Salem, MA STR Market Report 2026: A Year, Not Just October

Every October, Salem, Massachusetts turns into the most photographed small city in New England, and every host who has ever listed a property there knows exactly what that month can do to a calendar. But a market report built only around Haunted Happenings would tell a host almost nothing useful about the other eleven months, and eleven months is where most of a Salem host's actual revenue gets made or lost. This report treats October as what it is on the data -- the named peak, not the personality of the whole year.

The number underneath that year is $46,710 in typical annual revenue across 344 active short-term rental listings, drawn from an AirROI extract for the August 2025 through July 2026 window, last updated August 8, 2026. Supporting figures on the same extract: a $378 average daily rate, 48.3 percent occupancy, and RevPAR of about $195. That occupancy figure is the one worth sitting with before anything else -- it is meaningfully higher than what a lot of Cape Cod beach towns post on ADR-driven extracts, and it is the actual story of this market, not a footnote to a witch-themed October.

One flag before the numbers get walked through: an earlier version of this figure circulating in some planning notes labeled Salem's typical revenue at roughly $46,704, built from a $3,892-a-month figure multiplied out to a year. The current AirROI pull shows $46,710. The two numbers are close enough that the difference doesn't change any underwriting conclusion in this report, but this report cites the fresher pull -- $46,710 -- and flags the earlier figure as a WATCH rather than silently averaging the two or picking whichever sounds better.

Neighboring Marblehead, on roughly the same extract window, shows typical revenue of about $46,120 across 157 listings, occupancy 41.6 percent, ADR $445. Those numbers look close to Salem's on the top line, but Marblehead's higher ADR and lower occupancy describes a genuinely different guest and a genuinely different desk. This report keeps Marblehead's figures on their own line throughout, the same way it keeps Boston -- a different metro file entirely, not a Salem neighborhood -- off this page altogether. This is not legal advice.

The Headline Number: $46,710 on 344 Listings

The current extract's load-bearing figure is $46,710 in typical annual revenue across 344 active Salem rentals, for the August 2025 through July 2026 period. That 344-listing count is the denominator behind every average in this report, and it moves between pulls as listings activate, deactivate, or relist under new hosts -- a report filed a month earlier or later could show a somewhat different count on the same market.

Treat $46,710 as a typical-listing benchmark, not a ceiling. A well-photographed, well-priced listing in a strong walkable pocket near the Peabody Essex Museum or House of the Seven Gables corridor can outperform this figure considerably, especially once October pricing is layered on correctly. A generic, under-marketed listing can trail it just as easily. The number is most useful as a starting point for an underwriting conversation, not a guarantee for any specific address.

Occupancy Is the Actual Story Here

At 48.3 percent occupancy, the typical Salem listing in this sample is booked close to half the nights in the year -- a notably stronger figure than plenty of ADR-driven coastal Massachusetts markets that post lower occupancy on a flashier nightly rate. Salem's $378 ADR is respectable but not dramatic; what carries the revenue is that the property is filled more consistently across the calendar than a beach town leaning entirely on a short summer window.

That distinction matters for how a host should think about pricing strategy. A market built on occupancy rather than a sky-high rate rewards a host who keeps the calendar open and priced sensibly across shoulder months, rather than one who blocks off everything but a handful of peak weekends and hopes rate alone carries the year. RevPAR of about $195 is the cleanest single number to sanity-check other data sources against -- multiply it by 365 and you land close to the typical annual revenue figure this report cites.

October Is the Peak, Not the Whole Calendar

in this sample, October is the peak revenue month and February is the lowest, with the softest stretch running January through March. That is a real, dramatic swing -- Haunted Happenings genuinely reshapes Salem's calendar for a few weeks -- but it is one named month against a full year of typical revenue that is $46,710, not a figure built entirely from thirty-one days in the fall.

Guests in this sample book about 74 days ahead on average, which is a long runway compared to a lot of leisure markets and a strong signal that Salem draws planned trips rather than impulse bookings. A host pricing October without understanding that lead time risks either underpricing weeks that were already going to sell out, or opening pricing too late to capture guests who are actively shopping months in advance. A companion piece in this sample walks through October operations -- minimum stays, event-week logistics -- in more depth; this report's job is to keep that month sized correctly against the year.

