PlainZIP

Killeen, TX · standard

ZIP Code 76542

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

40,025
192/sq mi
$74,055
Median income
$244,000
Median home value
28.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 47%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 44%
home value, US ZIPs
192
people per sq mi
65%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 76542 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 76542 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Killeen, Bell County, Texas, with 40,025 residents across 208.2 square miles, a density of 192 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 76542 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $74,055 (2% below the Texas average), while per-capita income is $33,150. 12.4% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 7.9%. The typical home here is valued at $244,000 (1% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,355 monthly, and 65.3% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 28.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 32.3, and the average commute is 26 minutes. We also surface 6 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Bell County, so you can benchmark 76542 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 76542

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Killeen, TX

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 76542.

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 76542, Killeen, TX · 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

40,025

Population

208.2

Area (sq mi)

192

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 76542?

32.3

Median Age

48.9%

Male

51.1%

Female

10.0%

Foreign-Born

White 33.0%
African American 36.2%
Asian 4.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.2%
Two or More Ethnicities 18.5%
Hispanic or Latino 25.5%

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?

$74,055

Median Household Income

-2% vs state

$33,150

Per Capita Income

12.4%

Poverty Rate

7.9%

Unemployment Rate

26.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 76542 ranks nationally

Killeen, TX household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$74,055 Top 47% higher than 53% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 53.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 28.4%

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

What does housing look like?

20,903

Total Housing Units

19,712

Occupied Units

1,191

Vacant Units

2.73

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 65.3%
Renter 34.7%

$244,000

Median Home Value

-1% vs state

$1,355

Median Rent

2003

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

+1.4%

YoY Change (2024)

236

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+136%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 76542 have increased 1.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +136% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +5.0% 155
2021 +13.9% 176
2022 +23.8% 218
2023 +6.6% 233
2024 +1.4% 236

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 660 business establishments in ZIP 76542, employing approximately 7,004 people with a combined annual payroll of $256,062,000.

660

Businesses

7,004

Employees

$256.1M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 103 15.6%
Other services (except public administration) 94 14.2%
Health care and social assistance 85 12.9%
Accommodation and food services 85 12.9%
Construction 55 8.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 51 7.7%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 41 6.2%
Finance and insurance 39 5.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 29 4.4%
Transportation and warehousing 23 3.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 15 2.3%
Wholesale trade 13 2.0%
Educational services 12 1.8%
Information 6 0.9%
Manufacturing 5 0.8%

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 76542 vs 76549 →

ZIP 76542 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 76542 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 76542 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 76542 ranks #3 of 7 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
76549 Killeen, TX 44,490 5.0 mi
76541 Killeen, TX 19,206 7.2 mi
76548 Harker Heights, TX 26,344 6.6 mi
76544 Fort Hood, TX 29,943 9.2 mi
76559 Nolanville, TX 5,051 9.5 mi
76543 Killeen, TX 30,430 10.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Bell County

76549 standard
Killeen, TX
Pop: 44,490
76513 standard
Belton, TX
Pop: 34,172
76502 standard
Temple, TX
Pop: 31,545
76543 standard
Killeen, TX
Pop: 30,430
76544 standard
Fort Hood, TX
Pop: 29,943
76548 standard
Harker Heights, TX
Pop: 26,344

Related Areas

Bell County Killeen, TX Texas

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 76542 in? ▼
ZIP code 76542 (Killeen) is located in Bell County, Texas. Bell County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/bell-tx.
What is the population of ZIP code 76542? ▼
ZIP code 76542 in Killeen, TX has a population of 40,025 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 76542? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 76542 is $74,055, which is 3% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 76542? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 76542 is $244,000, which is 12% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 76542? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 76542 is African American at 36.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 25.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 76542? ▼
ZIP code 76542 has 660 business establishments employing approximately 7,004 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 76542? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 76542 are: Retail trade (103), Other services (except public administration) (94), Health care and social assistance (85). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 76542? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 76542 increased by 1.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 136%. 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 76542? ▼
In ZIP code 76542, 53.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 28.4% 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 76542? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 76542 is 26.1 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 76542? ▼
In ZIP code 76542, approximately 65.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 34.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 76542? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 76542 is 12.4% 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.