PlainZIP

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
$54,707
Median income
$210,200
Median home value
23.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Somerset pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

21th 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.

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 Kentucky average), while per-capita income is $32,285. 15.2% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 5.0%. Median home value sits at $210,200 (32% above the state average), median rent at $838 a month, and owner-occupancy at 71.6%.

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. A geography-based comparison follows: 3 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 42503, plus 6 more within Pulaski 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 →

Top industries in ZIP 42503

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Somerset, KY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42503.

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 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

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 42503?

42.3

Median Age

49.4%

Male

50.6%

Female

2.8%

Foreign-Born

White 94.9%
African American 0.6%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.3%
Hispanic or Latino 2.9%

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

$32,285

Per Capita Income

15.2%

Poverty Rate

5.0%

Unemployment Rate

18.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 42503 ranks nationally

Somerset, KY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$54,707 21st percentile higher than 21% 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 56.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 23.4%

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

What does housing look like?

11,589

Total Housing Units

10,272

Occupied Units

1,317

Vacant Units

2.42

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 71.6%
Renter 28.4%

$210,200

Median Home Value

+32% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 42503 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 42503 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 42503 ranks the highest of 4 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
42533 Ferguson, KY 802 7.2 mi
42501 Somerset, KY 17,592 7.8 mi
42567 Eubank, KY 6,007 8.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Pulaski County

42501 standard
Somerset, KY
Pop: 17,592
42567 standard
Eubank, KY
Pop: 6,007
42544 standard
Nancy, KY
Pop: 5,843
42553 standard
Science Hill, KY
Pop: 5,284
42519 standard
Burnside, KY
Pop: 3,191
42518 standard
Bronston, KY
Pop: 2,914

Related Areas

Pulaski County Somerset, KY Kentucky

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.