Living In Salem NH: Shopping, Dining, And Home Options
July 9, 2026
July 9, 2026
If you are looking for a Southern New Hampshire town that blends everyday convenience with a wide range of housing choices, Salem deserves a close look. Whether you are moving from Massachusetts, buying your first home, or planning a right-size move, you want a place that works for real life, not just on paper. Salem offers that mix through strong shopping and dining options, flexible home types, and access along the Route 28 and I-93 corridor. Let’s take a closer look.
Salem is more than a pass-through border town. It is a major retail and dining hub in Rockingham County, with an estimated population of 31,868 as of July 2025. Census data also shows about $2.05 billion in retail sales and $206.2 million in accommodation and food services sales in 2022, which helps explain why so many people from the surrounding area spend time here.
For many buyers, Salem's location is part of the appeal. Town transportation planning identifies Broadway, also known as Route 28, and I-93 as the key travel spine connecting Salem to Massachusetts. That makes the town especially relevant if you want Southern New Hampshire access while staying tied to the north-of-Boston region.
Tuscan Village has become one of Salem’s most visible destinations. Built on the former 170-acre Rockingham Park site, it was designed as a mixed-use district centered on shopping, dining, events, and community space. The development includes residential and hospitality components as well, including a 165-room Marriott Artisan Hotel, 60 luxury condominiums, ground-level retail, and event space.
What makes Tuscan Village stand out is how much it packs into one area. Official materials highlight year-round events along with newer or incoming concepts such as Apollo Vineyards, SweatHouz, and Festa Studio. If you like the idea of running errands, meeting friends, and enjoying an active environment without driving all over town, this part of Salem will likely get your attention.
Tuscan Village is also a real dining district, not just a shopping stop. Tuscan Brands operates several concepts in Salem, including:
That range gives you a mix of formats and price points in one concentrated area. For buyers who value convenience and an active lifestyle, this kind of clustered dining scene can make day-to-day life feel easier and more enjoyable.
If you prefer a more classic mall experience, Salem still offers that too. The Mall at Rockingham Park includes a wide mix of store categories, from apparel and shoes to home, beauty, dining, movies, and family-focused options. In practical terms, Salem gives you both the open-air mixed-use feel of Tuscan Village and the traditional regional mall setup many shoppers still want.
Salem’s commercial base supports more than occasional entertainment. It helps shape how daily life feels when you live there. A town with this level of retail and food service activity gives you more options close to home, whether you are picking up groceries, grabbing coffee, meeting for dinner, or taking care of errands in one trip.
That can be especially appealing if you work remotely or have a hybrid schedule. Census data shows 93.7% of households report a broadband subscription and 95.6% report a computer, which points to a highly connected community. Combined with a strong local retail core, Salem can support a very workable daily routine.
Salem offers more variety than some buyers expect. Town planning data shows 13,382 housing units as of December 31, 2023, up by 1,572 units since 2010. The current housing mix is still led by single-family homes at roughly 66%, followed by multi-family housing at 29% and manufactured housing at 5%.
That matters because it gives you choices. If you want a traditional single-family property, that remains the dominant housing type. If you are looking for an attached home, condo, or lower-maintenance option, Salem has a meaningful share of those choices too, and town staff expect the gap between single-family and attached housing to narrow over time as more projects are completed.
Census QuickFacts offers a helpful snapshot of the market. Salem’s owner-occupied housing rate is 75.6%, the median owner-occupied home value is $473,300, and the median gross rent is $1,625. Those numbers suggest a town that remains strongly ownership-oriented while still offering rental and attached-home options.
If you are comparing Salem with nearby Massachusetts communities, New Hampshire’s lack of a general sales tax on goods purchased in the state often stands out right away. At the same time, buyers should also weigh ongoing housing costs carefully. Salem’s 2025 property tax rate is $18.16 per $1,000 of assessed value, so it is important to evaluate the full monthly picture, not just the purchase price.
Salem can also be a strong fit if you are looking for a condo or townhouse lifestyle. The town’s attached-housing story includes Tuscan Village condominiums, newer apartment communities, and active condo and townhome inventory in the market today. That broadens the options for buyers who want lower-maintenance living close to shopping and dining.
This can be especially useful for right-sizing buyers. If you want less upkeep without giving up convenience, Salem offers more attached-home choice than many nearby towns in the same part of Southern New Hampshire.
Salem updated its zoning in 2025 to allow one attached or detached accessory dwelling unit per single-family dwelling. For buyers thinking about multigenerational living, guest space, or future flexibility, that change is worth noting. It adds another layer of long-term planning potential for homeowners who want options over time.
Salem is not only about stores and restaurants. The Salem Bike-Ped Corridor is a paved multi-use trail designed for recreation and transportation, and the Salem Town Forest includes a 347-acre trail network for walking, running, biking, and snowshoeing on open trails. Those amenities give the town a more balanced feel than its retail reputation alone might suggest.
If outdoor access matters to you, Salem offers ways to build it into daily life. You can enjoy a more active routine while still being close to major shopping and dining areas. That balance is part of what broadens Salem’s appeal.
Canobie Lake Park is another long-standing local feature. According to the park, it has operated since 1902 and offers more than 85 rides, games, and attractions. For many buyers, it adds another familiar recreational landmark that strengthens Salem’s identity as a regional destination.
Transportation can shape how practical a town feels after the excitement of a home search fades. Salem offers local transit options through CART, including low-cost on-demand service and a free Salem Shopper Shuttle on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The town also states that MeVa will begin Route 28 fixed-route service from the Lawrence, Massachusetts MBTA station through Methuen and Salem, with stops including Aldi, Target, Tuscan Village, and Mass General Brigham, and that the service will be fare free.
For some buyers, that added connectivity can make Salem feel more accessible than other interior Southern New Hampshire towns. If you value options for commuting, errands, or regional access, Salem’s transportation framework is an important part of the story.
Salem can appeal to several types of buyers because it offers a blend of convenience, housing variety, and access. You may find it especially worth considering if you are:
The key is matching Salem’s strengths to your own priorities. For some buyers, the retail and dining scene will be the main draw. For others, it will be the housing mix, location, or daily convenience.
If you are trying to decide whether Salem fits your next move, the answer often comes down to lifestyle as much as square footage. A town with varied home options, strong commercial amenities, outdoor spaces, and practical regional access can offer a lot of value when you look at the full picture. If you want help comparing Salem with nearby Massachusetts or Southern New Hampshire communities, Kimberly Zecher can help you build a smart, clear plan.
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