Salem is a city in Livingston County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 769 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Paducah, KY-IL Micropolitan Statistical Area. Salem is the largest city in Livingston County, although it is neither the county seat (a distinction held by Smithland) nor the largest community (the census-designated place of Ledbetter has more than double Salem's population).