Somerset, KY · standard
ZIP Code 42503
Pulaski County, Kentucky - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 22,894
- 68/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $54,707
- Median income Below-median income area
- $210,200
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 23.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Somerset pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 21st pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 46th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 68
- people per sq mi
- 72%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42503 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 42503 (Somerset, KY) rose +6.4% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 232.1 in 2023 to 246.9 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 42503 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Somerset, Pulaski County, Kentucky, with 22,894 residents across 334.7 square miles, a density of 68 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 42503 reports a modest median household income of $54,707 (8% below the average Kentucky ZIP), while per-capita income is $32,285. The poverty rate is 15.2%, with unemployment at 5.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $210,200 (32% above the average Kentucky ZIP), while 71.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $838.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.3, and the average commute is 19 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Pulaski County, so 42503 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 42503
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Somerset, KY
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42503.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
146 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
74 establishments
- Construction 44
Construction
44 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 37
Other services (except public administration)
37 establishments
- Wholesale trade 30
Wholesale trade
30 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 42503, Somerset, 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
22,894
Population
334.7
Area (sq mi)
68
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 42503?
42.3
Median Age
49.4%
Male
50.6%
Female
2.8%
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?
$54,707
Median Household Income
-8% vs state ZIP avg
$32,285
Per Capita Income
15.2%
Poverty Rate
5.0%
Unemployment Rate
18.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 42503 ranks among Kentucky ZIPs
Somerset, 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)
$54,707 45th percentile higher than 45% 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
11,589housing units
11,589
Total Housing Units
10,272
Occupied Units
1,317
Vacant Units
2.42
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$210,200
Median Home Value
+32% vs state ZIP avg
$838
Median Rent
1992
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
+6.4%
YoY Change (2024)
247
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+147%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 42503 have increased 6.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +147% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.7% | 161 |
| 2021 | +13.9% | 184 |
| 2022 | +16.9% | 215 |
| 2023 | +8.0% | 232 |
| 2024 | +6.4% | 247 |
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 496 business establishments in ZIP 42503, employing approximately 8,471 people with a combined annual payroll of $416,967,000.
496
Businesses
8,471
Employees
$417.0M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 146 | 29.4% |
| Retail trade | 74 | 14.9% |
| Construction | 44 | 8.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 37 | 7.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 30 | 6.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 29 | 5.8% |
| Manufacturing | 28 | 5.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 22 | 4.4% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 19 | 3.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 17 | 3.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 17 | 3.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 14 | 2.8% |
| Educational services | 5 | 1.0% |
| Information | 4 | 0.8% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 0.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 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 42503 vs 42533 →
ZIP 42503 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42503
Somerset (42503)
22,894 residents
- 42501
Somerset (42501)
17,592 residents
- 42567 6,007
Eubank (42567)
6,007 residents
- 42533 802
Ferguson (42533)
802 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 42503 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 42503 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42503
Somerset (42503)
$54,707 median income
- 42501
Somerset (42501)
$48,965 median income
- 42567
Eubank (42567)
$46,526 median income
- 42533
Ferguson (42533)
$41,000 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 42503 ranks the highest of 4 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 42503, 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 (22,894 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Pulaski County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 42503 in?
ZIP code 42503 (Somerset) is located in Pulaski County, Kentucky. Pulaski County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/pulaski-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 42503?
ZIP code 42503 in Somerset, KY has a population of 22,894 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42503?
The median household income in ZIP 42503 is $54,707, which is 28% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42503?
The median home value in ZIP 42503 is $210,200, which is 24% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42503?
The largest racial group in ZIP 42503 is White at 94.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42503?
ZIP code 42503 has 496 business establishments employing approximately 8,471 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42503?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42503 are: Health care and social assistance (146), Retail trade (74), Construction (44). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 42503?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 42503 increased by 6.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 147%. 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 42503?
In ZIP code 42503, 56.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.4% 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 42503?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 42503 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 42503?
In ZIP code 42503, approximately 71.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42503?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42503 is 15.2% 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 42503's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 42503 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Somerset, 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.