Home to one of Salem Oregon’s coffee house gems, French Press, the Candalaria neighborhood is located solidly in the middle of south Salem. Just south of Fairmount Hills, this neighborhood was developed in the 1950s through the 1970s. For home buyers looking for a mid-century modern home, Candalaria is one of the few neighborhoods in Salem where they can be found. Oak floors with 1950s floor plans are the norm here. This is the home of the pink bathroom. Candalaria and Laurel Springs are often talked about together as Laurel Springs is on the other side of the hill heading toward River Road.
The iconic star house in Candalaria Neighborhood
Modern influences can be seen in many of the homes in the area and often a wall of windows was created to highlight the amazing views. Not all homes have views but many have spectacular views of the Coastal Range.
Homebuyers are often stunned when we head back into the hills of Candalaria. Hills mean sloped lots, but you can also find homes with flat lots here as well. The winding streets can be a bit confusing as you head toward the top of the hill so have your GPS handy.
This is a highly stable neighborhood where residents live for a long time so often updating is often needed when homes come up for sale. This is one of the few areas in Salem where it is common for homes to have basements. As such, homes tend to be much larger here than in other areas of Salem, for the same time period. You will also see radiant heat through a boiler in this neighborhood. There are a handful of homes in here that have that type of heating system.
Home prices in Candalaria
The farther up the hill you go, the more expensive the homes become. In “lower” Candalaria, you can still get one of the smaller homes for $350,000-$400,000. Homes up the hill are generally $600,000+.
Neighborhood Life
One of the big draws of Candalaria is accessing the elementary school, Candalaria Elementary. It is one of the smallest elementary schools in the district as there is no room to expand the school. Many parents like that the school feels more personal, and it has a strong volunteer group of parents. The neighborhood also feeds into Leslie MS and South HS.
There is no lack of nearby and walkable access to good things. French Press is a popular coffee and crepes place and would be walkable down the hill. You can also grab a beer and a burger at Venti’s Taphouse or an omelet at Acme Cafe. It is also walkable to Roths Grocery Store and Lifesource, which is the local organic food store. Residents have easy access to Cafe Yumm, Straight from NY Pizza, or play pool at the Corner Pocket Bar and Grill.
It is part of the SWAN Neighborhood Association, a civic association within the city and not an HOA.
While Candalaria doesn’t have a large park within its boundaries, Minto Brown Island Park is just a few minutes away and you could bike there if you don’t mind climbing hills to get back up. Bush Park is also close by so there is nearby access to two large parks for walking/running/playing.