It is worth naming plainly what October is not, on this data: it is not a separate revenue stream layered on top of an otherwise flat year, and it is not proof that Salem functions as a seasonal-only market the way a beach town with a hard summer cutoff does. Instead, October is one strong month inside a year that also holds up reasonably well the rest of the way, on the strength of the 48.3 percent occupancy figure. A host or buyer sizing this market off October alone -- multiplying a strong October week's rate by fifty-two -- will land on a number this sample does not support.

Supply Grew 26 Percent -- A Crowded Fall, Not Just a Strong One

Active supply in this sample grew 26.0 percent year over year. That is a meaningful jump, and it changes how a host should read Salem's revenue figure: $46,710 in typical revenue is happening despite roughly a quarter more listings competing for guest attention than the year before, which suggests real, growing demand behind the number rather than a shrinking pool of listings simply dividing the same pie differently.

It also means October -- the month every new host is chasing -- is getting more crowded every year, not less. A listing that stood out easily in a thinner field two Octobers ago is now one of several hundred competing for the same search results. Photos, pricing, and positioning matter more this year than they did the last time supply was smaller, and that pressure is unlikely to ease if the growth trend continues into next year's extract.

Two Markets, Not One Blended Salem Year

Marblehead's $46,120 typical revenue on 157 listings, at 41.6 percent occupancy and a $445 ADR, sits close to Salem's top-line dollar figure but describes a different market underneath it -- fewer listings, a higher rate, meaningfully lower occupancy. Blending the two into a single 'North Shore' average would flatter neither town's actual numbers and would mislead a host or buyer trying to price a specific Salem address off a Marblehead-influenced figure.

Marblehead is covered on its own file elsewhere in this project; it is not this report's job to re-litigate its numbers here. What matters for a Salem host is discipline: keep $46,710 on 344 listings as the Salem figure, keep Marblehead's $46,120 on 157 listings on its own separate line, and don't let a harbor-town neighbor's data quietly creep into a Salem underwriting model. The same applies to Boston, which is a different metro file altogether and not a Salem comparison point at all.

The temptation to blend the two towns usually comes from geography, not data -- Salem and Marblehead sit close enough on a map that a quick search often surfaces both, and a host or agent working fast can end up citing whichever figure is more convenient for the pitch at hand. Resist that shortcut. A guest booking Salem is choosing a walkable maritime-and-museum city with its own registration desk; a guest booking Marblehead is choosing a harbor town with a different guest mix entirely. Selling one town's numbers to justify pricing on the other's listing is the kind of error that shows up first in a disappointed review, not in the spreadsheet.

The Desk: City of Salem Registration, Not a Free-for-All

Salem does not run an open short-term rental market. The city regulates STRs under ordinances dating to 2018, with an annual registration requirement and a Certificate of Fitness, administered through the City of Salem's Short-Term Rentals page at salemma.gov/319/Short-Term-Rentals. A $50 annual registration fee is stated on the current city page. This is worth knowing before treating $46,710 as a figure any Salem address can simply step into.

Critically, the city page states that new non-owner-occupied short-term rentals are not currently permitted. A narrow grandfather path exists for properties that were already engaged in STR use before July 16, 2018, via a ZBA special permit -- but applications for that path were due no later than June 15, 2019, a window that has long since closed. Zoning also restricts STR use to certain neighborhoods. A separate piece in this sample walks through the full rules picture; the point for this report is that Salem's revenue figure sits behind a registration desk with real limits, not an assumption that any owner can list freely.

State Tax Layer: Room Occupancy Excise

Massachusetts requires state and local room occupancy excise collection on short-term rentals under a law effective July 1, 2019, which applies on top of whatever city registration a Salem host also carries. This report does not cite a specific remittance percentage here, because the current path should be confirmed directly with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue rather than pulled secondhand from a report like this one -- rates and administrative details can shift, and a host underwriting off a stale figure risks a real compliance gap.

Netting out both the city's $50 annual registration fee and the applicable state excise obligation is a necessary step before treating $46,710 as anything close to a bottom-line take. This is not legal advice; a Salem host or buyer should confirm current registration status, Certificate of Fitness requirements, and excise remittance directly with the City of Salem and the state before finalizing pricing or purchase underwriting.

