Housing decision brief
Salem city, VA Housing Market
Salem city screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
70th lowest home value out of 133 Virginia counties with data | 68th lowest rent out of 133
Median home value
$244,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,046/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,168/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.7x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
29.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$122/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Rent burden below pressure line
29.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 81.4 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$66,716 median income is At the Virginia county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.91% effective property-tax rate is 45% above Virginia county median
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Salem city is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $244,800 | $240,900 | $281,900 | Near state median2% above Virginia county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,046 | $1,043 | $1,163 | Near state medianAt the Virginia county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,168 | $978 | $1,672 | 19% pressure19% above Virginia county median |
Median household income | $66,716 | $66,718 | $74,755 | Near state medianAt the Virginia county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.91% | 0.63% | 1.02% | 45% pressure45% above Virginia county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 29.00% | 28.00% | N/A | Near state median29.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$24,876
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$16,659
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Salem city is affordable. The median rent is $1,046/month against a median household income of $66,716, putting rent at 18.8% of income.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Salem city is $1,046/month, while owner costs run $1,168/month. Renting saves approximately $122/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $41,840/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $50,057/year. With a median household income of $66,716, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 29.0% of renter households in Salem city are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Franklin city where rent averages $995/month, Salem city is approximately 5% more expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amelia County, VA | $239,700 | $972/mo | Same-state comparison near $239,700 home value and $972/mo rent. |
| Staunton city, VA | $239,300 | $993/mo | Same-state comparison near $239,300 home value and $993/mo rent. |
| Franklin city, VA | $227,200 | $995/mo | Same-state comparison near $227,200 home value and $995/mo rent. |
| Rockbridge County, VA | $238,700 | $956/mo | Same-state comparison near $238,700 home value and $956/mo rent. |
| King and Queen County, VA | $240,900 | $982/mo | Same-state comparison near $240,900 home value and $982/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Salem city
Is Salem city affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Salem city?
How much income do you need for housing in Salem city?
What should I double-check before moving to Salem city?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.