PlainZIP

Paducah, KY · standard

ZIP Code 42003

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

29,683
165/sq mi
$55,791
Median income
$167,000
Median home value
24.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Paducah pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

22th pct
household income, US ZIPs
33th pct
home value, US ZIPs
165
people per sq mi
71%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42003 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 42003 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Paducah, McCracken County, Kentucky, with 29,683 residents across 180.3 square miles, a density of 165 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 42003 reports a modest median household income of $55,791 (6% below the Kentucky average), while per-capita income is $33,441. The poverty rate stands at 17.3% and the unemployment rate at 3.8%. The typical home here is valued at $167,000 (5% above the state average); renters pay a median of $740 monthly, and 70.8% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.5, and the average commute is 18 minutes. To put 42003 in local context, 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 3 additional ZIPs in McCracken 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 →

Top industries in ZIP 42003

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Paducah, KY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42003.

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 42003, 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

29,683

Population

180.3

Area (sq mi)

165

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 42003?

41.5

Median Age

48.6%

Male

51.4%

Female

2.1%

Foreign-Born

White 82.8%
African American 8.1%
Asian 0.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.2%

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?

$55,791

Median Household Income

-6% vs state

$33,441

Per Capita Income

17.3%

Poverty Rate

3.8%

Unemployment Rate

17.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 42003 ranks nationally

Paducah, KY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$55,791 22nd percentile higher than 22% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 58.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.1%

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

What does housing look like?

14,132

Total Housing Units

11,711

Occupied Units

2,421

Vacant Units

2.46

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 70.8%
Renter 29.2%

$167,000

Median Home Value

+5% vs state

$740

Median Rent

1978

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

+3.1%

YoY Change (2024)

203

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+103%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 42003 have increased 3.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +103% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.0% 143
2021 +10.3% 158
2022 +16.9% 185
2023 +6.6% 197
2024 +3.1% 203

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 725 business establishments in ZIP 42003, employing approximately 10,373 people with a combined annual payroll of $610,015,000.

725

Businesses

10,373

Employees

$610.0M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 122 16.8%
Health care and social assistance 117 16.1%
Other services (except public administration) 91 12.6%
Accommodation and food services 68 9.4%
Construction 65 9.0%
Wholesale trade 46 6.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 43 5.9%
Finance and insurance 40 5.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 31 4.3%
Transportation and warehousing 25 3.5%
Manufacturing 22 3.0%
Real estate and rental and leasing 19 2.6%
Information 9 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 9 1.2%
Management of companies and enterprises 7 1.0%
Educational services 7 1.0%

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 42003 vs 42027 →

ZIP 42003 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 42003 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 42003 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 42003 ranks #6 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
42027 Boaz, KY 2,291 6.9 mi
42001 Paducah, KY 27,960 7.2 mi
42058 Ledbetter, KY 2,336 7.0 mi
42082 Symsonia, KY 1,845 8.0 mi
62910 Brookport, IL 2,865 10.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in McCracken County

42001 standard
Paducah, KY
Pop: 27,960
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 42003 in? ▼
ZIP code 42003 (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 42003? ▼
ZIP code 42003 in Paducah, KY has a population of 29,683 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42003? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 42003 is $55,791, which is 27% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42003? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 42003 is $167,000, which is 40% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42003? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 42003 is White at 82.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42003? ▼
ZIP code 42003 has 725 business establishments employing approximately 10,373 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42003? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42003 are: Retail trade (122), Health care and social assistance (117), Other services (except public administration) (91). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 42003? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 42003 increased by 3.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 103%. 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 42003? ▼
In ZIP code 42003, 58.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.1% 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 42003? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 42003 is 17.8 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 42003? ▼
In ZIP code 42003, approximately 70.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 29.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42003? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42003 is 17.3% 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.