Salem, VA housing market
Typical home value
$309K
▲ 3.8% 1 yr
Typical rent
$1,574/mo
▲ 0.1% 1 yr
Gross rent yield
6.1%
U.S. 6.3%
5-year home value change
+32%
U.S. +20%
Key takeaways
- 1The typical home in Salem is worth $308,856, up 3.8% over the past year and up 32% over five years.
- 2Typical rent is $1,574 a month (+0.1% YoY), a gross rent yield of 6.1% (above the Roanoke, VA metro's 5.6%).
- 3With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest on the typical home is about $1,697/mo, $123 more than typical rent.
- 4Zillow forecasts the Roanoke, VA metro's home values to change +2.8% over the next 12 months.
Market temperature (Roanoke, VA metro)
Buyer's market
Buyer'sNeutralSeller's
Zillow Market Heat Index: 36/100, #345 hottest of 546 metros. Below 44 favors buyers; above 55 favors sellers.
Home values and rent
Source: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI and market activity data).
How Salem compares
| Measure | Salem | Roanoke, VA metro | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $308,856 | $297,868 | $366,157 |
| Home value, 1-yr change | +3.8% | +3.2% | +1.2% |
| Typical rent | $1,574 | $1,400 | $1,932 |
| Rent, 1-yr change | +0.1% | +3.5% | +2.7% |
| Gross rent yield | 6.1% | 5.6% | 6.3% |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 16.4 | 17.7 | 15.8 |
| Mortgage P&I, typical home | $1,697 | $1,637 | $2,012 |
Run the numbers
Rental property calculator
Cash flow on a typical Salem rental, pre-filled.
Rent vs buy in Salem
Which costs less over the years you'll stay.
Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment on a $309K home.
Other cities in the Roanoke, VA metro
City figures are Zillow's typical home value (ZHVI) and observed rent (ZORI). Gross yield is before expenses. Data refreshed Oct 26, 2026.