Owensboro, KY · standard
ZIP Code 42301
Daviess County, Kentucky - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 42,440
- 96/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $66,885
- Median income Near-median income area
- $198,200
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 26.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Owensboro pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 42nd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 43rd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 96
- people per sq mi
- 63%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42301 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 42301 (Owensboro, KY) rose +10.2% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 204.5 in 2023 to 225.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 42301 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Owensboro, Daviess County, Kentucky, with 42,440 residents across 443.0 square miles, a density of 96 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 42301 reports a modest median household income of $66,885 (12% above the average Kentucky ZIP), while per-capita income is $32,914. The poverty rate is 14.2%, with unemployment at 5.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $198,200 (25% above the average Kentucky ZIP), while 63.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $876.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 26.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.6, and the average commute is 19 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Daviess County, so 42301 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 42301
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Owensboro, KY
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42301.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
181 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
140 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
116 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
103 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
89 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 42301, Owensboro, 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
42,440
Population
443.0
Area (sq mi)
96
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 42301?
36.6
Median Age
48.5%
Male
51.5%
Female
5.1%
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?
$66,885
Median Household Income
+12% vs state ZIP avg
$32,914
Per Capita Income
14.2%
Poverty Rate
5.3%
Unemployment Rate
18.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 42301 ranks nationally
Owensboro, KY household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$66,885 42nd percentile higher than 42% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
19,762housing units
19,762
Total Housing Units
18,381
Occupied Units
1,381
Vacant Units
2.42
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$198,200
Median Home Value
+25% vs state ZIP avg
$876
Median Rent
1975
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
+10.2%
YoY Change (2024)
225
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+125%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 42301 have increased 10.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +125% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +4.5% | 159 |
| 2021 | +9.0% | 173 |
| 2022 | +13.6% | 197 |
| 2023 | +3.8% | 205 |
| 2024 | +10.2% | 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 1,044 business establishments in ZIP 42301, employing approximately 21,608 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,034,940,000.
1,044
Businesses
21,608
Employees
$1.0B
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 181 | 17.3% |
| Health care and social assistance | 140 | 13.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 116 | 11.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 103 | 9.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 89 | 8.5% |
| Construction | 74 | 7.1% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 66 | 6.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 54 | 5.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 53 | 5.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 43 | 4.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 35 | 3.4% |
| Manufacturing | 33 | 3.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 16 | 1.5% |
| Information | 15 | 1.4% |
| Educational services | 15 | 1.4% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 6 | 0.6% |
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 42301 vs 42356 →
ZIP 42301 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42301
Owensboro (42301)
42,440 residents
- 47635 5,671
Rockport (47635)
5,671 residents
- 42451 783
Reed (42451)
783 residents
- 42356 83
Maple Mount (42356)
83 residents
- 42322 47
Beech Grove (42322)
47 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 42301 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 42301 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42301
Owensboro (42301)
$66,885 median income
- 47635
Rockport (47635)
$66,286 median income
- 42451
Reed (42451)
$57,100 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 42301 ranks the highest 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 42301, 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 (42,440 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Daviess County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 42301 in?
ZIP code 42301 (Owensboro) is located in Daviess County, Kentucky. Daviess County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/daviess-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 42301?
ZIP code 42301 in Owensboro, KY has a population of 42,440 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42301?
The median household income in ZIP 42301 is $66,885, which is 12% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42301?
The median home value in ZIP 42301 is $198,200, which is 29% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42301?
The largest racial group in ZIP 42301 is White at 82.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42301?
ZIP code 42301 has 1,044 business establishments employing approximately 21,608 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42301?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42301 are: Retail trade (181), Health care and social assistance (140), Other services (except public administration) (116). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 42301?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 42301 increased by 10.2% 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 42301?
In ZIP code 42301, 59.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 26.5% 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 42301?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 42301 is 18.6 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 42301?
In ZIP code 42301, 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 42301?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42301 is 14.2% 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 42301's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 42301 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Owensboro, 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.