Photo: Nyttend · Public domainWhere Salem residents get care
CDC publishes only some of its health estimates for Salem, not the seven a Health Grade needs; here is what we do have.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Salem. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Salem
Heart disease, stroke and COPD run high in Salem
1 in 8 adults have heart disease (12.1%), vs 8.2% across Kentucky. 1 in 17 adults have had a stroke (5.9%), vs 4% across Kentucky. COPD is also above the state: 14.9%, vs 10.2% across Kentucky. In all, Salem runs above Kentucky on eight of 11 chronic conditions. Age is part of it: 27% of residents are 65 or older (Kentucky 17%), and heart disease, stroke and COPD are more common later in life. Conditions ↓
More Salem adults get no exercise
1 in 3 adults get no exercise outside work (33.1%), vs 26.9% across Kentucky. Habits ↓
1 in 13 working-age adults in Salem has no health insurance
8% of adults 18–64 have no health insurance, vs 5.4% across Kentucky. Checkups ↓
Salem has a top-rated hospital
Livingston Hospital and Healthcare Services is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Kentucky figure falls outside Salem’s likely range.
Out of every 100 Salem adults…
Salem runs above KY on 8 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Salem is an older town: 27% of residents are 65 or older, vs 17% across Kentucky. Heart disease, COPD and arthritis rise with age, so higher rates here say as much about who lives in Salem as about how healthy they are.
Everyday habits, side by side with Kentucky
Share of adults, with the Kentucky figure marked.
Walk with neighbors
The easiest exercise habit to keep is one with company.
Keeping up with care
Share of Salem adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kentucky.
Care in and near Salem
1 hospital in Salem, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Salem; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).
How Salem adults are doing
About the same as Kentucky on each measure.
A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
19.6% of Salem adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.5% across Kentucky.
Salem and the towns around it
How health changes across the town line.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|
Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Salem adults live with a disability (Kentucky 37.4%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.
Questions about health in Salem
Why doesn’t Salem have a Health Grade?
Every Health Grade is built from seven of CDC’s PLACES estimates, and CDC doesn’t publish all seven for Salem.
What hospital is closest to Salem?
Livingston Hospital and Healthcare Services in Salem, 0.7 miles in a straight line from Salem’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room. Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Salem.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Kentucky figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.