Russell Springs, KY · standard
ZIP Code 42642
Russell County, Kentucky - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 12,573
- 35/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $52,633
- Median income Below-median income area
- $152,600
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 15.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Russell Springs pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 18th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 26th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 35
- people per sq mi
- 71%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42642 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 42642 (Russell Springs, KY) rose +13.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 227.2 in 2023 to 256.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 42642 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Russell Springs, Russell County, Kentucky, home to 12,573 residents across 362.3 square miles, a density of 35 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 42642 reports a modest median household income of $52,633 (12% below the average Kentucky ZIP), while per-capita income is $27,917. The poverty rate is 21.1%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Median home value is $152,600 (4% below the average Kentucky ZIP) and median rent is $691; 70.5% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 15.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.9, and the average commute is 19 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 1 more in Russell County, so 42642 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 42642
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Russell Springs, KY
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42642.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
69 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
31 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
30 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 24
Health care and social assistance
24 establishments
- Construction 22
Construction
22 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 42642, Russell Springs, 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
12,573
Population
362.3
Area (sq mi)
35
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 42642?
38.9
Median Age
50.5%
Male
49.5%
Female
2.5%
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?
$52,633
Median Household Income
-12% vs state ZIP avg
$27,917
Per Capita Income
21.1%
Poverty Rate
7.0%
Unemployment Rate
19.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 42642 ranks among Kentucky ZIPs
Russell Springs, 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)
$52,633 39th percentile higher than 39% 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
6,700housing units
6,700
Total Housing Units
5,535
Occupied Units
1,165
Vacant Units
2.42
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$152,600
Median Home Value
-4% vs state ZIP avg
$691
Median Rent
1990
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
+13.0%
YoY Change (2024)
257
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+157%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 42642 have increased 13.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +157% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -3.7% | 155 |
| 2021 | +16.6% | 181 |
| 2022 | +13.1% | 205 |
| 2023 | +10.9% | 227 |
| 2024 | +13.0% | 257 |
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 258 business establishments in ZIP 42642, employing approximately 4,362 people with a combined annual payroll of $177,531,000.
258
Businesses
4,362
Employees
$177.5M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 69 | 26.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 31 | 12.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 30 | 11.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 24 | 9.3% |
| Construction | 22 | 8.5% |
| Manufacturing | 16 | 6.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 15 | 5.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 10 | 3.9% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 9 | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 7 | 2.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 7 | 2.7% |
| Information | 5 | 1.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 5 | 1.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 1.2% |
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 42642 vs 42528 →
ZIP 42642 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42642
Russell Springs (42642)
12,573 residents
- 42629 4,953
Jamestown (42629)
4,953 residents
- 42528 1,524
Dunnville (42528)
1,524 residents
- 42565 735
Windsor (42565)
735 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 42642 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 42642 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42565
Windsor (42565)
$70,692 median income
- 42642
Russell Springs (42642)
$52,633 median income
- 42528
Dunnville (42528)
$50,227 median income
- 42629
Jamestown (42629)
$36,484 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 42642 ranks #2 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 42642, 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 (12,573 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Russell County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 42642 in?
ZIP code 42642 (Russell Springs) is located in Russell County, Kentucky. Russell County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/russell-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 42642?
ZIP code 42642 in Russell Springs, KY has a population of 12,573 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42642?
The median household income in ZIP 42642 is $52,633, which is 31% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42642?
The median home value in ZIP 42642 is $152,600, which is 45% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42642?
The largest racial group in ZIP 42642 is White at 91.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42642?
ZIP code 42642 has 258 business establishments employing approximately 4,362 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42642?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42642 are: Retail trade (69), Accommodation and food services (31), Other services (except public administration) (30). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 42642?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 42642 increased by 13.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 157%. 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 42642?
In ZIP code 42642, 51.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 15.5% 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 42642?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 42642 is 19.4 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 42642?
In ZIP code 42642, approximately 70.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 29.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42642?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42642 is 21.1% 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 42642's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 42642 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Russell Springs, 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.