A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Loretto$1,380/mo

Typical home $242K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.55% · or rent about $797/mo · Housing →

Salem$700/mo

Typical home $123K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.59% · or rent about $678/mo · Housing →

The difference: $680 a month, about $8,100 a year, between Loretto and Salem.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

LorettoSalem

Snow a year3″4″

January low—26°F

July high—88°F

Growing season (days)—207d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)45th 81st

Outdoors & history

LorettoSalem

Settled1866 —

Archive photos18 3

Famous people born here2 3

Community

LorettoSalem

Library hours a week18 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

158 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

LorettoKY SalemKY

Loretto ↔ Salem158 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Kentucky average

LorettoSalem

People

Population 683Lowest 780Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.4%Highest KY: +3.8% -4%Lowest KY: +3.8%

Median age 42.8±11.5Lowest 9% above KY 45.3±6.9Highest 16% above KY

Salem and Loretto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 21.2%±7.2Highest KY: 22.6% 20.6%±10.5Lowest KY: 22.6%

Loretto and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 22.5%±2.2Lowest KY: 17.3% 27.3%±2.1Highest KY: 17.3%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 8.1%Lowest KY: 27.6% 14.8%Highest KY: 27.6%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.8%±3.5Highest KY: 5.5% 2.6%±1.9Lowest KY: 5.5%

Loretto and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $61,250±$11kLowest 4% below KY $61,667±$25kHighest 3% below KY

Salem and Loretto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $183,100±$49kHighest 11% below KY $102,400±$20kLowest 50% below KY

Rentmedian gross, monthly $797±$100Highest 18% below KY $678±$194Lowest 30% below KY

Loretto and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,005Highest 35% below KY $600Lowest 61% below KY

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 41.4%±72.4Lowest KY: 45.4% 47.2%±21.7Highest KY: 45.4%

Salem and Loretto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 8.2%Lowest KY: 16.1% 25.5%Highest KY: 16.1%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 89.6%Highest KY: 68.3% 83.6%Lowest KY: 68.3%

Typical home builtmedian year 1973 9 yrs older than KY 1973 9 yrs older than KY

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 33 minLowest 38% above KY 33 minHighest 39% above KY

Work from home 1.8%±2.7Lowest KY: 10.2% 4.1%±4.6Highest KY: 10.2%

Salem and Loretto are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 3.3%Lowest 11%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.3 miLowest 19.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.24Lowest 1.41Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Bardstown (22%)Paducah (11%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SalemFew work in Loretto

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.6%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.5 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.6 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 5.6Lowest 74.0Highest

Kentucky average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Loretto neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Loretto’s Town Square.

Salem neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Salem’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Loretto

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Camargo874 people · $151K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Kentucky towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Loretto vs Salem

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $680 more a month in Loretto

What daily life feels like in each

158 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

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Towns like Loretto

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