Livingston Hospital in, 2016
Salem’s story
220 years in pictures
Census counts: 281 in 1830, a low of 50 in 1870, 722 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and a map from 1984 on.
- 1806Salem is settled
SalemKY
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
704
2025 Census estimate · −1.5% since 2020
Typical home
$122K
−8.4% in a year
Household income
$62K
median
Median age
45.3
years
Jobs based here
399
Balanced
Is Salem a good place to live?
Salem’s average trip to work is 33 minutes, where Kentucky’s towns sit at 22 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Among 120 Kentucky towns, just 4 have a lower typical home value than Salem. Salem has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Salem stand out
Where Salem beats most towns.
Small town
704 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Salem: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Salem, and how to reach them.
PowerKU11.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSalem Municipal Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Salem’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Kentucky you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLivingston County ClerkLivingston County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2015
ZIP code4207842078 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Salem.
Housing
Homes in Salem are worth about $122K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Salem home is worth about $122,000, down 8.4% in a year, 47% below the Kentucky typical home. 84% of households own their home in Salem, above both the Kentucky town median (59%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%). Salem’s median rent is $678 a month.
$122KZillow home value
| Salem | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 84% | 59% | 73% |
| Median rent | $678 a month | $934 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Salem$122K
Kentucky$231K
−8.4%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in March
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Very high risk in Salem, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 81% of U.S. communities.
81risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesTornadoes
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Salem has mild winters and hot summers
Salem has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Salem is 88°F.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–46°
Spring47–68°
Summer67–87°
Fall48–70°
Oct 30
typical first frost
Apr 3
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
A job hub: Salem has 1.4 jobs for every working resident and draws in 368 commuters
Most working residents leave Salem for work: only 11% work in town. 26% of residents live below the poverty line in Salem. The top destinations are Paducah (11%), Marion (9%) and Smithland (8%).
11%work in town
| Salem | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 26% | 16% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 15% | 8% |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Salem11%
Paducah11%
Marion9%
Smithland8%
Princeton4%
20 mi
median commute distance
399
jobs based in Salem
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
A larger share of adults in Salem have high blood pressure than in the typical Kentucky or U.S. town
18% of Salem adults have diabetes. Of the 142 Kentucky towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Salem. 43% of Salem adults have obesity.
| Salem | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 38% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 14% | 16% |
31 measures vs. Kentucky
2 better14 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Salem | KY |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.7% | 14.2% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 85.8% | 81.3% |
| More uninsured adults | 8% | 5.4% |
Livingston Hospital and Healthcare Services
0.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Salem
17pages on Salem
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Salem; the nearest are
West Kentucky Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Paducah27.2 mi$4,728 in-state tuitionMurray State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Murray45.3 mi$9,900 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Salem residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Kentucky.
Famous people from Salem
3 notable people were born in Salem.
About Salem
City in Kentucky, United States
Salem is a home rule-class city in Livingston County, Kentucky, in the United States. Salem is part of the Paducah, KY-IL metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 census, Salem had a population of 722. It is the second-largest community and largest village in Livingston County, but the census-designated place of Ledbetter has more than two times the population of Salem.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 443 ft
- ZIP code
- 42078
Questions about Salem
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Salem, KY a good place to live?
Salem has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Salem, KY known for?
3 notable people were born here, including James Henry Dickey Henderson and C. Pat Taylor.