PlainZIP

Paducah, KY · standard

ZIP Code 42001

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

27,960
147/sq mi
$71,365
Median income
$215,300
Median home value
35.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Paducah pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

49th pct
household income, US ZIPs
48th pct
home value, US ZIPs
147
people per sq mi
64%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42001 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 42001 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky, with 27,960 residents across 189.8 square miles, a density of 147 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 42001 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $71,365 (20% above the Kentucky average), while per-capita income is $45,963. 15.2% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 3.0%. On housing, the median home value is $215,300 (35% above the state average) with median rent at $966 per month, and 63.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 35.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.1, and the average commute is 17 minutes. Beyond these figures, 6 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 3 more sharing McCracken County, letting you compare 42001 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 42001

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Paducah, KY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42001.

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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 42001, Paducah, 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

27,960

Population

189.8

Area (sq mi)

147

People / sq mi

Chicago

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 42001?

42.1

Median Age

48.7%

Male

51.3%

Female

2.2%

Foreign-Born

White 78.9%
African American 13.4%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.9%

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?

$71,365

Median Household Income

+20% vs state

$45,963

Per Capita Income

15.2%

Poverty Rate

3.0%

Unemployment Rate

16.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 42001 ranks nationally

Paducah, KY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$71,365 49th percentile higher than 49% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 60.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 35.2%

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

What does housing look like?

14,942

Total Housing Units

13,277

Occupied Units

1,665

Vacant Units

2.29

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 63.5%
Renter 36.5%

$215,300

Median Home Value

+35% vs state

$966

Median Rent

1976

Median Year Built

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

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+3.8%

YoY Change (2024)

216

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+116%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 42001 have increased 3.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +116% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.0% 155
2021 +7.9% 167
2022 +15.5% 193
2023 +8.0% 208
2024 +3.8% 216

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 1,189 business establishments in ZIP 42001, employing approximately 21,558 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,062,373,000.

1,189

Businesses

21,558

Employees

$1.1B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 240 20.2%
Health care and social assistance 167 14.1%
Accommodation and food services 150 12.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 122 10.3%
Other services (except public administration) 109 9.2%
Finance and insurance 85 7.2%
Construction 68 5.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 48 4.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 48 4.0%
Wholesale trade 45 3.8%
Transportation and warehousing 30 2.5%
Manufacturing 24 2.0%
Information 20 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 13 1.1%
Educational services 11 0.9%
Management of companies and enterprises 8 0.7%

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 42001 vs 42086 →

ZIP 42001 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 42001 ranks #2 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 42001 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 42001 ranks #2 of 6 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
42086 West Paducah, KY 4,036 4.8 mi
42003 Paducah, KY 29,683 7.2 mi
42069 Melber, KY 1,100 8.4 mi
42060 Lovelaceville, KY 130 8.2 mi
42027 Boaz, KY 2,291 9.5 mi
42035 Cunningham, KY 1,068 11.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in McCracken County

42003 standard
Paducah, KY
Pop: 29,683
42053 standard
Kevil, KY
Pop: 4,931
42086 standard
West Paducah, KY
Pop: 4,036

Related Areas

McCracken County Paducah, KY Kentucky

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 42001 in? ▼
ZIP code 42001 (Paducah) is located in McCracken County, Kentucky. McCracken County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mccracken-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 42001? ▼
ZIP code 42001 in Paducah, KY has a population of 27,960 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42001? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 42001 is $71,365, which is 6% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42001? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 42001 is $215,300, which is 23% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42001? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 42001 is White at 78.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42001? ▼
ZIP code 42001 has 1,189 business establishments employing approximately 21,558 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42001? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42001 are: Retail trade (240), Health care and social assistance (167), Accommodation and food services (150). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 42001? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 42001 increased by 3.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 116%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 42001? ▼
In ZIP code 42001, 60.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 35.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 42001? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 42001 is 16.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 42001? ▼
In ZIP code 42001, approximately 63.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 36.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42001? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42001 is 15.2% 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.