PlainZIP

Liberty, KY · standard

ZIP Code 42539

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

10,026
18/sq mi
$40,862
Median income
$130,500
Median home value
11.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

6th pct
household income, US ZIPs
20th pct
home value, US ZIPs
18
people per sq mi
77%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42539 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 42539 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Liberty, Casey County, Kentucky, home to 10,026 residents across 547.9 square miles, a density of 18 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 42539 reports a modest median household income of $40,862 (31% below the Kentucky average), while per-capita income is $23,330. The poverty rate stands at 21.9% and the unemployment rate at 6.3%. Median home value sits at $130,500 (18% below the state average), median rent at $674 a month, and owner-occupancy at 76.5%.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 11.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.9, and the average commute is 25 minutes. To put 42539 in local context, 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 4 additional ZIPs in Casey County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 42539

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Liberty, KY

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42539.

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 42539, Liberty, 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

10,026

Population

547.9

Area (sq mi)

18

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 42539?

42.9

Median Age

47.7%

Male

52.3%

Female

2.0%

Foreign-Born

White 95.7%
African American 0.4%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.9%
Hispanic or Latino 3.7%

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?

$40,862

Median Household Income

-31% vs state

$23,330

Per Capita Income

21.9%

Poverty Rate

6.3%

Unemployment Rate

25.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 42539 ranks nationally

Liberty, KY household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$40,862 6th percentile higher than 6% 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 56.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 11.9%

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

What does housing look like?

4,458

Total Housing Units

3,834

Occupied Units

624

Vacant Units

2.31

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 76.5%
Renter 23.5%

$130,500

Median Home Value

-18% vs state

$674

Median Rent

1983

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

-6.3%

YoY Change (2024)

176

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+76%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 42539 have decreased 6.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +76% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2019 +18.4% 159
2020 -12.0% 140
2021 +15.0% 161
2022 -6.3% 151
2024 – 176

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 184 business establishments in ZIP 42539, employing approximately 2,077 people with a combined annual payroll of $75,222,000.

184

Businesses

2,077

Employees

$75.2M

Annual Payroll

10

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 47 25.5%
Health care and social assistance 26 14.1%
Manufacturing 20 10.9%
Construction 17 9.2%
Accommodation and food services 13 7.1%
Other services (except public administration) 13 7.1%
Wholesale trade 11 6.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 11 6.0%
Finance and insurance 10 5.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 1.6%

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 42539 vs 42528 →

ZIP 42539 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 42539 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 42539 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 42539 ranks #4 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
42528 Dunnville, KY 1,524 8.9 mi
42565 Windsor, KY 735 10.8 mi
40437 Hustonville, KY 4,932 10.9 mi

More ZIP Codes in Casey County

42565 standard
Windsor, KY
Pop: 735
42566 standard
Yosemite, KY
Pop: 660
42541 standard
Middleburg, KY
Pop: 531
42516 standard
Bethelridge, KY
Pop: 463

Related Areas

Casey County Liberty, KY Kentucky

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 42539 in? ▼
ZIP code 42539 (Liberty) is located in Casey County, Kentucky. Casey County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/casey-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 42539? ▼
ZIP code 42539 in Liberty, KY has a population of 10,026 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42539? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 42539 is $40,862, which is 46% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42539? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 42539 is $130,500, which is 53% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42539? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 42539 is White at 95.7%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42539? ▼
ZIP code 42539 has 184 business establishments employing approximately 2,077 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42539? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42539 are: Retail trade (47), Health care and social assistance (26), Manufacturing (20). There are 10 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 42539? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 42539 decreased by 6.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 76%. 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 42539? ▼
In ZIP code 42539, 56.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 11.9% 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 42539? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 42539 is 25.3 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 42539? ▼
In ZIP code 42539, approximately 76.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 23.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42539? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42539 is 21.9% 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.