City profile · Kentucky · Census ACS 2023

Salem, KY

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Salem - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

782
Residents
$61,250
Median income
$100,000
Median home
$1,158
Median rent (state)

Salem - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Salem lands in the 37th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

37th
percentile, household income
10th
percentile, home value
33rd
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Salem, KY

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 782 residents in Salem, a small town within Kentucky. Salem households earn a median of $61,250 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.7%. Typical homes in Salem are valued around $100,000, and the median resident age is 45.3 years. About 12.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 45.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in Kentucky run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Kentucky at 90.2 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,158 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Kentucky run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 27.1 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

782 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Kentucky

Median Household Income

$61,250 /yr

Poverty 9.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.2 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Kentucky average

How does Salem compare to other US cities?

Where Salem sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 37% higher than other cities
Home value 10% pricier than other cities
Median rent 33% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Salem against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Kentucky only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Kentucky-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Salem toward the bottom of Kentucky's cities

Among the 484 Kentucky cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Salem ranks #381 - the 21st percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Salem only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#201 of 485
58th percentile in Kentucky
Median Gross Rent
#180 of 520
65th percentile in Kentucky
Median Home Value
#381 of 484
21st percentile in Kentucky
Poverty Rate
#283 of 519
45th percentile in Kentucky
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#338 of 520
35th percentile in Kentucky

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Kentucky only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

37thIncome percentile

37th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Salem's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$100,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 90% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Salem $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. 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 · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Salem, KY Salem, KY's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Salem, KY-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Salem, KY median $61,250/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Salem, KY's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Salem, KY. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 45.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
782
Median Income
$61,250
Median Home Value
$100,000
Median Age
45.3
Poverty Rate
9.7%
Labor force participation
45.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.9%

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
700 residents705 residents710 residents715 residents720 residents 202020212022202320242025 713 residents 704 residents ▼ -1.3%
Salem's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
84.1%
Carpool
12.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.1%
Work from Home
0.6%

Based on 321 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Kentucky - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$70
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Kentucky state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Kentucky state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Salem sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.2
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,158/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
27.1 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Kentucky

Whitley
782 people
Calhoun
783 people
Science Hill
790 people
Woodlawn Park
790 people
Frenchburg
773 people
Auxier
795 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Salem's 782 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Wataga, IL
782 people
Redfield, IA
782 people
Fertile, MN
782 people
Wonderland Homes, SD
782 people
Grundy, VA
782 people
Parksley, VA
782 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Salem's $61,250 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Graysville, AL
$61,250 median income
Copper Center, AK
$61,250 median income
Allensworth, CA
$61,250 median income
Tranquillity, CA
$61,250 median income
Wiley, CO
$61,250 median income
Ellenton, GA
$61,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Salem, KY Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Salem, KY - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.5% White 95.0% Black or African American 3.1% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.5% Two or more races 0.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Salem compares to nearby Kentucky cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Salem (this city) 782 $61,250
Whitley 782 $31,250
Calhoun 783 $51,071
Science Hill 790 $53,542
Census ACS 5-year FIPS KY OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Salem, KY?

What is the population of Salem, KY? +

Salem, KY has a population of 782 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Salem, KY? +

Median annual household income in Salem runs $61,250, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Salem? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Salem; the closest available measure is the Kentucky state average, a cost of living index of 90.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Kentucky vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Salem, KY? +

A typical home in Salem is worth $100,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.