Morgantown, KY · standard
ZIP Code 42261
Butler County, Kentucky - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 10,602
- 14/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $52,953
- Median income Below-median income area
- $112,900
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 10.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Morgantown pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 18th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 14th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 14
- people per sq mi
- 69%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42261 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 42261 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Morgantown, Butler County, Kentucky, home to 10,602 residents across 762.7 square miles, a density of 14 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 42261 reports a modest median household income of $52,953 (11% below the average Kentucky ZIP), while per-capita income is $26,173. The poverty rate is 20.0%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $112,900 (29% below the average Kentucky ZIP), and median rent is $648; owner occupancy is 69.0%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.2, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 2 more in Butler County, so 42261 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 42261
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Morgantown, KY
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42261.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
31 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
28 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
23 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
15 establishments
- Construction
Construction
14 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 42261, Morgantown, 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
10,602
Population
762.7
Area (sq mi)
14
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 42261?
40.2
Median Age
51.7%
Male
48.3%
Female
2.5%
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?
$52,953
Median Household Income
-11% vs state ZIP avg
$26,173
Per Capita Income
20.0%
Poverty Rate
4.8%
Unemployment Rate
26.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 42261 ranks among Kentucky ZIPs
Morgantown, 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)
$52,953 40th percentile higher than 40% 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
4,163housing units
4,163
Total Housing Units
3,577
Occupied Units
586
Vacant Units
2.65
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$112,900
Median Home Value
-29% vs state ZIP avg
$648
Median Rent
1986
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
+17.1%
YoY Change (2023)
234
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+134%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 42261 have increased 17.1% over the past year (2023). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +134% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +5.6% | 150 |
| 2020 | +1.4% | 152 |
| 2021 | +5.5% | 160 |
| 2022 | +24.7% | 200 |
| 2023 | +17.1% | 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 2023. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 174 business establishments in ZIP 42261, employing approximately 2,104 people with a combined annual payroll of $103,524,000.
174
Businesses
2,104
Employees
$103.5M
Annual Payroll
12
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 31 | 17.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 28 | 16.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 23 | 13.2% |
| Manufacturing | 15 | 8.6% |
| Construction | 14 | 8.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 13 | 7.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 13 | 7.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 10 | 5.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 7 | 4.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 6 | 3.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 5 | 2.9% |
| Information | 3 | 1.7% |
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 42261 vs 42333 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42333 | Cromwell, KY | 1,111 | 11.3 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 42261, 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 (10,602 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Butler County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 42261 in?
ZIP code 42261 (Morgantown) is located in Butler County, Kentucky. Butler County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/butler-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 42261?
ZIP code 42261 in Morgantown, KY has a population of 10,602 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42261?
The median household income in ZIP 42261 is $52,953, which is 31% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42261?
The median home value in ZIP 42261 is $112,900, which is 59% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42261?
The largest racial group in ZIP 42261 is White at 91.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42261?
ZIP code 42261 has 174 business establishments employing approximately 2,104 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42261?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42261 are: Retail trade (31), Other services (except public administration) (28), Health care and social assistance (23). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 42261?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 42261 increased by 17.1% in 2023. 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 42261?
In ZIP code 42261, 57.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.2% 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 42261?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 42261 is 26.3 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 42261?
In ZIP code 42261, approximately 69.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 31.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42261?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42261 is 20.0% 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 42261's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 42261 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Morgantown, 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.