Salem
Essex County · Pop. 44,480
Salem has approved 9 of 9 ADU applications (100% approval rate) and has 2 of 3 ordinance provisions consistent with state law.
Based on 9 approved ADU applications and 44,480 residents
Permits
9 applications since the ADU law took effect in Feb 2025
Ordinance Consistency
Salem has no provisions identified as inconsistent. The 70% FMR rent cap is a voluntary opt-in for property owners seeking a tax exemption — not a mandatory condition of ADU approval. Two additional provisions are under review. Salem has a 100% approval rate on the 9 permits submitted.
Cost Snapshot
No cost data available yet for Salem.
Try the cost estimatorADU Impact on Housing Production
In 2024, Salem issued 35 total residential building permits. In the first year of the ADU law, 9 ADU permits were approved — equivalent to 25.7% of prior-year housing production.
Source: Census Bureau (2024) via UMass Donahue Institute; EOHLC ADU Survey (2025)
How Salem Compares
Next Steps
Sources: EOHLC ADU Survey 2025. Population estimates from 2024 Census ACS.
Disclaimer: ADU Pulse provides data for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, financial, or construction advice.Ordinance consistency analysis reflects our interpretation of public records and may not reflect the most current local amendments.
See methodology for details on data collection, scoring, and consistency analysis.