Salem, KY · standard
ZIP Code 42078
Livingston County, Kentucky - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,852
- 8/sq mi Low-density area
- $56,397
- Median income Below-median income area
- $85,300
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 14.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Salem pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 23rd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 6th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 8
- people per sq mi
- 90%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42078 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 42078 covers 223.1 square miles in Salem, Livingston County, Kentucky (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,852 residents on file, a density of 8 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 42078 reports a modest median household income of $56,397 (5% below the average Kentucky ZIP), while per-capita income is $29,613. The poverty rate is 17.6%, with unemployment at 1.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $85,300 (46% below the average Kentucky ZIP), and median rent is $669; owner occupancy is 89.5%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 14.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.1, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Livingston County, so 42078 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 42078
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Salem, KY
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42078.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
7 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
6 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
6 establishments
- Construction
Construction
4 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 42078, Salem, KY · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
1,852
Population
223.1
Area (sq mi)
8
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 42078?
47.1
Median Age
46.6%
Male
53.4%
Female
0.1%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$56,397
Median Household Income
-5% vs state ZIP avg
$29,613
Per Capita Income
17.6%
Poverty Rate
1.7%
Unemployment Rate
29.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 42078 ranks among Kentucky ZIPs
Salem, KY household income vs. every Kentucky ZIP code
Median household income among 646 reporting Kentucky ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$56,397 48th percentile higher than 48% of 646 Kentucky ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Kentucky ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
902housing units
902
Total Housing Units
685
Occupied Units
217
Vacant Units
2.37
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$85,300
Median Home Value
-46% vs state ZIP avg
$669
Median Rent
1976
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 32 business establishments in ZIP 42078, employing approximately 637 people with a combined annual payroll of $39,531,000.
32
Businesses
637
Employees
$39.5M
Annual Payroll
4
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 7 | 21.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 6 | 18.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 6 | 18.8% |
| Construction | 4 | 12.5% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 42078 vs 42028 →
ZIP 42078 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42081
Smithland (42081)
2,203 residents
- 42078
Salem (42078)
1,852 residents
- 62982
Rosiclare (62982)
1,328 residents
- 42028 635
Burna (42028)
635 residents
- 42083 446
Tiline (42083)
446 residents
- 42047 192
Hampton (42047)
192 residents
- 42037 29
Dycusburg (42037)
29 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 42078 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 42078 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42081
Smithland (42081)
$92,868 median income
- 42078
Salem (42078)
$56,397 median income
- 42083
Tiline (42083)
$53,864 median income
- 42028
Burna (42028)
$51,250 median income
- 62982
Rosiclare (62982)
$43,750 median income
- 42047 $2,499
Hampton (42047)
$2,499 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 42078 ranks #2 of 6 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 42078, both outside KY so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (1,852 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Livingston County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 42078 in?
ZIP code 42078 (Salem) is located in Livingston County, Kentucky. Livingston County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/livingston-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 42078?
ZIP code 42078 in Salem, KY has a population of 1,852 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42078?
The median household income in ZIP 42078 is $56,397, which is 26% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42078?
The median home value in ZIP 42078 is $85,300, which is 69% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42078?
The largest racial group in ZIP 42078 is White at 92.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42078?
ZIP code 42078 has 32 business establishments employing approximately 637 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42078?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42078 are: Retail trade (7), Health care and social assistance (6), Other services (except public administration) (6). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 42078?
In ZIP code 42078, 48.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 14.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 42078?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 42078 is 29.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 42078?
In ZIP code 42078, approximately 89.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 10.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42078?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42078 is 17.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 42078's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 42078 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Salem, KY ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.