PlainZIP

Owensboro, KY · standard

ZIP Code 42303

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

38,909
313/sq mi
$64,773
Median income
$198,200
Median home value
27.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Owensboro pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

38th pct
household income, US ZIPs
43th pct
home value, US ZIPs
313
people per sq mi
66%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42303 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 42303 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Owensboro, Daviess County, Kentucky, with 38,909 residents across 124.2 square miles, a density of 313 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 42303 reports a modest median household income of $64,773 (9% above the Kentucky average), while per-capita income is $39,736. The poverty rate stands at 17.9% and the unemployment rate at 4.1%. Median home value sits at $198,200 (25% above the state average), median rent at $979 a month, and owner-occupancy at 65.8%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 27.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.9, and the average commute is 18 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Daviess County, so you can benchmark 42303 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 42303

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Owensboro, KY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42303.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 42303, 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

38,909

Population

124.2

Area (sq mi)

313

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 42303?

39.9

Median Age

48.8%

Male

51.2%

Female

3.6%

Foreign-Born

White 85.4%
African American 3.1%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.3%
Hispanic or Latino 5.0%

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?

$64,773

Median Household Income

+9% vs state

$39,736

Per Capita Income

17.9%

Poverty Rate

4.1%

Unemployment Rate

17.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 42303 ranks nationally

Owensboro, KY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$64,773 38th percentile higher than 38% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 61.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 27.0%

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

What does housing look like?

18,070

Total Housing Units

17,220

Occupied Units

850

Vacant Units

2.37

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 65.8%
Renter 34.2%

$198,200

Median Home Value

+25% vs state

$979

Median Rent

1977

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

+2.5%

YoY Change (2024)

215

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+115%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 42303 have increased 2.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +115% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.5% 156
2021 +9.1% 170
2022 +16.7% 198
2023 +5.8% 210
2024 +2.5% 215

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 1,118 business establishments in ZIP 42303, employing approximately 19,852 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,005,655,000.

1,118

Businesses

19,852

Employees

$1.0B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 223 19.9%
Retail trade 189 16.9%
Construction 92 8.2%
Other services (except public administration) 87 7.8%
Accommodation and food services 86 7.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 83 7.4%
Finance and insurance 75 6.7%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 55 4.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 51 4.6%
Wholesale trade 44 3.9%
Manufacturing 43 3.9%
Transportation and warehousing 24 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 18 1.6%
Information 15 1.3%
Educational services 14 1.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 12 1.1%
Utilities 5 0.5%

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 42303 vs 42366 →

ZIP 42303 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 42303 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 42303 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 42303 ranks #4 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
42366 Philpot, KY 5,863 6.3 mi
42355 Maceo, KY 1,852 7.5 mi
47635 Rockport, IN 5,671 9.2 mi
42376 Utica, KY 5,799 10.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Daviess County

42301 standard
Owensboro, KY
Pop: 42,440
42366 standard
Philpot, KY
Pop: 5,863
42376 standard
Utica, KY
Pop: 5,799
42378 standard
Whitesville, KY
Pop: 3,339
42355 standard
Maceo, KY
Pop: 1,852
42356 standard
Maple Mount, KY
Pop: 83

Related Areas

Daviess County Owensboro, KY Kentucky

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 42303 in? ▼
ZIP code 42303 (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 42303? ▼
ZIP code 42303 in Owensboro, KY has a population of 38,909 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42303? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 42303 is $64,773, which is 15% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42303? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 42303 is $198,200, which is 29% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42303? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 42303 is White at 85.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42303? ▼
ZIP code 42303 has 1,118 business establishments employing approximately 19,852 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42303? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42303 are: Health care and social assistance (223), Retail trade (189), Construction (92). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 42303? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 42303 increased by 2.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 115%. 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 42303? ▼
In ZIP code 42303, 61.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 27.0% 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 42303? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 42303 is 17.7 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 42303? ▼
In ZIP code 42303, approximately 65.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 34.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42303? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42303 is 17.9% 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.