Hickory, KY · standard
ZIP Code 42051
Graves County, Kentucky - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,840
- 20/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $76,000
- Median income Near-median income area
- $162,800
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 10.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Hickory pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 44%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 31st pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 20
- people per sq mi
- 92%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42051 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 42051 covers 145.6 square miles in Hickory, Graves County, Kentucky (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,840 residents on file, a density of 20 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 42051 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $76,000 (27% above the average Kentucky ZIP), while per-capita income is $34,762. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 5.5% and unemployment is 3.0%. Median home value is $162,800 (2% above the average Kentucky ZIP) and median rent is $928; 92.3% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.6, and the average commute is -. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Graves County, so 42051 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 42051
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hickory, KY
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42051.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
9 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
7 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
6 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
5 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
4 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 42051, Hickory, 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
2,840
Population
145.6
Area (sq mi)
20
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 42051?
47.6
Median Age
48.5%
Male
51.5%
Female
2.8%
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?
$76,000
Median Household Income
+27% vs state ZIP avg
$34,762
Per Capita Income
5.5%
Poverty Rate
3.0%
Unemployment Rate
How ZIP 42051 ranks among Kentucky ZIPs
Hickory, 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)
$76,000 Top 18% higher than 82% 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
976housing units
976
Total Housing Units
790
Occupied Units
186
Vacant Units
2.67
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$162,800
Median Home Value
+2% vs state ZIP avg
$928
Median Rent
1987
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
-2.7%
YoY Change (2024)
263
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+163%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 42051 have decreased 2.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +163% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +14.0% | 152 |
| 2020 | +7.2% | 162 |
| 2021 | +20.4% | 196 |
| 2022 | -2.7% | 190 |
| 2024 | – | 263 |
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 42 business establishments in ZIP 42051, employing approximately 2,273 people with a combined annual payroll of $95,301,000.
42
Businesses
2,273
Employees
$95.3M
Annual Payroll
5
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 9 | 21.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 7 | 16.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 6 | 14.3% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 11.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 9.5% |
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 42051 vs 42027 →
ZIP 42051 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42066
Mayfield (42066)
23,182 residents
- 42051 2,840
Hickory (42051)
2,840 residents
- 42027 2,291
Boaz (42027)
2,291 residents
- 42082 1,845
Symsonia (42082)
1,845 residents
- 42069 1,100
Melber (42069)
1,100 residents
- 42061 55
Lowes (42061)
55 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 42051 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 42051 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42051
Hickory (42051)
$76,000 median income
- 42082
Symsonia (42082)
$67,000 median income
- 42027
Boaz (42027)
$58,056 median income
- 42069
Melber (42069)
$48,929 median income
- 42066
Mayfield (42066)
$48,664 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 42051 ranks the highest of 5 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 42051, 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 (2,840 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Graves County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 42051 in?
ZIP code 42051 (Hickory) is located in Graves County, Kentucky. Graves County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/graves-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 42051?
ZIP code 42051 in Hickory, KY has a population of 2,840 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42051?
The median household income in ZIP 42051 is $76,000, which is 0% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42051?
The median home value in ZIP 42051 is $162,800, which is 41% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42051?
The largest racial group in ZIP 42051 is White at 91.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42051?
ZIP code 42051 has 42 business establishments employing approximately 2,273 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42051?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42051 are: Retail trade (9), Wholesale trade (7), Other services (except public administration) (6). There are 5 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 42051?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 42051 decreased by 2.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 163%. 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 42051?
In ZIP code 42051, 59.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.6% 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 42051?
In ZIP code 42051, approximately 92.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 7.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42051?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42051 is 5.5% 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 42051's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 42051 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Hickory, 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.