Rank
228
C+
Salem
7 schools · 1 high school · 6 elementary schools · Salem
Salem is a coastal city on the North Shore, approximately 15 miles northeast of Boston. Known historically as the site of the 1692 witch trials, Salem has evolved into a vibrant community with significant maritime and cultural heritage. The public school district serves the city with six elementary schools and Salem High School, which enrolls a diverse student population. With a graduation rate of 87.7%, the district reflects Salem's commitment to student success in an urban setting.
Avg MCAS ELA
34.3%
#254 of 326
Avg MCAS Math
33.4%
#240 of 326
Avg SAT
1,014
#248 of 290
Attendance
92.6%
#203 of 328
Graduation Rate
87.7%
#235 of 288
AP Pass Rate
66.4%
#176 of 278
Per-Pupil Spending
$25,713
#63 of 325
Avg Teacher Salary
$96,388
#113 of 325
MCAS Performance by Grade
| Grade | ELA M+E% | Math M+E% | Sci M+E% | Avg Score | Students |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | 30% | 32% | — | 488 | 307 |
| Grade 4 | 29% | 28% | — | 486 | 306 |
| Grade 5 | 33% | 26% | 36% | 489 | 336 |
| Grade 6 | 33% | 20% | — | 485 | 233 |
| Grade 7 | 32% | 18% | — | 483 | 256 |
| Grade 8 | 33% | 20% | 29% | 485 | 258 |
| Grade 10 | 43% | 41% | 41% | 496 | 220 |
| HS Science | — | — | 29% | 486 | 210 |
Showing 2025 data
Student Demographics
White: 37.7%
Asian: 2.6%
Hispanic: 47.9%
Black: 6.5%
Multi-Race: 4.8%
Am. Indian: 0.5%
Pac. Islander: 0.1%
Female: 47.8%Male: 52%Non-binary: 0.2%
High Schools in Salem
Rank
Grade
School
SAT
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
AP
Grad
214
C+
Salem High
SAT
1,014
ELA
47%
Math
45%
Grad
87.7%
214
C+
Salem High
1,014
47%
45%
66.4%
87.7%
Elementary Schools in Salem
Rank
Grade
School
MCAS ELA
MCAS Math
Attend.
Class Size
531
C+
Witchcraft Heights
ELA
32%
Math
46%
Attend.
94.1%
Class
22
531
C+
Witchcraft Heights
32%
46%
94.1%
22
567
C+
Carlton
ELA
43%
Math
25%
Attend.
94.9%
Class
18
567
C+
Carlton
43%
25%
94.9%
18
590
C+
Bates
ELA
27%
Math
32%
Attend.
93.8%
Class
17
590
C+
Bates
27%
32%
93.8%
17
591
C+
Saltonstall School
ELA
33%
Math
38%
Attend.
94%
Class
19
591
C+
Saltonstall School
33%
38%
94%
19
677
C
Horace Mann Laboratory
ELA
22%
Math
24%
Attend.
92.9%
Class
19
677
C
Horace Mann Laboratory
22%
24%
92.9%
19
721
C
Bentley Academy Innovation School
ELA
36%
Math
24%
Attend.
94.3%
Class
19
721
C
Bentley Academy Innovation School
36%
24%
94.3%
19
District Operations
Attendance
#203 of 328Attendance Rate92.6%
Avg Days Absent13
Chronically Absent (10%+)19.2%
Chronically Absent (20%+)6.4%
Per-Pupil Expenditure
#63 of 325In-District Per Pupil$25,824
Total Per Pupil$25,713
Total FTE Students4,489
Teacher Salaries
#113 of 325Average Salary$96,388
Teacher FTE Count358
Salary vs. Town Income2.3x(above town avg)
Teacher salary is 2.3x the town's per capita income ($41,229). Teachers earn well above the community per capita income. The MA median ratio is about 1.9x.
Class Size & Populations
#170 of 327Avg Class Size17
English Learners19.8%
Students w/ Disabilities26.6%
Total Students3,974
Staffing & Retention
#271 of 327Teacher Retention78.7%
Principal Retention100%
Total Teachers395
Attendance: 2024-2025 · Expenditure: 2024 · Salaries: 2023-2024 · Class Size: 2024-2025 · Staffing: 2025
Town Data
Salem
Avg Assessed Value
$675,757
#105 of 235
Avg Tax Bill
$7,285
Income Per Capita
$41,229
#167 of 235
Tax Bill Rank
#153
of 341 towns
Avg Assessed Value is the mean assessed value of single-family homes only (MA property class 101 — excludes condos, multi-family, and apartments). MA law requires assessment at 100% of fair market value. Income Per Capita is total town income divided by population, derived from MA state income tax returns (not Census surveys). It includes wages, investment income, and capital gains, so wealthy towns can have very high figures. The MA median is about $48K. Tax bill rank orders towns by average single-family tax bill, highest to lowest.
Tax & Bond Details
Residential Tax Rate1.08%
Tax as % of Income17.67%(above avg)
Bond RatingAA(very good)
Tax rate is the effective residential rate (tax bill ÷ assessed value). Tax as % of income measures how much of residents’ income goes to property taxes. The MA median is about 14%; below 10% is low (wealthier towns with high incomes relative to home values), above 16% is above average. Bond rating reflects the town’s creditworthiness for borrowing. AAA is the highest possible rating (strong fiscal management), meaning the town can borrow at the lowest interest rates. AA+ is excellent, AA is very good.
New Growth
$119.1M+1.41% levy growth(typical)
Residential$76.2M
Commercial/Industrial$42.9M
Residential Share47.12%(diverse)
New growth measures new taxable value from construction and development (not rising home prices). In Massachusetts, Proposition 2\u00BD limits annual property tax increases to 2.5% of the prior year\u2019s levy. New growth revenue is automatically added on top of this 2.5% base increase \u2014 it does not require a vote. This town’s total levy growth is about 3.9% (2.5% base + 1.41% from new growth). The MA median is about 1.2%; above 1.5% is strong, below 0.8% signals limited development. The residential share (47.12%) shows how much comes from homes vs. commercial/industrial. When most growth is residential, homeowners carry more of the tax burden. More commercial/industrial growth is generally better for homeowners because businesses share the cost.
Municipal Free Cash
$14.5M7.3% of operating budget
Free cash is the town's unencumbered surplus funds. 5-10% of budget is considered healthy. Operating budget: $197.3M.
Where Children Attend School
Local Public: 3,507(74.6%)
Vocational: 170(3.6%)
Charter: 491(10.4%)
Private: 369(7.8%)
Home School: 48(1.0%)
Total: 4,701