Located in Oconee County
Salem is a community focused on recreation. Residents have access to both Lake Jocassee and Lake Keowee, where boating, fishing and watersports are popular. Housing options have a wide price range, and students are served by a highly rated school district. Shopping and dining spots are limited, but several larger cities are a convenient drive away.
Housing can be found throughout the region, but a majority sit near or on the water. Many properties were built after 2000 and carry New Traditional or Craftsman-style influences. These can range from the mid-$200,000s to the lower $700,000s. There are also larger luxury homes in gated communities like Bay Ridge and The Cliffs at Keowee Falls. Those often run from the lower $800,000s to more than $3 million. Homes on the water tend to be on the more expensive end of those ranges and typically come with a private dock or a boat launch. “[Property] taxes are very reasonable,” says Gwen Fowler, a Realtor with Gwen Fowler Real Estate who has sold homes in Oconee County for more than 25 years. “For a typical second home, they run between $1,700 and $3,000 per year. For a primary residence, that drops. For a million-dollar home, it’s around $15,000 to $20,000 per year.” Around 80% of residents are owners.
The Salem area is a getaway for many residents. The community’s lakes are a big draw, but so is the mountain scenery, which Fowler says is almost always in view. Roads slowly wind through the car-dependent area while surrounded by woods. Salem’s median age is close to 50, and its population over 65 is well above the national average. “People who work from home can live on the lake while waiting on retirement,” Fowler says.
Of the region’s two lakes, Lake Jocassee is smaller but is a hotbed for trout fishing. It is bordered to the east by the Jocassee Gorges and features several waterfalls, and its waters are considered to be among the clearest in the southeast, which allows for scuba diving. Devil’s Fork State Park is the lake’s only public access point. The park has four boat ramps and offers canoe and kayak rentals. On the shore is a playground and two picnic areas. The park’s Oconee Bell Nature Trail, about a mile long, is named after the white and yellow flower found along it. There are no restaurants at the park, so visitors are encouraged to bring food and drinks with them.
Lake Keowee is the larger of the two area lakes and has about 300 miles of shoreline. Residents can get on the lake via boat ramps at Fall Creek Landing and Keowee Town Landing. From the water, boaters can check out Fall Creek Falls, also known as Party Cove Falls, which has a sandbar that often serves as a gathering spot. Waterskiing and wakeboarding are popular activities. There are a few restaurants along the lake, including The Cabana at the Lighthouse, where visitors can dock their boats while dining. These eateries often close during the winter.
Getting around the region is easy for residents thanks to South Carolina highways 11 and 130. Fowler says the roads rarely have heavy traffic. The community is just over 20 miles from the city of Clemson as well as Clemson University, which enrolls close to 30,000 students. Greenville is about an hour’s drive, and so is Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport. Asheville is roughly 90 minutes out. Prisma Health Oconee Memorial Hospital is less than 30 minutes away.
Students are zoned for the highly rated School District of Oconee County, including the top-rated Walhalla Middle School. South Carolina’s Education Scholarship Trust Fund sends more than $7,600 to students from families of low to moderate income. Applicants who meet the standards are selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Salem’s town center is around 20 minutes from the highly rated Oconee Christian Academy, which serves kindergarten through 12th grade.
Restaurants are limited in the community, but there are a few standouts. Options include:
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this area.
Laura Pace
Keller Williams Luxury Lake Li
(864) 920-3754
92 Total Sales
4 in Salem
$62K - $585K Price Range
Miles Maiden
Real Broker, LLC
(864) 740-8252
74 Total Sales
1 in Salem
$1,240,000 Price
Traverse Foster
Common Wealth Realty, LLC
(864) 581-3865
94 Total Sales
2 in Salem
$349K - $620K Price Range
Debra Cummings
ERA Kennedy Group
(864) 539-4318
28 Total Sales
1 in Salem
$10,900 Price
Amber Crain
Keller Williams DRIVE
(864) 633-3779
138 Total Sales
10 in Salem
$13K - $560K Price Range
Brian Cox
Lake Life Realty
(864) 539-4952
21 Total Sales
1 in Salem
$930,000 Price
On average, homes in Salem, SC sell after 86 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Salem, SC over the last 12 months is $610,000, up 3% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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