PlainZIP

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
$56,397
Median income
$85,300
Median home value
14.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

23th 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 Kentucky average), while per-capita income is $29,613. The poverty rate stands at 17.6% and the unemployment rate at 1.7%. Housing costs here run $85,300 for a typical home value (46% below the state average), with rent averaging $669 a month; 89.5% of homes are owner-occupied.

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. Beyond these figures, 6 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Livingston County, letting you compare 42078 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 42078?

47.1

Median Age

46.6%

Male

53.4%

Female

0.1%

Foreign-Born

White 92.9%
African American 4.1%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.1%
Hispanic or Latino 5.2%

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

$29,613

Per Capita Income

17.6%

Poverty Rate

1.7%

Unemployment Rate

29.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 42078 ranks nationally

Salem, KY household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$56,397 23rd percentile higher than 23% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US 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?

High School Graduate or Higher 48.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

902

Total Housing Units

685

Occupied Units

217

Vacant Units

2.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 89.5%
Renter 10.5%

$85,300

Median Home Value

-46% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 42078 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 42078 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

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.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
42028 Burna, KY 635 5.0 mi
42047 Hampton, KY 192 6.4 mi
42083 Tiline, KY 446 9.0 mi
42081 Smithland, KY 2,203 8.4 mi
42037 Dycusburg, KY 29 9.5 mi
62982 Rosiclare, IL 1,328 10.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in Livingston County

42058 standard
Ledbetter, KY
Pop: 2,336
42081 standard
Smithland, KY
Pop: 2,203
42045 standard
Grand Rivers, KY
Pop: 2,089
42028 standard
Burna, KY
Pop: 635
42083 standard
Tiline, KY
Pop: 446
42047 standard
Hampton, KY
Pop: 192

Related Areas

Livingston County Salem, KY Kentucky

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.