PlainZIP

Beech Creek, KY · standard

ZIP Code 42321

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

327
82/sq mi
$53,750
Median income
$79,800
Median home value
7.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Beech Creek pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

19th pct
household income, US ZIPs
4th pct
home value, US ZIPs
82
people per sq mi
93%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42321 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 42321 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Beech Creek, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, home to just 327 residents across 4.0 square miles, a density of 82 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 42321 reports a modest median household income of $53,750 (10% below the Kentucky average), while per-capita income is $27,924. Poverty here runs at 12.8%, with unemployment measured at 5.3%. Median home value sits at $79,800 (50% below the state average), median rent at - a month, and owner-occupancy at 92.5%.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 7.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.1, and the average commute is -. A geography-based comparison follows: 9 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 42321, plus 6 more within Muhlenberg County, give a clearer read than the 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 →

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 42321, Beech Creek, 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

327

Population

4.0

Area (sq mi)

82

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 42321?

37.1

Median Age

54.1%

Male

45.9%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 97.1%
African American 2.9%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.0%
Hispanic or Latino 0.0%

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?

$53,750

Median Household Income

-10% vs state

$27,924

Per Capita Income

12.8%

Poverty Rate

5.3%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 42321 ranks nationally

Beech Creek, KY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$53,750 19th percentile higher than 19% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 45.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 7.1%

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

What does housing look like?

212

Total Housing Units

212

Occupied Units

0

Vacant Units

2.61

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 92.5%
Renter 7.5%

$79,800

Median Home Value

-50% vs state

1976

Median Year Built

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

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 42321 vs 42323 →

ZIP 42321 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 42321 ranks #9 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 42321 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 42321 ranks #3 of 9 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
42323 Beechmont, KY 793 1.2 mi
42324 Belton, KY 1,276 3.9 mi
42326 Browder, KY 460 4.4 mi
42337 Drakesboro, KY 2,026 4.6 mi
42332 Cleaton, KY 271 5.7 mi
42345 Greenville, KY 11,747 7.3 mi
42339 Dunmor, KY 800 7.2 mi
42367 Powderly, KY 667 7.4 mi
42330 Central City, KY 9,386 10.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Muhlenberg County

42345 standard
Greenville, KY
Pop: 11,747
42330 standard
Central City, KY
Pop: 9,386
42325 standard
Bremen, KY
Pop: 2,028
42337 standard
Drakesboro, KY
Pop: 2,026
42324 standard
Belton, KY
Pop: 1,276
42344 standard
Graham, KY
Pop: 856

Related Areas

Muhlenberg County Beech Creek, KY Kentucky

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 42321 in? ▼
ZIP code 42321 (Beech Creek) is located in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. Muhlenberg County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/muhlenberg-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 42321? ▼
ZIP code 42321 in Beech Creek, KY has a population of 327 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42321? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 42321 is $53,750, which is 30% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42321? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 42321 is $79,800, which is 71% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42321? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 42321 is White at 97.1%.
What is the education level in ZIP code 42321? ▼
In ZIP code 42321, 45.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 7.1% 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 42321? ▼
In ZIP code 42321, approximately 92.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 7.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42321? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42321 is 12.8% 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.