I do feel more strongly about the house price than the salary as I think it's a good idea to be aware of property values in your area, especially if you can refinance to get better rates or eliminate mortgage insurance. We plan to move in the next few years, so I keep an eye on sales in my neighborhood pretty closely. In my county, there's a $10 filing fee for the deed, and frequently sales are reported as a $10 transaction, which is not so helpful.
I've never actually looked up public salaries before, but I'm happy to know I could. I don't feel that strongly about the "I'm a taxpayer" aspect of it, but I think, generally, the more transparency the better. The employer I work for publishes salary ranges for every position level, and I think for the most part, that's helpful for understanding my value if I wanted to stay there or take another job elsewhere.