Essex County, Massachusetts
Salem Homes For Sale
MA
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Population (Essex County)
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Settled (incorporated as a city in 1836)
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Median Sale Price, May 2026 (Redfin)
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Walk Score (Very Walkable)
Location
Where Salem is Located
Live Listings
Homes For Sale in Salem, MA
Listing information is provided by the MLS. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Listings displayed may be subject to prior sale or withdrawal.
A Local's Perspective
Salem, Massachusetts: History, Harbor, and a Living Housing Market
Roger Conant and a small band of settlers established a fishing outpost called Naumkeag on this Essex County harbor in 1626, four years before the larger Massachusetts Bay Colony landed in Boston. By 1629 the settlement had taken the name Salem, from the Hebrew word for peace, and that year its congregation organized the first Congregational church in America. Maritime trade with Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean later made Salem the new nation's sixth-largest city and, per capita, its wealthiest by 1790. The town was formally incorporated as a city on March 23, 1836 -- only the second city charter granted in Massachusetts, after Boston's.
Salem's identity has never fully separated from the events of 1692, when more than 200 people in Salem and neighboring towns were accused of witchcraft and 19 were hanged; that history is examined today at the Peabody Essex Museum, whose roots trace to the 1799 East India Marine Society, and it drives the city's October "Haunted Happenings" festival. The same maritime-era wealth left behind the National Park Service's Salem Maritime National Historic Site along Derby Wharf and Nathaniel Hawthorne's House of the Seven Gables, a 1668 mansion that inspired his 1851 novel of the same name.
Today Salem is a compact, walkable city of roughly 44,480 residents built around one of the North Shore's busiest working harbors, with a downtown Walk Score in the high 90s and a roughly 30-minute MBTA Commuter Rail ride to Boston's North Station. Salem was also one of the first two Massachusetts communities certified compliant with the state's MBTA Communities (Section 3A) multifamily zoning law, meeting the requirement through its existing downtown zoning district rather than new rezoning. As of May 2026, Redfin puts Salem's median home sale price at $589,647, essentially flat year-over-year in a market where homes are still fielding multiple offers.
At a Glance
- Population
- 44,480 (Essex County)
- Land Area
- 8.10 sq mi
- County
- Essex County, Massachusetts
- FY2026 Residential Tax Rate
- $10.78 per $1,000 assessed value
- Walk Score
- 70 citywide ("Very Walkable"); 97 in Downtown
Source-verified as of 2026-07-23.
Highlights
Why People Choose Salem
Peabody Essex Museum
One of the oldest continuously operating museums in the country, rooted in the 1799 East India Marine Society, with the region's premier collection on the 1692 witch trials.
Salem Maritime National Historic Site
The first National Historic Site designated in the United States, preserving Derby Wharf, the Custom House, and Salem's Age-of-Sail waterfront.
House of the Seven Gables
A 1668 mansion overlooking the harbor that inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1851 novel, now a museum campus with three additional historic houses and a seaside garden.
Salem Willows Park
A 25-acre waterfront park established in 1888 on Salem Neck, with a historic Kiddieland amusement arcade, carousel, mini golf, and two beaches.
Haunted Happenings
Salem's month-long October festival built around its witch-trial history, drawing large crowds to the downtown historic district each fall.
Salem State University
A public university with roughly 6,000-plus students that anchors the western side of the city and adds year-round cultural and athletic programming.
Neighborhoods
Salem's Neighborhoods & Villages
Downtown / Derby Street Waterfront
The city's commercial and cultural core around Essex and Derby Streets, the Salem Depot commuter rail station, and the harbor -- Salem's most walkable district (Walk Score in the high 90s).
McIntire Historic District
A National Historic Landmark district of Federal-era homes, many designed by architect Samuel McIntire, along Chestnut and Federal Streets bordering downtown.
Point Neighborhood (Stage Point)
A dense, historically working-class grid of streets south of downtown, rebuilt after a 1914 fire and now home to rehabbed condo buildings like Congress Street Residences.
Salem Willows / Salem Neck
The eastern peninsula encompassing the Salem Willows Historic District, the Juniper Point neighborhood, and Winter Island, with a mix of 19th-century summer-resort houses and water views.
South Salem
A primarily residential area south of downtown, bordering Forest River Park and the Marblehead line.
Lifestyle
Life in Salem
Life in Salem revolves around its working harbor, its dense concentration of museums and historic sites, and a downtown that stays busy well beyond the October tourist season.
