Photo: Nyttend · Public domainLiving in Salem, KY: what to set up and who to call
Tap water in most of Salem comes from Salem Municipal Water System, which has a clean five-year EPA record (about 22% of systems its size had a health-based violation) and a latest lead result below detection. The nearest library is Crittenden County Public Library, 9.9 miles away.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Salem, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Salem.
Power comes from KU
KU (Kentucky Utilities Co.), an investor-owned utility, serves 98.3% of Salem residents. Its homes paid an average of 11.9¢ per kWh in 2025, about $138 a month (its average across Kentucky).
Start or move service: lge-ku.com · (800) 981-0600
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Salem Municipal Water System
Salem Municipal Water System supplies Salem: about 78% of residents live in its service area. About 22% of homes are outside any mapped community water system, most likely on private wells, which EPA doesn’t regulate. It buys treated surface water (EPA lists Crittenden-Livingston Co Water District as seller) and serves 1,241 people in all.
No health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026, like 78% of the 7,966 systems serving 1,001–3,300 people.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2023–Dec 2025, was 0.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. The highest in five years was 12.0 ppb. Results below detection are reported as 0, so 0 doesn’t mean no lead at any tap.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. KY0700380.
3 home internet providers serve Salem
99% of 408 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 98% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| TDS Telecom | Fiber, DSL | 100% | 8,000/8,000 |
| Mediacom Xtream | Cable, Fiber | 98% | 1,000/50 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 78% | 100/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Salem’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Salem.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Salem is in Livingston County School District.
Test scores and every school: see Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Aug 2015; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Salem is in ZIP code 42078
ZIP codes where Salem residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Salem | ZIP’s residents in Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42078 | Salem, KY | 100% | 41% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Salem
Who supplies Salem’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
Salem Municipal Water System (EPA ID KY0700380). It reported no health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026; 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan 2023–Dec 2025), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Salem?
KU (Kentucky Utilities Co.), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 11.9¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Salem?
TDS Telecom, Mediacom Xtream, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Salem?
42078. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Salem in?
Livingston County School District.
How do I register to vote in Salem?
In 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). Elections here are run by the Livingston County Clerk. Check your registration at vrsws.sos.ky.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.