PlainZIP

La Center, KY · standard

ZIP Code 42056

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

1,982
14/sq mi
$56,776
Median income
$131,300
Median home value
24.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

La Center pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

24th pct
household income, US ZIPs
20th pct
home value, US ZIPs
14
people per sq mi
82%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42056 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 42056 covers 140.6 square miles in La Center, Ballard County, Kentucky (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,982 residents on file, a density of 14 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 42056 reports a modest median household income of $56,776 (5% below the Kentucky average), while per-capita income is $32,520. 16.6% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 0.0%. The typical home here is valued at $131,300 (17% below the state average); renters pay a median of - monthly, and 82.4% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 24.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 52.3, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 7 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 additional ZIPs sharing Ballard County, so you can benchmark 42056 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 42056

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in La Center, KY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42056.

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 42056, La Center, 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

1,982

Population

140.6

Area (sq mi)

14

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 42056?

52.3

Median Age

46.1%

Male

53.9%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 89.4%
African American 6.6%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.0%
Hispanic or Latino 0.2%

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?

$56,776

Median Household Income

-5% vs state

$32,520

Per Capita Income

16.6%

Poverty Rate

0.0%

Unemployment Rate

27.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 42056 ranks nationally

La Center, KY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$56,776 24th percentile higher than 24% 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 62.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 24.7%

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

What does housing look like?

797

Total Housing Units

637

Occupied Units

160

Vacant Units

2.19

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 82.4%
Renter 17.6%

$131,300

Median Home Value

-17% vs state

1980

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 45 business establishments in ZIP 42056, employing approximately 438 people with a combined annual payroll of $14,501,000.

45

Businesses

438

Employees

$14.5M

Annual Payroll

5

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 12 26.7%
Other services (except public administration) 8 17.8%
Accommodation and food services 6 13.3%
Finance and insurance 4 8.9%
Health care and social assistance 4 8.9%

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 42056 vs 42022 →

ZIP 42056 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 42056 ranks #3 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 42056 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 42056 ranks #4 of 8 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
42022 Bandana, KY 104 3.3 mi
42024 Barlow, KY 1,490 4.4 mi
42053 Kevil, KY 4,931 5.8 mi
62941 Grand Chain, IL 808 9.2 mi
42087 Wickliffe, KY 2,419 9.6 mi
62970 Olmsted, IL 639 9.5 mi
62953 Joppa, IL 360 10.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Ballard County

42087 standard
Wickliffe, KY
Pop: 2,419
42024 standard
Barlow, KY
Pop: 1,490
42060 standard
Lovelaceville, KY
Pop: 130
42022 standard
Bandana, KY
Pop: 104

Related Areas

Ballard County La Center, KY Kentucky

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 42056 in? ▼
ZIP code 42056 (La Center) is located in Ballard County, Kentucky. Ballard County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/ballard-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 42056? ▼
ZIP code 42056 in La Center, KY has a population of 1,982 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42056? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 42056 is $56,776, which is 26% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42056? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 42056 is $131,300, which is 53% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42056? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 42056 is White at 89.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42056? ▼
ZIP code 42056 has 45 business establishments employing approximately 438 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42056? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42056 are: Retail trade (12), Other services (except public administration) (8), Accommodation and food services (6). There are 5 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 42056? ▼
In ZIP code 42056, 62.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 24.7% 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 42056? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 42056 is 27.1 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 42056? ▼
In ZIP code 42056, approximately 82.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 17.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42056? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42056 is 16.6% 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.