Parks & Recreation
Parks in Salem
Salem Willows Park
167 Fort Ave, Salem, MA
- Two public beaches
- Historic Kiddieland arcade with carousel
- Mini golf
- Waterfront walking paths
- Summer concerts and festivals
Forest River Park
Salem, MA
- Two beaches
- Playground
- Baseball diamond
- Walking paths
- Vintage concrete slide
- Picnic areas
Winter Island Park
Winter Island Rd, Salem, MA
- Public beach
- Boat ramp
- Seasonal campground
- Harbor and lighthouse views
Schools
Schools Serving Salem
Public Schools
Salem High School
High School (Salem Public Schools)
Collins Middle School
Middle School (Salem Public Schools)
Bentley Academy Innovation School
Elementary, K-5 (Salem Public Schools)
Salem Academy Charter School
Public Charter, Grades 6-12
Private Schools
The Phoenix School
Private, elementary-focused (grade levels not independently confirmed)
School assignments are subject to change — always verify directly with the school district before making a decision. Source (verified 2026-07-23)
HOA & Condo Communities
Salem Associations
Salem doesn't have a single large-scale planned HOA community; instead, its condo stock is concentrated in downtown and Point Neighborhood buildings with their own condo associations.
Derby Lofts
A downtown Salem condo building near the waterfront, about a 10-minute walk to the Salem commuter rail station.
Congress Street Residences
An eight-building, 64-unit condo rehabilitation in the Point Neighborhood Historic District, redeveloped with the North Shore Community Development Corporation.
New Construction
Building in Salem
Salem was one of the first two Massachusetts municipalities the state certified as compliant with the MBTA Communities Section 3A multifamily zoning law, and it has an active multifamily project moving forward near its downtown train station.
Crescent Lot (Downtown)
A city-owned parcel next to the Salem MBTA station where the Planning Board approved a new six-story multifamily building, part of Salem's existing transit-oriented downtown zoning district.
Nearby Communities
How Salem Compares
Beverly, MA
Salem's immediate neighbor across the harbor bridge (about 3 miles/8 minutes away), with a higher median list price (~$690K) than Salem's.
Marblehead, MA
An upscale harbor town about 4 miles from Salem, generally priced above Salem's median.
Danvers, MA
An inland neighbor with a lower median home price (~$495K) and a more suburban, less walkable layout than Salem.
Peabody, MA
A larger, more highway-oriented neighbor with a comparably priced market (median sale price around $599K in late 2025).
FAQ
Salem Real Estate — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the property tax rate in Salem, MA?
For fiscal year 2026, Salem's residential tax rate is $10.78 per $1,000 of assessed value, and the commercial/industrial/personal property rate is $21.89 per $1,000, per the City of Salem's Real Estate Tax Facts page.
How long is the commute from Salem to Boston?
The MBTA Newburyport/Rockport Line commuter rail runs from Salem Depot to Boston's North Station in about 30 minutes. Driving is roughly 16 miles and takes about 30 minutes off-peak, longer during rush hour.
Is Salem at risk of flooding?
Yes -- as a coastal city, Salem has meaningful flood exposure. Reporting based on flood-risk modeling found about 1,531 of Salem's 9,573 properties currently at risk, with that number projected to grow roughly 78% by 2050 as sea levels rise. FEMA has also been updating flood maps for the area.
How walkable is Salem?
Very walkable overall -- Salem's citywide Walk Score is about 70, and its downtown and Salem Harbor Walk areas score in the mid-to-high 90s, considered "Walker's Paradise" territory.
What's the typical price range for homes in Salem?
As of 2026, third-party estimates put Salem's median sale price in roughly the $556,000-$603,000 range depending on the source and month (Redfin cites $589,647 in May 2026; Zillow's typical home value is $556,169), with single-family homes often trading higher than that blended figure.
Does Salem have public water and sewer service?
Yes. The city draws drinking water from the Ipswich River and the Wenham Lake, Putnamville, and Longham reservoirs, treated at a filtration plant run by the Salem & Beverly Water Supply Board, with water and sewer mains maintained by Salem's Department of Public Services.
What school district serves Salem?
Salem Public Schools, which includes Salem High School, Collins Middle School, and several elementary schools including the Bentley Academy Innovation School, plus Salem Academy Charter School (grades 6-12) as a public charter option.
Curious About Life in Salem?
From Federal-era homes in the McIntire District to condos steps from the commuter rail, Bentley's Real Estate can help you find the right fit in Salem. Reach out to our team to talk through current listings and neighborhoods.