Salem, Massachusetts Short-Term Rental Market
Salem bans new non-owner-occupied STRs, as Greater Boston area shows $264 ADR, 70.6% occupancy, $4,977 monthly revenue in September 2026.
Quick Answer: Salem, Massachusetts is an active short-term rental market. average occupancy in the Boston market area is 71%. average monthly revenue in the Boston market area is $4,977. average daily rate in the Boston market area is $264. the top operator in the Boston market area is Blueground with 648 listings. market score is 53/100 (grade D).
Market data reflects the Boston regional market, which includes Salem. Regulations, taxes, and permit details below are specific to Salem.
Market Score Breakdown
Five dimensions StaySTRA evaluates per market.
Market Overview
Salem, Massachusetts is a historic city of 44,795 residents that draws roughly 1.8 million visitors a year. The draw is witch trial history, the Salem Witch Museum, the Peabody Essex Museum and the month-long Haunted Happenings festival in October. Short-term rental performance is reported at a regional level, so the figures in this profile describe the Greater Boston area STR market, which also covers Medford, Somerville, Quincy, Newburyport and Salisbury. Bedroom, channel and listing-type counts and top operators are tracked at a shared regional level rather than uniquely for Salem, so this profile omits them.
In September 2026 the Greater Boston area STR market averaged an ADR of $264, occupancy of 70.6% and average monthly revenue of $4,977 per listing. Compared with a year earlier, occupancy rose 2.5%, ADR rose 7.9% and revenue rose 13.1%. Across the first nine months of 2026, occupancy averaged 65.2%, ADR averaged $231 and monthly revenue averaged $4,091, against 65.3%, $209 and $3,800 for all of 2025. Occupancy remains below its 71.8% reading in 2022, so recent revenue growth has leaned on rate increases more than on fuller calendars.
Tourism in Salem is concentrated in October. Haunted Happenings pulled 1,040,600 visitors in October 2024, up 8.6% year over year, and Halloween day alone saw a record 87,351 people. About a third of the city’s tourism economy lands in that one month, and tourism supports roughly 1,000 jobs and about $140 million in annual spending. Most visitors are leisure day-trippers and weekend travelers from Greater Boston and the Northeast.
The typical Salem home value is $620,748, which makes entry costly, and Salem’s own rules limit who can operate. New non-owner-occupied short-term rentals are not permitted, so the practical opportunity is owner-occupied hosting, covered in the regulatory section below.
Seasonal Patterns
| Month | Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Jan | 52% |
| Feb | 60% |
| Mar | 65% |
| Apr | 65% |
| May | 68% |
| Jun | 72% |
| Jul | 75% |
| Aug | 75% |
| Sep | 72% |
| Oct | 74% |
| Nov | 58% |
| Dec | 53% |
Month-by-month nightly rates and revenue figures for Salem are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Top Short-Term Rental Operators in Boston market area
Ranked by total active listings. Useful for understanding the competitive landscape. Operator data is published for the Boston market as a whole, which includes Salem, so these counts are not Salem-only figures.
| # | Operator | Listings | Reviews | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blueground | 648 | 325 | ★ 4.16 |
| 2 | Evonify | 249 | 6,320 | ★ 4.58 |
| 3 | Club Quarters Hotels | 125 | 1,849 | ★ 4.71 |
| 4 | Maverick Suites | 124 | 24,964 | ★ 4.60 |
| 5 | Compass Furnished Apartments | 122 | 157 | ★ 4.91 |
What Kind of STR Should I Buy in Salem?
Revenue and nightly-rate breakdowns by bedroom count, property tier, and dwelling type for Salem are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Channel Mix
Distribution of bookings across major STR platforms.
| Channel | Share |
|---|---|
| airbnb | 64.7% |
| vrbo | 5% |
| both | 30.3% |
Home Value Trends (Salem)
Typical home values, median sale prices, and the 10-year price trend for Salem are available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Booking Insights
Booking-window and length-of-stay analysis for Salem — how far ahead guests book and how to price around it — is available to StaySTRA Pro members. Unlock with StaySTRA Pro or analyze a specific address free.
Short-Term Rental Regulations
Salem effectively closes the door on investor-owned short-term rentals. New non-owner-occupied STRs are not permitted anywhere in the city. A new registration is available only for the owner’s principal-residence unit, so both owner occupancy and primary residence are required.
The only non-owner-occupied rentals still operating are a legacy group that was already running before July 16, 2018 and obtained a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals within the original deadline. That pathway is closed to new entrants.
Short-term rentals, meaning stays under 30 consecutive days, must be registered with the city every year. The registration fee is $50 and renews annually. Each rental must also pass an annual Certificate of Fitness inspection administered through the city’s building and inspectional services.
Zoning limits where rentals can operate. They are restricted to certain neighborhoods and prohibited in R1 residential zones. Occupancy is capped at no more than three unrelated persons per dwelling unit.
Operators must collect the room occupancy excise: 5.7% state plus a 5% Salem local option, or 10.7% combined. Enforcement is rated strict. Failing to register carries fines starting at $100, and penalties can include permanent prohibition from registering the property.
In early 2026 the city circulated draft revisions to its residential rentals ordinance, focused on inspections and including a proposed multi-year inspection schedule. The 2018 ban on new non-owner-occupied rentals remains in force. Confirm current requirements with the city before buying or listing.
Market Comparison
In September 2026 the Greater Boston area STR market posted 70.6% occupancy and a $264 ADR, a strong showing for the region.
The seasonal profile also holds up. Even January, the weakest month, posts 51.8% occupancy, while August reaches 74.8%. The average annualized revenue of $37,266 reflects both the rate and occupancy levels.
Growth is positive as well. Revenue rose 13.1% year over year in September 2026, with ADR up 7.9% and occupancy up 2.5%. Over a longer view, the market’s 2026 year-to-date ADR of $231 compares with $139 in 2017, though occupancy has settled from its 71.8% high in 2022 to 65.2% so far this year.
The tradeoff is access. Salem’s high typical home value of $620,748 and its ban on new non-owner-occupied rentals mean that comparable returns are available only to owner-occupants. Investors who want to scale a portfolio will need to look at markets that allow non-owner-occupied operation, while owner-occupants in Salem can benefit from a high-demand, high-rate regional market.
Frequently Asked Questions About Salem, Massachusetts
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