ZIP Code 42078 — Salem city, KY Demographics & Data

ZIP code 42078 covers Salem, KY in Livingston County with a population of about 1,718.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 46.7 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area codes 270, 364; U.S. House district KY-1; the PADUCAH - CAPE GIRAR D - HARSBG media market.

Median household income in ZIP 42078 is about $48,155 — about 36% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 14.2%; unemployment rate near 4.5%; 10.1% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 23.7 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Healthcare, Retail trade, and Construction; about 2.3% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 12.9 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $78,700 — about 77% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $475 (about 59% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 86.7% (about 21.3 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 42078 in Salem, KY, a household would need roughly $22,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $506. That sits below the local median household income ($48,155), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Salem city, KY as Very Low (composite score 27.1), which is relatively lower than many U.S. communities. The strongest component scores on US5 are hurricane (24.1) and flood (23.3). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Salem city, KY show little to no average snow and around 49.3 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 64 for ZIP 42078 (Salem city, KY) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.