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City · 178,865 residents · Marion County, Oregon

Salem , Oregon

In Salem, a typical home is worth $416,900 and typical rent is $1,400 a month. Compared with all of Marion County, the share of households that own their home is 6 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $416,900

    About the same as the county

    13% below Oregon

    • Salem
    • Marion
    • Oregon

  • Typical rent

    $1,400a month

    About the same as the county

    8% below Oregon

    • Salem
    • Marion
    • Oregon

  • Typical household income

    $75,487a year

    2% below the county

    9% below Oregon

    • Salem
    • Marion
    • Oregon

  • Households that own their home

    56%

    6 points below the county

    7 points below Oregon

    • Salem
    • Marion
    • Oregon

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$432,418
about the same as 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,611 a month
about the same as 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Salem is in Marion County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Marion County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Salem apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Monmouth, the typical rent is $1,114: 20% less than in Salem ($1,400).

  2. Nearby, in Four Corners, the typical home value is $340,200: 18% less than in Salem ($416,900).

  3. 56% of households in Salem own their home, against 62% in Marion County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Salem

What homes there are in Salem, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Salem, 6 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses; in Marion County, 6.

Year built

In Salem, half of the homes were built before 1980; in Marion County, before 1979.

Homes in Salem are smaller: 55% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Marion County, 61%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

About 77% of owner-occupied homes in Salem are worth less than the FHA loan limit for Marion County ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

By rent, most homes in Salem cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,692): about 69%.

With a mortgage

$2,057 a month

Marion County: $1,959 a month

Without a mortgage

$727 a month

Marion County: $660 a month

Owners with a mortgage

68%

Marion County: 66%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Salem is $2,057 a month, more than in Marion County ($1,959); without one, $727.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Salem rose 72% since 2015–2019, more than in Marion County (69%).

The typical rent in Salem rose 44% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Marion County (44%).

Housing prices ran ahead of income in Salem: typical income rose 35%, against +72% for home values and +44% for rent.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureSalemMarion CountyOregonUnited States
Rental vacancy 4.7%4.4%4.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.7%0.9%
More than one person per room 5.3%5.2%3.2%3.4%
People per household 2.522.662.422.53
Drive alone 65%70%65%69%
Carpool 11%12%9%9%
Public transit 2%1%2%3%
Walk or bike 4%3%5%3%
Work from home 16%13%19%15%
Other means 2%1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Open rentals in Salem look like those in Marion County: the rental vacancy rate is 4.7%.

In Salem, 5.3% of households live with more than one person per room, about the same as in Marion County.

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.52 on average, against 2.66 in Marion County.

In Salem, 16% of workers work from home, more than in Marion County (13%).

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Salem?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Salem, worth $416,900, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 55% of the typical household income in Salem, which is $75,487 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $148,487 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Marion County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Salem. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $14,592 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$3,465

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$409,348
Total interest
$588,956
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $7,040 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,761 a month

  • Tight

    $1,761 to $2,265 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,265 a month

    Your payment · 55%

Compared with the typical household income in Salem ($75,487 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,465
Principal & interest$2,773
Property tax$334
Home insurance$174
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$184

You need at least $14,592 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Salem and Marion County

Salem is in Marion County, Oregon. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Salem's own numbers

Typical home value
$416,900
Typical monthly rent
$1,400
Typical yearly household income
$75,487
Households that own their home
56%
Effective property tax rate
0.96%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Marion County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,692
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+42%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.9%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Marion County.

Everything about Marion County

Buying

Buying a home in Salem

A typical home in Salem is worth $416,900: about the same as the county and 13% below Oregon. With the typical household income in Salem ($75,487 a year), a typical home costs 5.5 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Salem 5.5 years
  • Marion 5.4 years
  • Oregon 5.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Marion County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Marion County rose 117% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Marion County.

Period County Oregon U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.6% +0.9% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +42% +35% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +117% +86% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Salem next to Marion County, Oregon and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Salem $416,900
  • Marion $416,400
  • Oregon $477,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Salem $1,400
  • Marion $1,414
  • Oregon $1,525
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Salem $75,487
  • Marion $77,351
  • Oregon $83,011
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Salem next to Marion County and Oregon
Measure Salem Marion County Oregon U.S.
Typical home value $416,900 $416,400 $477,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,400 $1,414 $1,525 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $75,487 $77,351 $83,011 $80,734
Households that own their home 56% 62% 63% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $4,007 $3,490 $3,876 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.96% 0.84% 0.81% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 55% 54% 52% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Marion County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Salem

For a typical $416,900 home in Salem, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Salem's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,465a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $14,592
    Cash to close
    $27,099
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $184

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,388a month

    Down payment
    $20,845
    Cash to close
    $33,352
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $198

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,767a month

    Down payment
    $83,380
    Cash to close
    $95,887
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $3,152a month

    Down payment
    $62,535
    Cash to close
    $75,042
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Salem and for Marion County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Salem

0.96%of the home’s value each year

$4,007 a year for the typical owner in Salem.

