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 High-density area
- $55,791
- Median income Below-median income area
- $167,000
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 24.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Paducah pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 22nd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 33rd 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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 42003 (Paducah, KY) rose +3.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 197.1 in 2023 to 203.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Kentucky ZIP), while per-capita income is $33,441. The poverty rate is 17.3%, with unemployment at 3.8%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $167,000 (5% above the average Kentucky ZIP) and median rent is $740; 70.8% of occupied homes 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. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 3 more in McCracken County, so 42003 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 42003
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Paducah, KY
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42003.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
122 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
117 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
91 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
68 establishments
- Construction
Construction
65 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 42003?
41.5
Median Age
48.6%
Male
51.4%
Female
2.1%
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?
$55,791
Median Household Income
-6% vs state ZIP avg
$33,441
Per Capita Income
17.3%
Poverty Rate
3.8%
Unemployment Rate
17.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 42003 ranks among Kentucky ZIPs
Paducah, 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)
$55,791 47th percentile higher than 47% 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
14,132housing units
14,132
Total Housing Units
11,711
Occupied Units
2,421
Vacant Units
2.46
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$167,000
Median Home Value
+5% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 42003
Paducah (42003)
29,683 residents
- 42001
Paducah (42001)
27,960 residents
- 62910 2,865
Brookport (62910)
2,865 residents
- 42058 2,336
Ledbetter (42058)
2,336 residents
- 42027 2,291
Boaz (42027)
2,291 residents
- 42082 1,845
Symsonia (42082)
1,845 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 42003 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 42003 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42001
Paducah (42001)
$71,365 median income
- 42082
Symsonia (42082)
$67,000 median income
- 42058
Ledbetter (42058)
$66,852 median income
- 62910
Brookport (62910)
$59,514 median income
- 42027
Boaz (42027)
$58,056 median income
- 42003
Paducah (42003)
$55,791 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 42003, 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 (29,683 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in McCracken County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 42003's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 42003 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Paducah, 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.