Salem, Massachusetts Tier 3
Tier 3 · solid schools · about 42 minutes door-to-door to downtown Boston at peak · 51% of households own their home.
$725k
4BR / 2BA house (est.)
$575k
3BR townhouse (est.)
$425k
2BR condo (est.)
$10.78
Tax per $1,000 (FY2026)
47 min
Peak drive to Boston (modeled)
🚆 30 min
Commuter rail · ~30 min to terminal
51%
Homeowners (ACS 2019–23)
What it takes to live here
| Scenario (20% down) | Monthly all-in | Income needed |
|---|---|---|
| 4BR / 2BA detached house | $4,492/mo | $193k/yr |
| 3BR / 2BA townhouse | $3,599/mo | $154k/yr |
| 2BR condo | $2,706/mo | $116k/yr |
Monthly = mortgage (6.5%, 30-year, 20% down) + property tax at Salem’s actual FY2026 rate ($10.78/$1,000 = 1.08% of assessed value) + $175 insurance. “Income needed” keeps housing at 28% of gross income. Prices are market estimates, not appraisals.
Community snapshot
| ACS 2019–2023 (via MAPC DataCommon) | Share |
|---|---|
| Homeowner households | 51% |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 68% |
| Asian (non-Hispanic) | 3.3% |
| Latino / Hispanic | 19% |
| African American (non-Hispanic) | 5.1% |
These figures are neutral census facts, shown for every town equally. They are never used to filter, rank, or recommend towns — see our methodology and the federal Fair Housing Act.