One more note on the regulatory picture worth stating directly: this report deliberately does not repeat a 'low regulation' line that shows up on some aggregator pages describing Salem. Between the city's annual registration requirement, the Certificate of Fitness, the owner-occupancy limits on new listings, and the state excise layer, Salem's actual rules picture is closer to a managed, registration-first market than a loosely regulated one. Treating it as the latter is a fast way to underwrite a property that turns out not to be eligible to operate at all.

Where the Occupancy Number Likely Comes From

This report does not have listing-level data to point to a specific neighborhood driving the 48.3 percent occupancy figure, and it will not guess one. But it is reasonable, given what Salem actually is, to note that a market built around a walkable historic core -- the Peabody Essex Museum, the House of the Seven Gables, a compact downtown a guest can navigate on foot -- tends to support more consistent, non-summer-only booking than a beach-access-only market does. Museum and history travel does not stop in October the way beach travel stops after Labor Day.

That is a plausible explanation, not a confirmed data point, and this report labels it as such. What is confirmed is the occupancy figure itself: 48.3 percent, on 344 listings, for the current extract window. A host deciding where to invest marketing effort -- walkability, proximity to the museum district, ease of a car-free stay -- should treat that decision as informed by Salem's known identity, not by a specific occupancy breakdown this sample does not provide.

What Changes a Buyer's Underwriting Here

A buyer evaluating a Salem short-term rental purchase against this sample should build in at least three deductions the $46,710 headline figure does not already include: the city's annual registration fee, the applicable state room occupancy excise, and a realistic accounting for the fact that non-owner-occupied STRs face real restrictions on this market -- meaning a buyer's actual eligibility to legally operate a given property needs confirming before the revenue figure means anything at all.

It's also worth underwriting to the trend, not just the snapshot. Supply grew 26.0 percent year over year while typical revenue held at a healthy $46,710 -- a market absorbing real new competition without the typical listing's revenue collapsing. That is a reasonably encouraging signal for demand, but it does not guarantee the same holds next year if supply keeps climbing at a similar pace without a matching rise in visitor demand.

What This Means for Hosts Underwriting Salem

Put together, this report supports a specific underwriting posture for Salem: start from $46,710 typical revenue on 344 listings as a base case, not a stretch case; net out the city's registration fee and the applicable state excise before calling any number a bottom line; and confirm actual eligibility to register -- particularly around owner-occupancy status -- before assuming a given property can legally operate as an STR at all.

Price October as the genuine peak it is, using the roughly 74-day booking lead time as a guide for when to open and adjust that pricing, but do not build a full-year plan around it. January through March is the softest stretch in this sample, and a listing that treats those months as an afterthought is leaving real, addressable revenue on the table across a quarter of the calendar.

Finally, treat this report as a dated snapshot from a specific extract -- August 2025 through July 2026, last updated August 8, 2026 -- rather than a permanent statement about Salem's short-term rental economics. Listing counts shift, city ordinances can be revisited, and a stronger or weaker October can move the year's occupancy and revenue figures meaningfully. Revisit the underlying numbers before pricing a new season or presenting Salem figures to a buyer or partner, and keep Marblehead's file, Boston's file, and any Haunted Happenings crowd story on their own separate lines.

Related Reading

More Salem, MA STR Market Report 2026 host reading on desks, calendars, and listing clarity.

• How to Market a Salem, MA Stay Without Borrowing Marblehead

• Salem, MA Short-Term Rental Rules: The City of Salem Desk

• Salem's Shoulder Season: Protecting October, Pricing January

• Remote Work in Salem, MA: A Real Desk, Not a Discount Month

• DIY vs. Hire: Fixing the Salem, MA Listing That Reads Generic

• Who Actually Books a Salem, MA Vacation Rental in 2026

• Buying a Salem, MA Rental in 2026: Underwrite This Year

• Salem, MA Tourism Data: Why Visitor Counts Aren't Occupancy

• The Complete Visitors Guide to Salem, MA for Hosts

• What It Actually Costs to Start a Legal Salem, MA STR

• Financing a Salem, MA Rental: What Lenders Actually Ask

• Salem, MA vs. Essex County: Which Desk Handles Your STR

• Salem vs. Marblehead: Two Towns, Two Very Different Years

• Salem in October: Running an STR Through Haunted Happenings

Frequently Asked Questions

What did typical Salem, MA short-term rental listings earn last year?

