Salem at a glance
Salem is the first New Hampshire town north of Methuen and Haverhill, in Rockingham County. The 2020 census counted 30,089 residents. The town runs from Canobie Lake on its western edge to the Spicket River, which drains Salem on its way to the Merrimack. Three Interstate 93 interchanges, Exits 1, 2 and 3, sit inside town limits, and that highway access is why so much of southern New Hampshire's retail ended up here.
From the Liriano Realty office at 240 Pleasant St Unit: 10, Methuen, MA 01844, Salem is simply the next town over. Route 28 is called Broadway on both sides of the line and runs straight from Methuen past the Mall at Rockingham Park. A large share of the buyers we bring to Salem are coming from Methuen, Lawrence and Haverhill, and many of the sellers we meet have owned their Salem home for decades.
Neighborhoods and housing stock
Salem grew as three villages: Salem Depot along Route 28, North Salem, and Millville. The historic town center is on Main Street (Route 97) around the Salem Common, with the old town hall from 1738, the fire station and the library.
The housing stock is mostly single-family. The town's own population and housing chapter shows single-family homes as a rising share of construction since the 1970s, with much of the multifamily stock built in 1971 and 1972. On the ground that means colonials and capes on the older streets, split-levels and ranches from the subdivision years, and larger colonials in the newer subdivisions farther from Route 28. Salem also has manufactured housing and allows accessory and in-law apartments.
Condominiums range from garden-style buildings to new townhomes. The most visible new construction is Tuscan Village, the 170-acre redevelopment of Rockingham Park, the racetrack that ran from 1906 to 2016. Tuscan Village has apartments, the Artisan condominiums, and townhouses on Central Street near South Broadway, built in phases of 40 and 37 units. Every association has its own rules and fees, and we go through the documents with you before you commit.
Commute and daily life
I-93 south connects to Route 213, I-495 and Boston. The Mall at Rockingham Park sits at Exit 1, and Salem itself is about 34 miles north-northwest of Boston. Tuscan Village next door has Market Basket, Whole Foods, L.L.Bean, a Mass General Brigham medical building, restaurants and a hotel. Because New Hampshire has no general sales tax, Salem draws shoppers from across the line every day of the week.
Canobie Lake Park opened in 1902 as a trolley park on the east shore of Canobie Lake and is still running. Canobie Lake itself covers 375 acres, shared with Windham, and is Salem's drinking water supply. Arlington Mill Reservoir, known locally as Arlington Pond, sits on the Spicket River in the north of town, and the town posts water quality updates for it. America's Stonehenge at 105 Haverhill Road preserves stone structures and about 4,000 years of history. The Salem Bike-Ped Corridor, a paved trail on the old rail bed, runs from the Windham line through Salem Depot and now continues from Rockingham Park Boulevard to Cluff Crossing Road.
The Salem market today
As of May 2026, the median sale price in Salem is $575,000, most homes trade between $460,000 and $720,000, and a listing takes about 27 days to go under agreement. That is a balanced market. Buyers have some room to negotiate on inspection items and closing dates, and sellers who price on the comparable sales still see offers within the first few weeks.
Moving from Massachusetts
The tax picture is the reason most Merrimack Valley households look at Salem. New Hampshire has no general sales tax and no state tax on wages, while Massachusetts charges 6.25 percent on most purchases and taxes income. New Hampshire towns pay for services through property tax instead. Salem posted a 2025 rate of $18.16 per $1,000 of assessed value with an assessment ratio of 70.5 percent, meaning properties are assessed at 70.5 percent of market value as of April 1, 2025. Compare actual bills, not rates.
If you keep a job in Massachusetts, Massachusetts still taxes pay for work performed inside the state, filed as a nonresident. A tax professional should run your numbers before you decide. Broker and owner Jefri Liriano is licensed in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire (NH brokerage license 081961), so one brokerage can sell your Methuen or Lawrence home and buy your Salem home on one coordinated timeline.
How Liriano Realty helps in Salem
We work Salem in English and Spanish, from the office right across the line. Coming up from Massachusetts? The Salem, NH buyer guide covers the cross-border details. Owned your Salem home for decades? The Salem, NH seller guide explains pricing, preparation and how we market a listing. You can always come back to this Salem, NH hub or contact Liriano Realty at (617) 685-1515 to talk through your situation.