Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Salem, Oregon
A $382,000 home here costs
$2,879per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,964. The real number is $915 higher every month — 47% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Salem against Marion County and Oregon
| Measure | Salem | Marion County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $382,400 | $383,300 |
| Median property tax | $3,936 | $3,382 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.029% | 0.882% |
| Median gross rent | $1,323 | $1,333 |
| Population | 176,666 | 346,532 |
Salem extends across 2 counties. Figures here use Marion County, where most of its housing sits.
The weather behind that power bill
Salem sits in Marion County, which averages a high of 76.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 32.5°F in its coldest, with 68.92" of precipitation a year and 43% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 99 cooling and 5,992 heating degree days, which is what sets the $146 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Marion County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Marion County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Salem?
A $382,000 home in Salem, Oregon costs approximately $2,879 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,964 principal and interest, $328 property tax, $55 homeowners insurance, $214 utilities and $318 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Salem?
Salem has an effective property tax rate of 1.029%, based on a median home value of $382,400 and median real estate taxes of $3,936. That is higher than the Marion County average of 0.882%.
What is the average home price in Salem?
The median owner-occupied home value in Salem, Oregon is $382,400, against $383,300 across Marion County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Salem?
Median gross rent in Salem is $1,323 a month, against $2,879 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
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 Oregon.
- 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.