Licking, MO · standard
ZIP Code 65542
Texas County, Missouri - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,776
- 12/sq mi Low-density area
- $46,076
- Median income Below-median income area
- $118,600
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 9.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Licking pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 10th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 16th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 12
- people per sq mi
- 78%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 65542 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 65542 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Licking, Texas County, Missouri, home to 6,776 residents across 564.7 square miles, a density of 12 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 65542 reports a modest median household income of $46,076 (31% below the average Missouri ZIP), while per-capita income is $19,609. The poverty rate is 20.2%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $118,600 (38% below the average Missouri ZIP), and median rent is $728; owner occupancy is 78.4%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 9.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.6, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Texas County, so 65542 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 65542
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Licking, MO
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 65542.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
20 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
14 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
8 establishments
- Construction 7
Construction
7 establishments
- Manufacturing 6
Manufacturing
6 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 65542, Licking, MO · 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
6,776
Population
564.7
Area (sq mi)
12
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 65542?
40.6
Median Age
57.0%
Male
43.0%
Female
0.4%
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?
$46,076
Median Household Income
-31% vs state ZIP avg
$19,609
Per Capita Income
20.2%
Poverty Rate
8.8%
Unemployment Rate
28.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 65542 ranks among Missouri ZIPs
Licking, MO household income vs. every Missouri ZIP code
Median household income among 948 reporting Missouri ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$46,076 15th percentile higher than 15% of 948 Missouri ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Missouri 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
2,427housing units
2,427
Total Housing Units
2,172
Occupied Units
255
Vacant Units
2.68
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$118,600
Median Home Value
-38% vs state ZIP avg
$728
Median Rent
1980
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 83 business establishments in ZIP 65542, employing approximately 602 people with a combined annual payroll of $24,569,000.
83
Businesses
602
Employees
$24.6M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 20 | 24.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 14 | 16.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 8 | 9.6% |
| Construction | 7 | 8.4% |
| Manufacturing | 6 | 7.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 6.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 6.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 5 | 6.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 4.8% |
| Information | 3 | 3.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 3.6% |
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 65542 vs 65436 →
ZIP 65542 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 65542
Licking (65542)
6,776 residents
- 65555 1,087
Raymondville (65555)
1,087 residents
- 65541 236
Lenox (65541)
236 residents
- 65436 91
Beulah (65436)
91 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 65542 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 65542 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 65541
Lenox (65541)
$54,931 median income
- 65542
Licking (65542)
$46,076 median income
- 65555
Raymondville (65555)
$43,631 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 65542 ranks #2 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 65542, both outside MO so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (6,776 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Texas County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 65542 in?
ZIP code 65542 (Licking) is located in Texas County, Missouri. Texas County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/texas-mo.
What is the population of ZIP code 65542?
ZIP code 65542 in Licking, MO has a population of 6,776 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 65542?
The median household income in ZIP 65542 is $46,076, which is 40% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 65542?
The median home value in ZIP 65542 is $118,600, which is 57% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 65542?
The largest racial group in ZIP 65542 is White at 90.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 65542?
ZIP code 65542 has 83 business establishments employing approximately 602 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 65542?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 65542 are: Retail trade (20), Health care and social assistance (14), Other services (except public administration) (8). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 65542?
In ZIP code 65542, 54.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 9.1% 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 65542?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 65542 is 28.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 65542?
In ZIP code 65542, approximately 78.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 21.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 65542?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 65542 is 20.2% 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 65542's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 65542 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Licking, MO 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.