The typical owner-occupied home in Salem is worth about $115,000, 50% below the Missouri median of $230,300 and 65% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $760 a year in property taxes, about 0.66% of their home's value, lower than the Missouri rate of 0.85%. The median household earns $43,923 a year, so the median home costs 2.6 times the median income (3.3 times for Missouri). 50% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 52% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Salem at a glance
| Salem | Missouri | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $115,000 | $230,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $760 | $1,948 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.66% | 0.85% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $43,923 | $70,702 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 50% | 68% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 52% | 60% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $996 | $1,524 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 18.4% | 19.0% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $639 | $1,033 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 27.8% | 28.1% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1969 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 16.9% | 11.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 4,677 | 6,191,814 | 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 $115,000 with 20% down costs about $730 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $922, 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 $31,288 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 20% of the median Salem household income of $43,923; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $161,000.
The median rent here is $639 a month, so owning the median home costs about $91 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $23,000 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $92,000 |
| Principal and interest | $619 |
| Property taxes (0.66% a year) | $63 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $48 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $730 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $4,025 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $112,917 |
| Principal and interest | $760 |
| Property taxes (0.66% a year) | $63 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $48 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $51 |
| Total per month | $922 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Salem
What is the median home value in Salem?
About $115,000 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 $760 a year, which is about 0.66% 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 $730 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $31,288 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