Columbia, KY · standard
ZIP Code 42728
Adair County, Kentucky - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 15,925
- 19/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $51,623
- Median income Below-median income area
- $151,300
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 22.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Columbia pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 16th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 26th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 19
- people per sq mi
- 76%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 42728 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 42728 (Columbia, KY) rose +16.6% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 236.4 in 2023 to 275.7 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 42728 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Columbia, Adair County, Kentucky, home to 15,925 residents across 829.4 square miles, a density of 19 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 42728 reports a modest median household income of $51,623 (13% below the average Kentucky ZIP), while per-capita income is $29,071. The poverty rate is 17.1%, with unemployment at 6.8%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $151,300 (5% below the average Kentucky ZIP) and median rent is $771; 76.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.2, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 more in Adair County, so 42728 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 42728
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Columbia, KY
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 42728.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
59 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
46 establishments
- Construction
Construction
33 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
31 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
27 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 42728, Columbia, 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
15,925
Population
829.4
Area (sq mi)
19
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 42728?
39.2
Median Age
49.7%
Male
50.3%
Female
4.1%
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?
$51,623
Median Household Income
-13% vs state ZIP avg
$29,071
Per Capita Income
17.1%
Poverty Rate
6.8%
Unemployment Rate
22.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 42728 ranks among Kentucky ZIPs
Columbia, 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)
$51,623 37th percentile higher than 37% 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
7,586housing units
7,586
Total Housing Units
6,223
Occupied Units
1,363
Vacant Units
2.44
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$151,300
Median Home Value
-5% vs state ZIP avg
$771
Median Rent
1982
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
+16.6%
YoY Change (2024)
276
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+176%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 42728 have increased 16.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +176% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.3% | 161 |
| 2021 | +14.2% | 184 |
| 2022 | +16.9% | 216 |
| 2023 | +9.7% | 236 |
| 2024 | +16.6% | 276 |
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 315 business establishments in ZIP 42728, employing approximately 3,940 people with a combined annual payroll of $150,837,000.
315
Businesses
3,940
Employees
$150.8M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 59 | 18.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 46 | 14.6% |
| Construction | 33 | 10.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 31 | 9.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 27 | 8.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 27 | 8.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 18 | 5.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 17 | 5.4% |
| Manufacturing | 16 | 5.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 12 | 3.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 9 | 2.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 8 | 2.5% |
| Information | 3 | 0.9% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 0.9% |
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 42728 vs 42741 →
ZIP 42728 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42728
Columbia (42728)
15,925 residents
- 42753 743
Knifley (42753)
743 residents
- 42741 480
Glens Fork (42741)
480 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 42728 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 42728 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 42741
Glens Fork (42741)
$78,269 median income
- 42753
Knifley (42753)
$54,565 median income
- 42728
Columbia (42728)
$51,623 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 42728 ranks #3 of 3 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 42728, 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 (15,925 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Adair County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 42728 in?
ZIP code 42728 (Columbia) is located in Adair County, Kentucky. Adair County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/adair-ky.
What is the population of ZIP code 42728?
ZIP code 42728 in Columbia, KY has a population of 15,925 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 42728?
The median household income in ZIP 42728 is $51,623, which is 32% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 42728?
The median home value in ZIP 42728 is $151,300, which is 46% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 42728?
The largest racial group in ZIP 42728 is White at 90.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 42728?
ZIP code 42728 has 315 business establishments employing approximately 3,940 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 42728?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 42728 are: Retail trade (59), Health care and social assistance (46), Construction (33). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 42728?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 42728 increased by 16.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 176%. 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 42728?
In ZIP code 42728, 58.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.8% 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 42728?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 42728 is 22.2 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 42728?
In ZIP code 42728, approximately 76.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42728?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 42728 is 17.1% 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 42728's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 42728 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Columbia, 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.