Bowling Green, KY · standard
ZIP Code 42103
Warren County, Kentucky - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 18,936
- 103/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $87,689
- Median income Above-median income area
- $331,400
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 47.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Bowling Green pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 29%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 29%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 103
- people per sq mi
- 63%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42103 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 42103 (Bowling Green, KY) rose +6.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 220.7 in 2023 to 234.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 42103 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Bowling Green, Warren County, Kentucky, home to 18,936 residents across 183.7 square miles, a density of 103 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 42103 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $87,689 (47% above the average Kentucky ZIP), while per-capita income is $61,043. The poverty rate is 10.3%, with unemployment at 2.2%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $331,400 (108% above the average Kentucky ZIP), while 63.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,184.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 47.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.8, and the average commute is 18 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Warren County, so 42103 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 42103
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Bowling Green, KY
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42103.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
91 establishments
- Construction
Construction
65 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
52 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
50 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
42 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 42103, 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
18,936
Population
183.7
Area (sq mi)
103
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 42103?
41.8
Median Age
50.5%
Male
49.5%
Female
6.2%
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?
$87,689
Median Household Income
+47% vs state ZIP avg
$61,043
Per Capita Income
10.3%
Poverty Rate
2.2%
Unemployment Rate
18.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 42103 ranks among Kentucky ZIPs
Bowling Green, 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)
$87,689 Top 10% higher than 90% 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
10,604housing units
10,604
Total Housing Units
9,944
Occupied Units
660
Vacant Units
2.19
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$331,400
Median Home Value
+108% vs state ZIP avg
$1,184
Median Rent
1994
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
+6.1%
YoY Change (2024)
234
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+134%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 42103 have increased 6.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +134% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.0% | 160 |
| 2021 | +9.0% | 175 |
| 2022 | +17.8% | 206 |
| 2023 | +7.3% | 221 |
| 2024 | +6.1% | 234 |
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 514 business establishments in ZIP 42103, employing approximately 6,433 people with a combined annual payroll of $334,980,000.
514
Businesses
6,433
Employees
$335.0M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 91 | 17.7% |
| Construction | 65 | 12.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 52 | 10.1% |
| Retail trade | 50 | 9.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 42 | 8.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 40 | 7.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 30 | 5.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 30 | 5.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 29 | 5.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 26 | 5.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 14 | 2.7% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 10 | 1.9% |
| Manufacturing | 9 | 1.8% |
| Information | 9 | 1.8% |
| Educational services | 9 | 1.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 7 | 1.4% |
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 42103 vs 42122 →
ZIP 42103 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42101
Bowling Green (42101)
55,648 residents
- 42104
Bowling Green (42104)
29,610 residents
- 42103 18,936
Bowling Green (42103)
18,936 residents
- 42122 4,368
Alvaton (42122)
4,368 residents
- 42159 1,195
Oakland (42159)
1,195 residents
- 42102 88
Bowling Green (42102)
88 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 42103 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 42103 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42122
Alvaton (42122)
$113,705 median income
- 42103
Bowling Green (42103)
$87,689 median income
- 42104
Bowling Green (42104)
$75,164 median income
- 42159
Oakland (42159)
$66,756 median income
- 42101
Bowling Green (42101)
$48,217 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 42103 ranks #2 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 42103, 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 (18,936 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Warren County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 42103 in?
ZIP code 42103 (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 42103?
ZIP code 42103 in Bowling Green, KY has a population of 18,936 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42103?
The median household income in ZIP 42103 is $87,689, which is 15% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42103?
The median home value in ZIP 42103 is $331,400, which is 19% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42103?
The largest racial group in ZIP 42103 is White at 87.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42103?
ZIP code 42103 has 514 business establishments employing approximately 6,433 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42103?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42103 are: Health care and social assistance (91), Construction (65), Professional, scientific, and technical services (52). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 42103?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 42103 increased by 6.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 134%. 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 42103?
In ZIP code 42103, 70.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 47.4% 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 42103?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 42103 is 18.0 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 42103?
In ZIP code 42103, approximately 63.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 37.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42103?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42103 is 10.3% 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 42103's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 42103 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Bowling Green, KY ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.