Brokers — List your Company Here
Featured local agent — Salem, SD
Sarah Mitchell
Compass Real Estate · Salem, SD
“Your trusted relocation specialist since 2009. 350+ homes sold. Zero-pressure, data-first approach.”
This spot is open. Be the only brokerage featured on this page — one slot, no auction.
Claim this spot* Example only — dummy agent for illustration. Your logo, name, tagline, link, and lead routing replace this content.
Salem, SD Housing Market
The typical home in Salem, SD is worth $254,404, rose 6.5% over the past year (Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026). The last median sale price Redfin published was $115,000 (through May 2026). With 6.0 months of supply and homes going under contract in about 84 days, Salem is a buyer's market. At today's 7.03% 30-year fixed rate, 20% down on a $254,404 home is about $1,358/mo in principal and interest.
Key numbers for Salem, SD
Typical home value
$254,404
+6.5% in 12 months
Zillow, August 2026
Median sale price
$115,000
Last published period
Redfin, through May 2026
Days on market
84
Slow-moving
Redfin, through May 2026
Active listings
6
6.0 months of supply
Redfin, through May 2026
30-yr fixed rate
7.03%
Freddie Mac weekly average
Freddie Mac via FRED, September 2026
Median household income
$71,655
Home costs 3.6x income
U.S. Census ACS, 2023
Sale-to-list ratio
92.0%
Selling below asking
Redfin, through May 2026
Zillow figures are as of August 2026 and refresh monthly. Redfin figures are through May 2026 — Redfin stopped publishing its public market trackers in June 2026, so those numbers are final, not current. Mortgage rates come from Freddie Mac via FRED and update weekly.
Is Salem a buyer's or seller's market?
Salem, SD is a buyer's market, based on 6.0 months of supply and homes selling in about 84 days. Above 5 months of supply, homes start accumulating faster than they clear, which is where buyers gain leverage on price, repairs, and closing costs.
Inputs are Redfin's final published period (May 2026). How we classify markets · Where the data comes from
What does the Salem housing market data show?
Every row below is Redfin's final published month for Salem, SD. Redfin, through May 2026
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median sale price | $115,000 |
| Median list price | $187,500 |
| Median price per sq ft | $113/sq ft |
| Median days on market | 84 days |
| Active inventory | 6 listings |
| Months of supply | 6.0 months |
| Sale-to-list price ratio | 92.0% |
| Homes sold (that month) | 1 |
| New listings (that month) | 2 |
| Market condition | Buyer's market |
How to read these numbers
- Median sale price
- Half the homes that closed sold for more than this, half for less. It moves with what kind of home sold that month, so a quiet month with two big sales can swing it. Redfin's figure for Salem is frozen at May 2026.
- Typical home value (ZHVI)
- Zillow's estimate of what a mid-market home in Salem is worth right now, whether or not it sold. It is smoother than the median sale price and it still refreshes monthly, which is why this page leads with it.
- Months of supply
- How long it would take to sell every active listing at the current pace. Under 3 favors sellers, over 6 favors buyers, and 3 to 6 is the balanced band.
- Days on market
- Median time from listing to accepted offer. Short means you should have financing ready before you tour; long means there is room to negotiate on price and repairs.
- Sale-to-list ratio
- Sale price divided by the last asking price. Above 100% means bidding above asking is normal here; below 100% means the typical buyer got a discount.
- Price per square foot
- The size-adjusted price. Use it to compare a 1,400 sq ft house to a 2,600 sq ft house, not to value your own home — lot, condition and age move it a lot.
- Listings with a price cut
- Share of active listings that dropped their asking price in the month. A high share is the earliest visible sign that sellers are ahead of what buyers will pay.
- Typical asking rent (ZORI)
- Zillow's repeat-rent index for asking rents on new leases. Paired with the home value it gives the price-to-rent ratio in the rent-vs-buy section below.
How have Salem home prices moved?
Over the last three years the median sale price in Salem, SD fell 49.5%, from $227,500 to $115,000. The live Zillow value series has rose 6.5% in the last 12 months, which is the more current read now that Redfin's series has stopped. For prices to fall meaningfully from here, supply would have to keep building past 6.0 months while the sale-to-list ratio slips below its current 92.0%. Watch those two together — they move before the median does.
