democratic lean (14% difference).

Unemployment

💼

Salinas

4.7%

vs

Salem

5.2%

Match · 9% difference

Both cities have similar unemployment — just a 9% difference.

Median Income

Salinas

$89,150

vs

Salem

$85,137

Match · 5% difference
💰

Both cities have similar median income — just a 5% difference.

Home Values

🏠

Salinas

$610,900

vs

Salem

$497,400

Different · 19% difference

Salinas has a 19% higher home values than Salem.

Education

Salinas

9.3%

vs

Salem

35.9%

Different · 74% difference
🎓

Salem's education is significantly higher than Salinas's — 74% difference.

Demographics

🌍

Salinas

21.8%

vs

Salem

75.2%

Different · 71% difference

Salem's demographics is significantly higher than Salinas's — 71% difference.

Cost of Living

Salinas

169.1

vs

Salem

158.7

Match · 6% difference
💵

Both cities have similar cost of living — just a 6% difference.

4 out of 10 key metrics match within 10%. Salinas and Salem share several key characteristics.

At a Glance

0

Salinas

vsof 8

0

Salem

Salem leads in 5 of 8 categories

Cost of Living & Affordability — Salem leads

Source: City Stats Index / HUD

Salem scores 117.2 on the transportation index (100 = national avg) vs 136.3 in Salinas. Salinas has a fair market rent (1br) of $2,232 vs $2,476 in Salem (10% lower). Salinas has a fair market rent (2br) of $2,684 vs $2,941 in Salem (9% lower).

Overall Cost Index

Salinas169.1
Salem158.7

Housing Index

Salinas243.2
Salem227.7

Food Index

Salinas118.1
Salem115.1

Transportation Index

Salinas136.3
Salem117.2

Healthcare Index

Salinas114.5
Salem112.1

Utilities Index

Salinas139.5
Salem134.6

Living Wage (1 Adult)

Salinas$74,415
Salem$69,838

Living Wage (Family of 4)

Salinas$175,889
Salem$165,071

Fair Market Rent (1BR)

Salinas$2,232
Salem$2,476

Fair Market Rent (2BR)

Salinas$2,684
Salem$2,941

Housing Market — Salinas leads

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS

Salinas has a single-family homes of 62.3% compared to 31.9% in Salem. Salinas has a vacancy rate of 3.5% compared to 5.8% in Salem. Salinas has a median property tax of $3,993 vs $6,032 in Salem (34% lower).

Median Home Value

Salinas$610,900
Salem$497,400

Median Rent

Salinas$1,923
Salem$1,800

Median Property Tax

Salinas$3,993
Salem$6,032

Owner-Occupied

Salinas47.0%
Salem51.4%

Vacancy Rate

Salinas3.5%
Salem5.8%

Single-Family Homes

Salinas62.3%
Salem31.9%

Jobs & Economy — Salinas leads

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS

Salinas: 73,271 vs Salem: 27,245 for labor force. Salem has a work from home of 19.4% compared to 4.3% in Salinas. Salem has a per capita income of $49,734 vs $28,813 in Salinas (42% higher).

Median Household Income

Salinas$89,150
Salem$85,137

Per Capita Income

Salinas$28,813
Salem$49,734

Poverty Rate

Salinas14.3%
Salem13.7%

Unemployment Rate

Salinas4.7%
Salem5.2%

Labor Force

Salinas73,271
Salem27,245

Mean Commute

SalinasN/A
Salem24 min

Work from Home

Salinas4.3%
Salem19.4%

Private Sector

Salinas98.9%
Salem78.0%

Government Sector

Salinas46.0%
Salem36.5%

Crime & Safety — Salem leads

Source: FBI UCR

Salem has a robbery rate (per 1k) of 0.35 compared to 1.41 in Salinas. Salem has a violent crime rate (per 1k) of 1.52 compared to 5.27 in Salinas. Salem has a assault rate (per 1k) of 1.04 compared to 3.29 in Salinas.

Violent Crime Rate (per 1K)

Salinas5.27
Salem1.52

Property Crime Rate (per 1K)

Salinas16.75
Salem15.54

Murder Rate (per 1K)

Salinas0.04
Salem0.00

Robbery Rate (per 1K)

Salinas1.41
Salem0.35

Assault Rate (per 1K)

Salinas3.29
Salem1.04

Burglary Rate (per 1K)

Salinas1.47
Salem1.07

Larceny Rate (per 1K)

Salinas11.58
Salem13.47

Violent Crime Clearance

Salinas44.4%
Salem51.4%

Property Crime Clearance

Salinas9.0%
Salem14.4%

Weather & Climate

Source: NOAA / Open-Meteo

Avg Annual Temperature

SalinasN/A
SalemN/A

Avg Annual High

SalinasN/A
SalemN/A

Avg Annual Low

SalinasN/A
SalemN/A

Sunny Days per Year

SalinasN/A
SalemN/A

Annual Rainfall

SalinasN/A
SalemN/A

Annual Snowfall

SalinasN/A
SalemN/A

Avg Humidity

SalinasN/A
SalemN/A

Schools & Education — Salem leads

Source: NCES / U.S. Census Bureau

Salem has a bachelor's degree or higher of 35.9% compared to 9.3% in Salinas. Salem has a high school diploma or higher of 50.8% compared to 23.4% in Salinas.

Public Schools

Salinas0
Salem0

Avg Student-Teacher Ratio

SalinasN/A
SalemN/A

Colleges & Universities

Salinas0
Salem0

Bachelor's Degree or Higher

Salinas9.3%
Salem35.9%

High School Diploma or Higher

Salinas23.4%
Salem50.8%

Demographics & Community

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS

Salinas has a population of 161,993, about 3.7x the size of Salem (44,241). Salinas skews younger with a median age of 32.1 vs 38.5.

Population

Salinas161,993
Salem44,241

Median Age

Salinas32
Salem39

Avg Household Size

Salinas3.7
Salem2.2

Married Population

Salinas33.0%
Salem35.0%

Foreign Born

Salinas36.3%
Salem15.4%

White

Salinas21.8%
Salem75.2%

Black

Salinas1.4%
Salem5.4%

Hispanic

Salinas80.3%
Salem19.4%

Asian

Salinas5.7%
Salem3.3%

Salinas

Salem

Healthcare — Salem leads

Source: CMS Hospital Compare

Salem: 3.5 vs Salinas: 2.8 for avg cms rating (out of 5). Salem: 5 vs Salinas: 4 for with emergency services.

Nearby Hospitals

Salinas5
Salem5

Avg CMS Rating (out of 5)

Salinas2.8
Salem3.5

With Emergency Services

Salinas4
Salem5

Transportation & Commute — Salem leads

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS

Salem has a bicycle of 0.8% compared to 0.1% in Salinas. Salem has a public transit of 6.3% compared to 0.9% in Salinas. Salem has a work from home of 19.4% compared to 4.3% in Salinas.

Mean Commute Time

SalinasN/A
Salem24 min

Drive Alone

Salinas72.7%
Salem57.6%

Public Transit

Salinas0.9%
Salem6.3%

Bicycle

Salinas0.1%
Salem0.8%

Work from Home

Salinas4.3%
Salem19.4%

Airports

Salinas0
Salem0

Cities Similar to Salinas, CA

Compare Salinas against its closest statistical matches across demographics, income, crime, health, and more.

🧬

City Comparison

8-axis fingerprint: population, income, housing, crime, education, age, climate, and cost of living. Click legend items to toggle.

PopulationIncomeHome ValueSafetyEducationMedian AgeClimateCost of Living

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