Cost of living in Salem, IL — Housing, Rent & Index

All states·Illinois·Salem·Cost of living

Housing, rent, and a comparison to the US average.

$148,297
Median home value
/mo
Median rent
42
Cost index (US=100)
+10.1%
Home YoY change

The median home value in Salem, IL is $148,297 as of 2026-04. That places Salem below the US average for housing cost, with a cost index of approximately 42 versus a national baseline of 100.

Over the past 12 months, the median home value in Salem has climbed 10.1%, and over the past five years it has averaged +6.7% annual growth. The current price sits +0.0% from its 5-year peak in 2026-04.

Beyond housing, day-to-day costs in Salem are shaped by state and local taxes, utility rates, transportation, and groceries. This page focuses on the housing component, which is the largest single line in most household budgets and the easiest to compare across cities using consistent national data.

Housing

Median home value$148,297
1-year change+10.1%
5-year CAGR+6.7%
10-year CAGR+4.7%
vs 5-year peak+0.0%

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI).

How Salem compares

Cost index42 (below US)
Median home vs US (~$355k)-58.2%
Population7,016
Momentum score72 (Rising)

Cost index is currently a housing-only proxy; full BLS basket coming with ACS pull.

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.