PlainZIP

Bowling Green, KY · standard

ZIP Code 42101

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

55,648
76/sq mi
$48,217
Median income
$207,200
Median home value
19.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Bowling Green pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure and unusually populous area.

12th pct
household income, US ZIPs
45th pct
home value, US ZIPs
76
people per sq mi
45%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42101 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 42101 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Bowling Green, Warren County, Kentucky, with 55,648 residents across 733.2 square miles, a density of 76 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 42101 reports a modest median household income of $48,217 (19% below the Kentucky average), while per-capita income is $24,219. Poverty here runs at 25.2%, with unemployment measured at 4.7%. Housing costs here run $207,200 for a typical home value (30% above the state average), with rent averaging $950 a month; 44.7% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 28.1, and the average commute is 20 minutes. Beyond these figures, 3 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Warren County, letting you compare 42101 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 42101

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Bowling Green, KY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42101.

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 42101, Bowling Green, 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

55,648

Population

733.2

Area (sq mi)

76

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 42101?

28.1

Median Age

50.0%

Male

50.0%

Female

11.5%

Foreign-Born

White 69.0%
African American 13.1%
Asian 4.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.6%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.4%
Hispanic or Latino 10.8%

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?

$48,217

Median Household Income

-19% vs state

$24,219

Per Capita Income

25.2%

Poverty Rate

4.7%

Unemployment Rate

20.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 42101 ranks nationally

Bowling Green, KY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$48,217 12th percentile higher than 12% 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 51.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.3%

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

What does housing look like?

26,751

Total Housing Units

24,361

Occupied Units

2,390

Vacant Units

2.47

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 44.7%
Renter 55.3%

$207,200

Median Home Value

+30% vs state

$950

Median Rent

1991

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

+0.7%

YoY Change (2024)

226

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+126%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 42101 have increased 0.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +126% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +1.4% 159
2021 +11.0% 177
2022 +16.5% 206
2023 +8.9% 224
2024 +0.7% 226

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 1,396 business establishments in ZIP 42101, employing approximately 34,401 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,935,286,000.

1,396

Businesses

34,401

Employees

$1.9B

Annual Payroll

19

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 231 16.6%
Health care and social assistance 167 12.0%
Accommodation and food services 151 10.8%
Other services (except public administration) 132 9.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 109 7.8%
Construction 106 7.6%
Wholesale trade 91 6.5%
Manufacturing 80 5.7%
Transportation and warehousing 74 5.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 69 4.9%
Finance and insurance 65 4.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 56 4.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 23 1.6%
Information 13 0.9%
Management of companies and enterprises 9 0.6%
Educational services 8 0.6%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 5 0.4%
Utilities 3 0.2%
Industries not classified 3 0.2%

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 42101 vs 42102 →

ZIP 42101 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 42101 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 42101 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 42101 ranks #3 of 3 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
42102 Bowling Green, KY 88 5.2 mi
42274 Rockfield, KY 2,373 10.7 mi
42103 Bowling Green, KY 18,936 11.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Warren County

42104 standard
Bowling Green, KY
Pop: 29,610
42103 standard
Bowling Green, KY
Pop: 18,936
42171 standard
Smiths Grove, KY
Pop: 6,841
42122 standard
Alvaton, KY
Pop: 4,368
42274 standard
Rockfield, KY
Pop: 2,373
42170 standard
Woodburn, KY
Pop: 1,403

Related Areas

Warren County Bowling Green, KY Kentucky

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 42101 in? ▼
ZIP code 42101 (Bowling Green) is located in Warren County, Kentucky. Warren County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/warren-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 42101? ▼
ZIP code 42101 in Bowling Green, KY has a population of 55,648 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42101? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 42101 is $48,217, which is 37% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42101? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 42101 is $207,200, which is 26% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42101? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 42101 is White at 69.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42101? ▼
ZIP code 42101 has 1,396 business establishments employing approximately 34,401 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42101? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42101 are: Retail trade (231), Health care and social assistance (167), Accommodation and food services (151). There are 19 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 42101? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 42101 increased by 0.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 126%. 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 42101? ▼
In ZIP code 42101, 51.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.3% 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 42101? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 42101 is 20.4 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 42101? ▼
In ZIP code 42101, approximately 44.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 55.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42101? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42101 is 25.2% 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.