PlainZIP

Mammoth Cave, KY · standard

ZIP Code 42259

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

1,281
15/sq mi
$33,566
Median income
$148,100
Median home value
5.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Mammoth Cave pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

3th pct
household income, US ZIPs
25th pct
home value, US ZIPs
15
people per sq mi
91%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42259 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 42259 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Mammoth Cave, Edmonson County, Kentucky, home to just 1,281 residents across 84.8 square miles, a density of 15 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 42259 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $33,566 (44% below the Kentucky average), while per-capita income is $27,538. 22.8% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 12.7%. Housing costs here run $148,100 for a typical home value (7% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,048 a month; 91.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 5.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 62, and the average commute is -. To put 42259 in local context, 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 4 additional ZIPs in Edmonson County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 →

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 42259, Mammoth Cave, 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

1,281

Population

84.8

Area (sq mi)

15

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 42259?

62.0

Median Age

54.1%

Male

45.9%

Female

0.8%

Foreign-Born

White 95.4%
African American 2.8%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.7%
Hispanic or Latino 0.8%

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?

$33,566

Median Household Income

-44% vs state

$27,538

Per Capita Income

22.8%

Poverty Rate

12.7%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 42259 ranks nationally

Mammoth Cave, KY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$33,566 3rd percentile higher than 3% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $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 50.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 5.0%

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

What does housing look like?

1,075

Total Housing Units

509

Occupied Units

566

Vacant Units

1.94

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 91.0%
Renter 9.0%

$148,100

Median Home Value

-7% vs state

$1,048

Median Rent

1990

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 9 business establishments in ZIP 42259, employing approximately 70 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,019,000.

9

Businesses

70

Employees

$2.0M

Annual Payroll

2

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 3 33.3%
Accommodation and food services 3 33.3%

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 42259 vs 42729 →

ZIP 42259 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 42259 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 42259 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 42259 ranks #5 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
42729 Cub Run, KY 1,617 4.9 mi
42210 Brownsville, KY 4,236 5.9 mi
42285 Sweeden, KY 375 8.2 mi
42207 Bee Spring, KY 1,207 8.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Edmonson County

42210 standard
Brownsville, KY
Pop: 4,236
42207 standard
Bee Spring, KY
Pop: 1,207
42285 standard
Sweeden, KY
Pop: 375
42163 standard
Rocky Hill, KY
Pop: 56

Related Areas

Edmonson County Mammoth Cave, KY Kentucky

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 42259 in? ▼
ZIP code 42259 (Mammoth Cave) is located in Edmonson County, Kentucky. Edmonson County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/edmonson-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 42259? ▼
ZIP code 42259 in Mammoth Cave, KY has a population of 1,281 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42259? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 42259 is $33,566, which is 56% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42259? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 42259 is $148,100, which is 47% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42259? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 42259 is White at 95.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42259? ▼
ZIP code 42259 has 9 business establishments employing approximately 70 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 42259? ▼
In ZIP code 42259, 50.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 5.0% 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 42259? ▼
In ZIP code 42259, approximately 91.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 9.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42259? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42259 is 22.8% 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.