ZIP Code · MA

ZIP 01970

Part of Salem, MA

Pop. 44,738·Essex County·94th most expensive ZIP in Massachusetts

Median rent (all units)

$2,683/mo

Year-over-Year

+2.2%

Month-over-Month

+0.6%

vs US Median

+$751

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 01970 · $2,683

More expensive than 84% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$2,040

1 BR

$2,160

2 BR

$2,560

3 BR

$3,080

4 BR+

$3,390

Research median

$2,560/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

January. Asking rents in ZIP 01970 usually run 1.7% below trend in January and 1.2% above it in June, about $78 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 01970 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2017.

Past year vs. the rest of Massachusetts

Rent in ZIP 01970 changed +2.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 140 Massachusetts ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.0%.

Rent vs. income since 2019

From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 01970 rose 34.9% while median household income rose 23.5% ($68,860 to $85,041). Rent outpaced income.

Since before the pandemic

Rent in ZIP 01970 is 36.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 7 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($85,041) is $2,126 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a studio ($2,040); a 1-bedroom is $2,160.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 01902, 5 miles away, rents for 14% less ($2,302/mo), about $4,600 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 01970. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$32,196/yr

At $2,683/mo median

Location

CitySalem

StateMA

CountyEssex County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (2.2% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+2.2% YoY, +0.6% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 01970 (Salem, MA) is roughly split between renters and owners, 47.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

44,738

Median income

$85,041

Median age

39.3

Renters

50.4%

Age distribution

15.7%

27.8%

25.7%

13.6%

17.1%

Under 1815.7%

18–3427.8%

35–5425.7%

55–6413.6%

65+17.1%

Gender

45.5%

54.5%

Male45.5%

Female54.5%

Race & ethnicity

72.8%

20.8%

White72.8%

Black4.9%

Hispanic20.8%

Asian3.4%

Education (25+)

21.9%

22.2%

47.8%

No HS diploma8.1%

HS diploma21.9%

Some college22.2%

Bachelor's+47.8%

Housing tenure

49.6%

50.4%

Owner49.6%

Renter50.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 01970 in Salem, MA has changed in 5 years

Rent

$2,023 → $2,683

up 32.6%

Income

$72,994 → $85,041

up 16.5%

Population

44,372 → 44,738

up 0.8%

Renter share

48.3% → 50.4%

+2.1 pts

Bachelor's+

48.6% → 47.8%

-0.8 pts

Median age

37.6 → 39.3

+1.7 yrs

Rent in ZIP 01970 in Salem, MA has increased 32.6% since 2021, going from about $2,023 per month to roughly $2,683 today. Median household income grew from $72,994 to $85,041 between 2021 and 2024, a 16.5% shift. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 16.1 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. About 50.4% of households rent today, against 48.3% in 2021. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 01970 in Salem, MA reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.

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About renting in ZIP 01970

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 01970 covers Salem, MA. The median rent here is $2,683/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $2,160/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $2,560/mo.

At 38% of local median household income ($85,041/yr), ZIP 01970 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.2% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 01970?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $107,000/year (about $51/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $2,683/mo in ZIP 01970. The local median household income is $85,041/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 01970?

Rent in ZIP 01970 has risen 2.2% over the past year as of September 2026. That is the highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2017.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 01970?

Asking rents in ZIP 01970 are usually lowest in January, about 1.7% below their yearly trend, and highest in June, about 1.2% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $78 a month. This pattern comes from 9 years of Zillow rent data.

Has rent outpaced income in ZIP 01970?

Yes. From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 01970 rose 34.9% while median household income rose 23.5%, from $68,860 to $85,041. Rent is Zillow's yearly average; income is the Census 5-year estimate for the same years.

How does ZIP 01970 compare to other ZIPs in Massachusetts?

ZIP 01970 is in the middle among Massachusetts ZIP codes for rent, ranking #94 of 164 at $2,683/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 01970 changed +2.2%, against a typical +3.0% across the 140 Massachusetts ZIP codes Zillow tracks.