Can you afford to live in Salem?
Median household income, home values and rent in Salem, OR — how they've changed since 2015 and how much of a typical paycheck housing takes compared with the rest of the country.
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
This story was assembled using AI and public data sources.
What it costs to live in Salem.
Median household income: $71,900 — +52.4% since 2015 (not adjusted for inflation)
Median gross rent: $1,323/mo — +66.8% since 2015
Median home value, 2015 to 2023
- 2015: 182800
- 2023: 382400
Median household income
- Salem: 71900
- Marion County: 74624
- OR: 80426
- U.S.: 78538
Median gross rent
- Salem: 1323
- Marion County: 1333
- OR: 1450
- U.S.: 1348
Share of income a typical renter spends on rent: 32.9% — U.S.: 30.2%
What it means
The typical household here earns $71,900 — slightly lower than the national figure of $78,538.
The typical renter here spends 32.9% of household income on rent, above the 30% level housing agencies use to define cost burden.
Since 2015, rent has risen faster than income here (+66.8% versus +52.4%), before adjusting for inflation.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates — Population, income, housing, education, commuting and poverty figures
- Census Bureau API — ACS Detailed Tables — The endpoint these pages are generated from
- data.census.gov — Look up the same tables for any place yourself
- ACS accuracy statement — Estimates carry margins of error; small places vary the most
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