About $46,710 in typical annual revenue, based on 344 active rentals on an AirROI extract for the August 2025 through July 2026 window, updated August 8, 2026. Supporting figures show a $378 average daily rate, 48.3 percent occupancy, and RevPAR near $195. Treat this as a typical-listing benchmark rather than a guarantee for any specific address.

Is Salem's short-term rental market just October and Haunted Happenings?

No. October is the peak revenue month in this sample, and it is a real, dramatic swing, but the $46,710 typical annual revenue figure describes a full twelve-month year. February is the lowest month, and January through March is the softest stretch. A host who prices only for October and ignores the rest of the calendar is leaving addressable revenue on the table.

How does Salem compare to Marblehead on the same data window?

Marblehead shows about $46,120 typical revenue on 157 listings, occupancy 41.6 percent, ADR $445 -- close to Salem's top-line dollar figure but built from a different mix of fewer listings, a higher rate, and lower occupancy. The two towns should stay on separate lines in any pricing or underwriting conversation; Marblehead is covered on its own market file elsewhere.

Can anyone register a new short-term rental in Salem?

Not automatically. The City of Salem's current page states that new non-owner-occupied short-term rentals are not permitted. A narrow grandfather path existed for properties in STR use before July 16, 2018, via a ZBA special permit, but that application window closed June 15, 2019. Confirm current eligibility directly with the City of Salem before assuming a property qualifies. This is not legal advice.

What does it cost to register a short-term rental in Salem?

The city's current Short-Term Rentals page states a $50 annual registration fee, alongside a required Certificate of Fitness. A state-level room occupancy excise also applies on top of city registration; confirm the current remittance path directly with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue rather than relying on a secondhand figure.

How much did Salem's short-term rental supply grow this year?

Active supply in this sample grew 26.0 percent year over year. Typical revenue held at a healthy $46,710 despite that growth, which is a reasonably encouraging demand signal, but it also means a listing competing for October bookings is facing meaningfully more competition than it was the year before.

How far ahead do guests book a Salem short-term rental?

About 74 days on average, in this sample -- a long planning window compared to many leisure markets. That lead time argues for opening and adjusting pricing well ahead of peak weeks, particularly around October, rather than waiting until the month is close to set rates.

Why does this report cite $46,710 instead of the $46,704 figure some planning notes use?

An earlier figure built from a $3,892-a-month number multiplied out to a year landed at roughly $46,704. The current AirROI extract, re-pulled and updated August 8, 2026, shows $46,710. The two are close enough that neither changes this report's underwriting conclusions, but this report cites the fresher pull and flags the difference rather than quietly picking one.

Is Salem's occupancy or its nightly rate the bigger driver of revenue?

Occupancy. At 48.3 percent, Salem books closer to half its available nights than a lot of ADR-driven coastal Massachusetts markets, even with a respectable but not dramatic $378 ADR. That means a Salem host benefits more from keeping the calendar open and reasonably priced across shoulder months than from chasing an aggressive nightly rate on a handful of peak weekends.

What is the single most important number for a Salem host to underwrite from?

$46,710 in typical annual revenue across 344 active listings, on the current August 2025 through July 2026 AirROI extract. Net that figure against the city's registration fee and the applicable state excise, confirm actual eligibility to register given the city's owner-occupancy limits, and keep Marblehead's separate figures off this line entirely.

Work with Crest & Cove Creative

Marketing copy that only sells October leaves January through March empty, and marketing copy that sells Marblehead's harbor by mistake leaves guests confused before they ever check in. Name the failure mode the guest can check on the listing.

If your Salem listing's photos, pricing, or positioning still read like a generic North Shore rental, that gap costs bookings across the eleven months that aren't October. We help hosts build a plan around this town's actual numbers.

Reach out at crestcove.co or (256) 998-7502.