PlainZIP

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
$76,000
Median income
$162,800
Median home value
10.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 44%
household income, US ZIPs
31th 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 Kentucky average), while per-capita income is $34,762. 5.5% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 3.0%. Housing costs here run $162,800 for a typical home value (2% above the state average), with rent averaging $928 a month; 92.3% of 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 -. A geography-based comparison follows: 5 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 42051, plus 6 more within Graves County, give a clearer read than the national average 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 42051

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Hickory, KY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42051.

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 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

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 42051?

47.6

Median Age

48.5%

Male

51.5%

Female

2.8%

Foreign-Born

White 91.1%
African American 0.1%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.9%
Hispanic or Latino 8.5%

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

$34,762

Per Capita Income

5.5%

Poverty Rate

3.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 42051 ranks nationally

Hickory, KY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$76,000 Top 44% higher than 56% 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 59.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.6%

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

What does housing look like?

976

Total Housing Units

790

Occupied Units

186

Vacant Units

2.67

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 92.3%
Renter 7.7%

$162,800

Median Home Value

+2% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 42051 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 42051 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 42051 ranks the highest of 5 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 4.3 mi
42066 Mayfield, KY 23,182 8.5 mi
42061 Lowes, KY 55 7.2 mi
42069 Melber, KY 1,100 7.7 mi
42082 Symsonia, KY 1,845 9.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Graves County

42066 standard
Mayfield, KY
Pop: 23,182
42088 standard
Wingo, KY
Pop: 2,656
42027 standard
Boaz, KY
Pop: 2,291
42082 standard
Symsonia, KY
Pop: 1,845
42039 standard
Fancy Farm, KY
Pop: 1,751
42079 standard
Sedalia, KY
Pop: 1,426

Related Areas

Graves County Hickory, KY Kentucky

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.

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