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 Moderate-density area
- $35,404
- Median income Below-median income area
- $89,100
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 20.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
- 3rd 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 a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Harlan, Harlan County, Kentucky, home to 5,150 residents across 133.1 square miles, a density of 39 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 40831 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $35,404 (41% below the average Kentucky ZIP), while per-capita income is $23,292. The poverty rate is 26.1%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $89,100 (44% below the average Kentucky ZIP), and median rent is $620; owner occupancy is 56.7%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.5, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Harlan County, so 40831 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 40831
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Harlan, KY
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 40831.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
38 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
32 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
23 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
19 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
18 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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
Who lives in ZIP 40831?
42.5
Median Age
46.2%
Male
53.8%
Female
0.8%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$23,292
Per Capita Income
26.1%
Poverty Rate
8.7%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 40831 ranks among Kentucky ZIPs
Harlan, KY household income vs. every Kentucky ZIP code
Median household income among 646 reporting Kentucky ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$35,404 11th percentile higher than 11% of 646 Kentucky ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Kentucky 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
2,431housing units
2,431
Total Housing Units
2,167
Occupied Units
264
Vacant Units
2.05
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$89,100
Median Home Value
-44% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 40831
Harlan (40831)
5,150 residents
- 24281
Rose Hill (24281)
2,487 residents
- 40873
Wallins Creek (40873)
2,390 residents
- 40815 1,534
Cawood (40815)
1,534 residents
- 40854 1,213
Loyall (40854)
1,213 residents
- 40819 729
Coldiron (40819)
729 residents
- 40824 559
Dayhoit (40824)
559 residents
- 40863 502
Pathfork (40863)
502 residents
- 40830 301
Gulston (40830)
301 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 40831 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 40831 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 40815
Cawood (40815)
$68,155 median income
- 40829
Grays Knob (40829)
$56,154 median income
- 40854
Loyall (40854)
$55,250 median income
- 40824
Dayhoit (40824)
$49,667 median income
- 40863
Pathfork (40863)
$49,578 median income
- 24281
Rose Hill (24281)
$46,806 median income
- 40831
Harlan (40831)
$35,404 median income
- 40873
Wallins Creek (40873)
$33,359 median income
- 40819
Coldiron (40819)
$31,799 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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 40831, both outside KY so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (5,150 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Harlan County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 40831's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 40831 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Harlan, KY ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.