Redfin, through May 2026 — the chart ends at Redfin's final published month.
Get Salem market alerts
Weekly updates on prices, inventory, and trends. Free forever.
What does it cost to buy a home in Salem?
Priced off the typical home value of $254,404 at the current 7.03% 30-year fixed rate. These are principal and interest only — property taxes, homeowner's insurance, HOA dues and mortgage insurance are on top, and they vary enough by property that we will not guess them for you.
| Down payment | Cash at close | Loan amount | Monthly P&I |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20% | $50,881 | $203,523 | $1,358/mo |
| 5% | $12,720 | $241,684 | $1,613/mo |
Zillow, August 2026 for the price · Freddie Mac via FRED, September 2026 for the rate
What income do you need?
Lenders generally want housing costs under 28% of gross income. On the 20%-down payment of $1,358, that implies roughly $58,206 a year before you add taxes and insurance. The median household in Salem earns $71,655, about $13,449 more than that threshold — the typical local household clears the payment on a typical local home with 20% down. That puts the price-to-income ratio at 3.6x — above the historical 3x norm but in line with much of the country in 2026.
Run it with your own numbers: affordability calculator · mortgage calculator
Buying in Salem in the next 12 months?
Tell us your timeline. We send the Salem market brief: the price ranges that actually clear, how long homes sit, and what to fix on your credit before you apply.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Salem?
Zillow does not publish a rent index (ZORI) for Salem, SD, so we cannot compute a price-to-rent ratio here without borrowing a nearby market's rents and calling them local — which we will not do. The rent vs. buy calculator works with a rent figure you supply.
Is inventory rising or falling in Salem?
Active listings in Salem, SD went from 2 in September 2024 to 6 in May 2026, a +200.0% change. Rising inventory is the single most useful leading indicator for buyers: more choice, longer marketing times, and more sellers willing to negotiate before price cuts show up in the median.
| Month | Active listings | New listings |
|---|---|---|
| November 2024 | 8 | 6 |
| January 2025 | 8 | 2 |
| March 2025 | 7 | 2 |
| April 2025 | 8 | 3 |
| June 2025 | 9 | 3 |
| July 2025 | 5 | not published |
| August 2025 | 4 | not published |
| October 2025 | 5 | 3 |
| December 2025 | 3 | 1 |
| February 2026 | 5 | 2 |
| March 2026 | 6 | 1 |
| May 2026 | 6 | 2 |
Redfin, through May 2026
How does Salem compare to South Dakota and the U.S.?
Salem homes sell for $115,000 — 67% below the South Dakota median of $346,600. Against the national median of $410,700, Salem runs 72% lower.
| Market | Median sale price | YoY | Days on market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, SD | $115,000 | not published | 84 days |
| South Dakota statewide | $346,600 | +4.3% | 49 days |
| United States | $410,700 | not published | not published |
City and state rows: Redfin, through May 2026 · U.S. row: Freddie Mac via FRED, April 2026 (MSPUS, quarterly)
What to do next in Salem
What buyers should watch
- Months of supply, currently 6.0. It turns before price does — when it climbs past 6, sellers start taking offers they would have rejected a quarter earlier.
- The gap between 5% and 20% down here is $255 a month in principal and interest alone, before mortgage insurance. That gap, not the price, is usually what decides your timeline.
- Rate moves. At 7.03%, every full point of rate change moves the payment on a $254,404 home more than a 5% price change does.
- Your credit tier before you shop, not after — it sets the rate you are quoted. Run your numbers first.
What sellers should know
- The median Salem listing goes under contract in 84 days. If yours passes that mark, the market is telling you the price is wrong — not that you need more showings.
- Homes here close at 92.0% of asking. Price to that ratio from day one rather than chasing the market down in cuts.
- In the last published month Salem added 2 new listings against 1 sales — more competition arriving than clearing, so early timing matters.
- Your equity moved +6.5% in the last 12 months on the Zillow value series. That, not the price you paid, is what sets your net proceeds.
- Comparable ZIP-level pricing inside Salem varies more than the citywide median suggests — check the ZIP pages below before you set a number.
