Harlan, KY · standard

ZIP Code 40831

Harlan County, Kentucky — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

5,150
39/sq mi
$35,404
Median income
$89,100
Median home value
20.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Harlan pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

3th pct
household income, US ZIPs
7th pct
home value, US ZIPs
39
people per sq mi
57%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 40831 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 40831 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 133.1 square miles in Harlan, Harlan County, Kentucky. The area is home to 5,150 residents, producing a population density of 39 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 40831 against Kentucky and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 40831 sits at $35,404 (41% below the Kentucky average), while per-capita income is $23,292. The poverty rate stands at 26.1% and the unemployment rate at 8.7%. On housing, the median home value is $89,100 (44% below the state average) with median rent at $620 per month, and 56.7% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 40831 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 20.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.5, and the average commute is . We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Harlan County, so you can benchmark 40831 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 40831

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 40831.

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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 40831, Harlan, KY · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

5,150

Population

133.1

Area (sq mi)

39

People / sq mi

New York

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 40831?

42.5

Median Age

46.2%

Male

53.8%

Female

0.8%

Foreign-Born

White 92.6%
African American 2.7%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.7%
Hispanic or Latino 0.4%

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?

$35,404

Median Household Income

-41% vs state

$23,292

Per Capita Income

26.1%

Poverty Rate

8.7%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 40831 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$35,404 3rd percentile higher than 3% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 51.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.2%

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

What does housing look like?

2,431

Total Housing Units

2,167

Occupied Units

264

Vacant Units

2.05

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 56.7%
Renter 43.3%

$89,100

Median Home Value

-44% vs state

$620

Median Rent

1978

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 186 business establishments in ZIP 40831, employing approximately 2,771 people with a combined annual payroll of $107,305,000.

186

Businesses

2,771

Employees

$107.3M

Annual Payroll

11

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 38 20.4%
Health care and social assistance 32 17.2%
Accommodation and food services 23 12.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 19 10.2%
Other services (except public administration) 18 9.7%
Finance and insurance 16 8.6%
Wholesale trade 9 4.8%
Information 8 4.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 6 3.2%
Construction 5 2.7%
Utilities 3 1.6%

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 40831 vs 40830 →

ZIP 40831 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 40831 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 40831 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 40831 ranks #7 of 9 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
40830 Gulston, KY 301 1.2 mi
40964 Mary Alice, KY 151 2.2 mi
40829 Grays Knob, KY 172 3.7 mi
40824 Dayhoit, KY 559 4.7 mi
40854 Loyall, KY 1,213 6.0 mi
40863 Pathfork, KY 502 5.5 mi
40873 Wallins Creek, KY 2,390 5.2 mi
24281 Rose Hill, VA 2,487 7.7 mi
40819 Coldiron, KY 729 7.0 mi
40815 Cawood, KY 1,534 7.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Harlan County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 40831 in?
ZIP code 40831 (Harlan) is located in Harlan County, Kentucky. Harlan County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/harlan-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 40831?
ZIP code 40831 in Harlan, KY has a population of 5,150 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 40831?
The median household income in ZIP 40831 is $35,404, which is 54% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 40831?
The median home value in ZIP 40831 is $89,100, which is 68% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 40831?
The largest racial group in ZIP 40831 is White at 92.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 40831?
ZIP code 40831 has 186 business establishments employing approximately 2,771 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 40831?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 40831 are: Retail trade (38), Health care and social assistance (32), Accommodation and food services (23). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 40831?
In ZIP code 40831, 51.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 40831?
In ZIP code 40831, approximately 56.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 43.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 40831?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 40831 is 26.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Harlan, KY

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.