Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Salem, Arkansas
A $192,000 home here costs
$1,656per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $71,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,047. The real number is $609 higher every month, 58% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Saline County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Salem from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 2,727 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Saline County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Salem against Saline County and Arkansas
| Measure | Salem | Saline County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $192,000 | $211,700 |
| Median property tax | $1,049 | $1,335 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.546% | 0.631% |
| Median gross rent | — | $980 |
| Population | 2,727 | 125,724 |
The weather behind that power bill
Salem sits in Saline County, which averages a high of 92.9°F in its hottest month and a low of 30.6°F in its coldest, with 53.41" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,150 cooling and 2,994 heating degree days, which is what sets the $151 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Saline County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Saline County
Full Saline County cost breakdown · Every county in Arkansas
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Salem averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Salem every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Salem?
A $192,000 home in Salem, Arkansas costs approximately $1,656 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,047 principal and interest, $87 property tax, $143 homeowners insurance, $219 utilities and $160 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Salem?
Salem has an effective property tax rate of 0.546%, based on a median home value of $192,000 and median real estate taxes of $1,049. That is lower than the Saline County average of 0.631%.
What is the average home price in Salem?
The median owner-occupied home value in Salem, Arkansas is $192,000, against $211,700 across Saline County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Salem?
Rent data is not published for Salem at this level of detail.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Salem?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Salem, Arkansas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $71,000 a year. That covers the full $1,656 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Salem, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Arkansas.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.