Homes for sale in Salem
There are currently 6 homes listed for sale in Salem, South Dakota. The median listing price is $188K.
Active listings
6
Homes on market
Median list price
$188K
Avg. days on market
84
Days until sale
New this week
2
Newly listed
How much do homes cost in Salem by property type?
How the Salem, SD market breaks down across single-family homes, condos and townhouses. Redfin, through May 2026
| Property type | Median price | Price / sq ft | Homes sold | Days on market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family | $115,000 | $113/sq ft | 1 | 84 days |
Who lives in Salem?
American Community Survey estimates for Salem. U.S. Census ACS, 2023
Population
1,201
Households
531
Median income
$71,655/yr
Median age
43.7 years
Owner-occupied
70.2%
Median home value
$163,500
Median gross rent
$880/mo
Mean commute
20.1 min
70.2% of occupied homes in Salem are owner-occupied, and the rest are rented — which is the share that decides how much of the local housing stock ever reaches the for-sale market. The Census self-reported median home value is $163,500 against Zillow's $254,404 typical value; the gap is normal — ACS asks owners what they think their home is worth, Zillow models transactions.
Which public schools serve Salem?
4 schools tracked · 472 students
The largest public schools serving Salem, SD by enrollment, drawn from the National Center for Education Statistics. School quality is a commonly cited factor in home-buying decisions — these are the campuses families in this area are most likely to encounter.
McCook Central Elementary - 02
Grades PK-4 · 208 students
McCook Central High School - 01
Grades 9-12 · 121 students
McCook Central Middle School - 03
Grades 5-8 · 115 students
Goldenview Colony School - 04
Grades K-8 · 28 students
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data directory. Updated annually. Ratings and test scores are not currently displayed.
Which cities are near Salem, SD?
Ordered by distance from Salem, not by size. Compare Salem side by side with any of them.
Salem housing market FAQ
Is Salem a buyer's or seller's market?
Salem, SD is currently a buyer's market. That read comes from 6.0 months of supply, homes going under contract in about 84 days, and sellers getting 92.0% of their asking price in the last month Redfin published (May 2026).
How much do homes cost in Salem?
The typical home in Salem, SD is worth $254,404 (Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026). The median sale price in the last month Redfin published was $115,000, about $113 per square foot.
Is Salem cheaper than the rest of South Dakota?
Salem's median sale price of $115,000 is 67% lower than the South Dakota statewide median of $346,600, and 72% below the U.S. median of $410,700. Both figures are for the same period.
How long do homes take to sell in Salem?
Homes in Salem, SD spent a median of 84 days on market before going under contract, versus 49 days statewide. Over two months means buyers have time to inspect, compare and negotiate. (Redfin, through May 2026.)
What income do you need to buy a home in Salem?
At the current 30-year fixed rate of 7.03%, 20% down on a $254,404 home is about $1,358 a month in principal and interest. Lenders typically want that under 28% of gross income, which works out to roughly $58,206 a year before taxes, insurance, HOA dues or mortgage insurance. The local median household income is $71,655.
Are home prices rising in Salem?
The typical home value in Salem, SD rose 6.5% over the last 12 months, from $238,774 to $254,404 (Zillow, August 2026). This is the live series — it refreshes monthly.
What are the cheapest ZIP codes in Salem?
Salem ZIP-level sale prices are not all published for the same period, so ranking them would compare different months. The ZIP pages listed on this page show what we hold for each one individually.
Is now a good time to buy in Salem?
That depends on your timeline, not on a headline. What the data says today: Salem, SD is a buyer's market with 6.0 months of supply, the 30-year fixed rate is 7.03%. Properties Incorporated publishes the data; it does not give financial advice.
Be the brokerage on this page
1 slot per pageGet featured on Salem, SD
Your logo, brokerage name, and direct link to your site — featured at the top of this page in front of every visitor researching this whole city. One brokerage, no rotation, no bidding war.
- Goes live in 24 hours
- Cancel anytime
- Do-follow backlink to your site
Keep researching Salem
Nearby markets
Get the Salem market brief
Get the Salem, SD market brief
One email: what homes are actually clearing at around $254,404, how long they sit, which ZIPs run cheaper, and what to fix on your credit before you apply.