PlainZIP

Kiel, WI · standard

ZIP Code 53042

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

6,690
42/sq mi
$86,389
Median income
$239,400
Median home value
20.3%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Kiel pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 30%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 45%
home value, US ZIPs
42
people per sq mi
84%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 53042 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 53042 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Kiel, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, home to 6,690 residents across 159.7 square miles, a density of 42 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 53042 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $86,389 (11% above the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $41,658. Local economic indicators show a 7.3% poverty rate alongside 2.6% unemployment. Median home value sits at $239,400 (4% below the state average), median rent at $778 a month, and owner-occupancy at 83.7%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.1, and the average commute is 20 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 5 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 53042, plus 6 more within Manitowoc 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 53042

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Kiel, WI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53042.

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 53042, Kiel, WI · 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

6,690

Population

159.7

Area (sq mi)

42

People / sq mi

Chicago

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 53042?

47.1

Median Age

50.6%

Male

49.4%

Female

2.2%

Foreign-Born

White 92.3%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.9%
Hispanic or Latino 3.9%

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?

$86,389

Median Household Income

+11% vs state

$41,658

Per Capita Income

7.3%

Poverty Rate

2.6%

Unemployment Rate

20.4 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 53042 ranks nationally

Kiel, WI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$86,389 Top 30% higher than 70% 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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $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 55.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.3%

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

What does housing look like?

2,952

Total Housing Units

2,800

Occupied Units

152

Vacant Units

2.43

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 83.7%
Renter 16.3%

$239,400

Median Home Value

-4% vs state

$778

Median Rent

1975

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

-5.3%

YoY Change (2024)

212

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+112%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 53042 have decreased 5.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +112% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -0.5% 137
2021 +12.5% 154
2022 +14.7% 177
2023 +26.3% 224
2024 -5.3% 212

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 167 business establishments in ZIP 53042, employing approximately 3,239 people with a combined annual payroll of $164,461,000.

167

Businesses

3,239

Employees

$164.5M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 30 18.0%
Manufacturing 21 12.6%
Retail trade 19 11.4%
Accommodation and food services 19 11.4%
Health care and social assistance 17 10.2%
Other services (except public administration) 14 8.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 12 7.2%
Transportation and warehousing 9 5.4%
Finance and insurance 9 5.4%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5 3.0%
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction 4 2.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3 1.8%

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 53042 vs 54232 →

ZIP 53042 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 53042 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 53042 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 53042 ranks #2 of 6 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
54232 Saint Nazianz, WI 779 4.8 mi
53020 Elkhart Lake, WI 3,500 6.2 mi
54207 Collins, WI 176 9.4 mi
53061 New Holstein, WI 5,196 7.0 mi
54245 Valders, WI 2,259 6.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Manitowoc County

54220 standard
Manitowoc, WI
Pop: 40,220
54241 standard
Two Rivers, WI
Pop: 14,884
54208 standard
Denmark, WI
Pop: 6,061
54230 standard
Reedsville, WI
Pop: 4,782
54228 standard
Mishicot, WI
Pop: 2,682
53015 standard
Cleveland, WI
Pop: 2,609

Related Areas

Manitowoc County Kiel, WI Wisconsin

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 53042 in? ▼
ZIP code 53042 (Kiel) is located in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. Manitowoc County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/manitowoc-wi.
What is the population of ZIP code 53042? ▼
ZIP code 53042 in Kiel, WI has a population of 6,690 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 53042? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 53042 is $86,389, which is 13% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 53042? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 53042 is $239,400, which is 14% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53042? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 53042 is White at 92.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53042? ▼
ZIP code 53042 has 167 business establishments employing approximately 3,239 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53042? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 53042 are: Construction (30), Manufacturing (21), Retail trade (19). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 53042? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 53042 decreased by 5.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 112%. 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 53042? ▼
In ZIP code 53042, 55.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.3% 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 53042? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 53042 is 20.4 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 53042? ▼
In ZIP code 53042, approximately 83.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 16.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53042? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 53042 is 7.3% 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.