Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Salem, Massachusetts
A $497,000 home here costs
$4,040per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $173,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,753. The real number is $1,287 higher every month, 47% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Essex County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Salem against Essex County and Massachusetts
| Measure | Salem | Essex County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $497,400 | $584,000 |
| Median property tax | $6,032 | $6,267 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.213% | 1.073% |
| Median gross rent | $1,800 | $1,673 |
| Population | 44,241 | 807,258 |
The weather behind that power bill
Salem sits in Essex County, which averages a high of 81.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 19.7°F in its coldest, with 44.89" of precipitation a year and 28% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 611 cooling and 6,103 heating degree days, which is what sets the $174 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Essex County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Essex County
Full Essex County cost breakdown · Every county in Massachusetts
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 $497,000 home in Salem, Massachusetts costs approximately $4,040 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $2,753 principal and interest, $502 property tax, $128 homeowners insurance, $242 utilities and $414 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Salem?
Salem has an effective property tax rate of 1.213%, based on a median home value of $497,400 and median real estate taxes of $6,032. That is higher than the Essex County average of 1.073%.
What is the average home price in Salem?
The median owner-occupied home value in Salem, Massachusetts is $497,400, against $584,000 across Essex County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Salem?
Median gross rent in Salem is $1,800 a month, against $4,040 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
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, Massachusetts at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $173,000 a year. That covers the full $4,040 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 Massachusetts.
- 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.