Cave City, KY · standard
ZIP Code 42127
Barren County, Kentucky - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,199
- 27/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $42,893
- Median income Below-median income area
- $164,000
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 12.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Cave City pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.
- 7th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 32nd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 27
- people per sq mi
- 51%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42127 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 42127 (Cave City, KY) fell -8.2% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 244.7 in 2023 to 224.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 42127 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Cave City, Barren County, Kentucky, home to 6,199 residents across 229.6 square miles, a density of 27 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 42127 reports a modest median household income of $42,893 (28% below the average Kentucky ZIP), while per-capita income is $25,056. The poverty rate is 22.8%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Median home value is $164,000 (3% above the average Kentucky ZIP) and median rent is $713; 50.9% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.9, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 5 more in Barren County, so 42127 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 42127
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Cave City, KY
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42127.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
24 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
22 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
11 establishments
- Arts, entertainment, and recreation 8
Arts, entertainment, and recreation
8 establishments
- Construction 6
Construction
6 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 42127, Cave City, 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
6,199
Population
229.6
Area (sq mi)
27
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 42127?
43.9
Median Age
47.1%
Male
52.9%
Female
3.4%
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?
$42,893
Median Household Income
-28% vs state ZIP avg
$25,056
Per Capita Income
22.8%
Poverty Rate
7.3%
Unemployment Rate
26.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 42127 ranks among Kentucky ZIPs
Cave City, 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)
$42,893 23rd percentile higher than 23% 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
3,257housing units
3,257
Total Housing Units
3,012
Occupied Units
245
Vacant Units
2.33
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$164,000
Median Home Value
+3% vs state ZIP avg
$713
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
-8.2%
YoY Change (2024)
225
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+125%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 42127 have decreased 8.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +125% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.5% | 156 |
| 2021 | +9.6% | 171 |
| 2022 | +19.1% | 203 |
| 2023 | +20.5% | 245 |
| 2024 | -8.2% | 225 |
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 100 business establishments in ZIP 42127, employing approximately 938 people with a combined annual payroll of $27,505,000.
100
Businesses
938
Employees
$27.5M
Annual Payroll
12
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 24 | 24.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 22 | 22.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 11 | 11.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 8 | 8.0% |
| Construction | 6 | 6.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 5.0% |
| Manufacturing | 4 | 4.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 4 | 4.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4 | 4.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 3.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 3 | 3.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 3.0% |
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 42127 vs 42749 →
ZIP 42127 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42127
Cave City (42127)
6,199 residents
- 42749
Horse Cave (42749)
5,245 residents
- 42160 1,992
Park City (42160)
1,992 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 42127 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 42127 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42160
Park City (42160)
$49,364 median income
- 42749
Horse Cave (42749)
$45,500 median income
- 42127
Cave City (42127)
$42,893 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 42127 ranks #3 of 3 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 42127, 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 (6,199 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Barren County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 42127 in?
ZIP code 42127 (Cave City) is located in Barren County, Kentucky. Barren County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/barren-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 42127?
ZIP code 42127 in Cave City, KY has a population of 6,199 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42127?
The median household income in ZIP 42127 is $42,893, which is 44% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42127?
The median home value in ZIP 42127 is $164,000, which is 41% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42127?
The largest racial group in ZIP 42127 is White at 90.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42127?
ZIP code 42127 has 100 business establishments employing approximately 938 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42127?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42127 are: Retail trade (24), Accommodation and food services (22), Health care and social assistance (11). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 42127?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 42127 decreased by 8.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 125%. 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 42127?
In ZIP code 42127, 56.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.1% 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 42127?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 42127 is 26.4 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 42127?
In ZIP code 42127, approximately 50.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 49.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42127?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42127 is 22.8% 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 42127's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 42127 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Cave City, 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.