PlainZIP

Lynch, KY · standard

ZIP Code 40855

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

860
24/sq mi
$29,891
Median income
$57,500
Median home value
9.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Lynch pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

2th pct
household income, US ZIPs
1th pct
home value, US ZIPs
24
people per sq mi
69%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 40855 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 40855 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Lynch, Harlan County, Kentucky, home to just 860 residents across 35.4 square miles, a density of 24 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 40855 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $29,891 (50% below the Kentucky average), while per-capita income is $17,919. 34.9% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 3.3%. The typical home here is valued at $57,500 (64% below the state average); renters pay a median of $889 monthly, and 69.1% of units are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 9.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.1, and the average commute is -. To put 40855 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Harlan County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 →

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 40855, Lynch, 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

860

Population

35.4

Area (sq mi)

24

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 40855?

47.1

Median Age

41.5%

Male

58.5%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 85.8%
African American 7.7%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.6%
Hispanic or Latino 0.0%

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?

$29,891

Median Household Income

-50% vs state

$17,919

Per Capita Income

34.9%

Poverty Rate

3.3%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 40855 ranks nationally

Lynch, KY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$29,891 2nd percentile higher than 2% 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 38.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 9.7%

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

What does housing look like?

458

Total Housing Units

288

Occupied Units

170

Vacant Units

2.58

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 69.1%
Renter 30.9%

$57,500

Median Home Value

-64% vs state

$889

Median Rent

1938

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 8 business establishments in ZIP 40855, employing approximately 12 people with a combined annual payroll of $257,000.

8

Businesses

12

Employees

$257K

Annual Payroll

0

Industry Sectors

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 40855 vs 40807 →

ZIP 40855 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 40855 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 40855 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 40855 ranks #8 of 8 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
40807 Benham, KY 337 3.2 mi
40862 Partridge, KY 647 4.6 mi
24216 Appalachia, VA 2,939 5.3 mi
40823 Cumberland, KY 4,231 5.8 mi
40843 Holmes Mill, KY 259 5.9 mi
24265 Keokee, VA 930 7.9 mi
41833 Linefork, KY 321 7.8 mi
41848 Roxana, KY 80 10.7 mi
40826 Eolia, KY 759 9.7 mi
40927 Closplint, KY 482 9.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Harlan County

40831 standard
Harlan, KY
Pop: 5,150
40823 standard
Cumberland, KY
Pop: 4,231
40828 standard
Evarts, KY
Pop: 3,965
40806 standard
Baxter, KY
Pop: 2,499
40873 standard
Wallins Creek, KY
Pop: 2,390
40810 standard
Bledsoe, KY
Pop: 1,548

Related Areas

Harlan County Lynch, KY Kentucky

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 40855 in? ▼
ZIP code 40855 (Lynch) 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 40855? ▼
ZIP code 40855 in Lynch, KY has a population of 860 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 40855? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 40855 is $29,891, which is 61% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 40855? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 40855 is $57,500, which is 79% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 40855? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 40855 is White at 85.8%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 40855? ▼
ZIP code 40855 has 8 business establishments employing approximately 12 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 40855? ▼
In ZIP code 40855, 38.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 9.7% 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 40855? ▼
In ZIP code 40855, approximately 69.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 30.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 40855? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 40855 is 34.9% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.