Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Salem, North Carolina
A $159,000 home here costs
$1,358per 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 $58,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $867. The real number is $491 higher every month, 57% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Burke 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 2,035 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 Burke 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 Burke County and North Carolina
| Measure | Salem | Burke County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $159,300 | $170,500 |
| Median property tax | $979 | $1,191 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.615% | 0.699% |
| Median gross rent | $772 | $805 |
| Population | 2,035 | 87,863 |
The weather behind that power bill
Salem sits in Burke County, which averages a high of 87.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 27.9°F in its coldest, with 51.53" of precipitation a year and 27% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,251 cooling and 3,802 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Burke County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Burke County
Full Burke County cost breakdown · Every county in North Carolina
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 $159,000 home in Salem, North Carolina costs approximately $1,358 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $867 principal and interest, $81 property tax, $58 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $133 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Salem?
Salem has an effective property tax rate of 0.615%, based on a median home value of $159,300 and median real estate taxes of $979. That is lower than the Burke County average of 0.699%.
What is the average home price in Salem?
The median owner-occupied home value in Salem, North Carolina is $159,300, against $170,500 across Burke County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Salem?
Median gross rent in Salem is $772 a month, against $1,358 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, North Carolina at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $58,000 a year. That covers the full $1,358 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 North Carolina.
- 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.