The typical owner-occupied home in Salem is worth about $202,100, 8% above the Arkansas median of $188,000 and 39% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,043 a year in property taxes, about 0.52% of their home's value, lower than the Arkansas rate of 0.55%. The median household earns $73,750 a year, so the median home costs 2.7 times the median income (3.1 times for Arkansas). 83% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 41% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Salem at a glance
| Salem | Arkansas | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $202,100 | $188,000 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,043 | $1,040 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.52% | 0.55% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $73,750 | $60,773 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 83% | 66% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 41% | 53% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,231 | $1,345 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 15.8% | 18.5% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | – | $947 | $1,413 |
| Median year homes were built | 1979 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 0.0% | 13.5% | 10.1% |
| Population | 2,642 | 3,049,391 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Salem
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Salem home of $202,100 with 20% down costs about $1,259 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,596, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $53,975 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 20% of the median Salem household income of $73,750; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $276,000.
| Down payment | $40,420 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $161,680 |
| Principal and interest | $1,088 |
| Property taxes (0.52% a year) | $88 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $84 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,259 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $7,074 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $198,439 |
| Principal and interest | $1,335 |
| Property taxes (0.52% a year) | $88 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $84 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $89 |
| Total per month | $1,596 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Salem
What is the median home value in Salem?
About $202,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Salem?
Homeowners pay a median $1,043 a year, which is about 0.52% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Salem?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,259 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $53,975 a year.
More about Salem
- Mortgage Refinance in Salem
- Debt Relief in Salem
- Home Equity Loans in Salem
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data