  • Salem 0.96%
  • Marion 0.84%
  • Oregon 0.81%

What Oregon publishes 3 percent cap on maximum assessed value (Measure 50) (Oregon Legislature (Oregon Revised Statutes))

Exemptions and deadlines in Oregon

Flood risk in Marion County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Marion County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.9%
2,669
Of those, with NFIP insurance
29%
County Oregon U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.9% 2.8% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 29% 25% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Salem

Typical rent in Salem is $1,400 a month: about the same as the county. In Salem, 55% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Marion County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,692 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $32.54 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Marion County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,285 $24.71 $51,400
1 bedroom $1,294 $24.88 $51,760
2 bedrooms $1,692 $32.54 $67,680
3 bedrooms $2,341 $45.02 $93,640
4 bedrooms $2,564 $49.31 $102,560

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Salem

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Salem has 3 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,610 in 97301 to $1,700 in 97310.

1 of the 3 is above the fair market rent for Marion County ($1,692).

  • 97301 $1,610$2,230
  • 97302 $1,620$2,240
  • 97310 $1,700$2,360

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Salem when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Salem

HUD lists 36 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Salem. These are the largest.

  • Orchard Park Apts 4100 Kacey Cir NE, Salem 97305 224 low-income homes · 1 bd: 64 · 2 bd: 96 · 3 bd: 64 · In service since 1993 · For people with disabilities, families
  • Cornerstone Apartments 3350 Portland Rd NE, Salem 97301 180 homes, 177 low-income · Studio: 12 · 1 bd: 24 · 2 bd: 96 · 3 bd: 48 · In service since 2019
  • Village East Apts 108 Village East Way SE, Salem 97317 112 low-income homes · 2 bd: 80 · 3 bd: 32 · In service since 1993
  • Robert Lindsey Tower Site 1 370 Church St SE, Salem 97301 108 low-income homes · 2 bd: 62 · 3 bd: 30 · 4 bd: 16 · In service since 2014 · For older adults, families (503) 587-4807
  • Lancaster Terrace 4510 N Newcastle Cir NE, Salem 97305 104 low-income homes · 2 bd: 72 · 3 bd: 32 · In service since 1992 · For people with disabilities, families

See all 55 buildings in Marion County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Salem

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Marion County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

A man shakes hands with the specialist who helped him with his loan, in the kitchen of his new home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Salem

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Salem or Marion County. The ones below are statewide in Oregon: they work in Salem the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Oregon

  • OHCS Down Payment Assistance

    Statewide in Oregon

    Oregon state funds for the down payment and closing costs, delivered by local organizations: up to $60,000 or 20% of the price, sometimes as a grant or as a forgivable second mortgage, for first-time or first-generation buyers with income up to 100% of the area median. Offered by Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS).

    GrantForgivable

    See the program Official page

  • FirstHome (Flex Lending)

    Statewide in Oregon

    Oregon Housing and Community Services mortgage for low- and moderate-income first-time buyers, with down payment assistance of 4% or 5% of the loan as a second mortgage. Offered by Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS).

    Type not stated

    See the program Official page

  • NextStep (Flex Lending)

    Statewide in Oregon

    Oregon Housing and Community Services mortgage for any buyer, including people who have owned a home before, with down payment assistance of 4% or 5% of the loan as a second mortgage that can be forgivable or repayable. Offered by Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS).

    Type not stated

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Salem

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Salem, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • DevNW

    528 Cottage St NE Ste 304, Salem · 1 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 7 more
    (503) 779-2680

  • Housing Authority of Yamhill County

    135 NE Dunn Pl, McMinnville · 20 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (503) 883-4300

  • DevNW

    2525 SE 3rd St, Corvallis · 29 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 7 more
    (541) 752-7220

Every agency in Marion County All counseling agencies in Oregon

Help in Spanish near Salem

3 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Salem

HUD’s record names them for Salem or Marion County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of the City of Salem Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (503) 588-6368
  • Marion County Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (503) 798-4170

All housing agencies in Oregon Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Marion County

These cities are also in Marion County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Marion County Housing in Oregon

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Salem, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Marion County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Salem.

All guides
Three women of one family lean in together to stir the pan.

Questions

Housing questions about Salem

Short answers with the numbers for Salem and all of Marion County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Salem?

The typical home value in Salem is $416,900, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Marion County it is $416,400.

How much does it cost to rent in Salem?

Typical rent in Salem is $1,400 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Marion County is $1,692.

What is the FHA loan limit in Salem?

Salem uses the FHA limit for all of Marion County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Salem?

The typical homeowner in Salem pays $4,007 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.96% of the home’s value; in Marion County, the rate is 0.84%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Salem?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Marion County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).