42321 ZIP Code — Beech Creek, KY

Muhlenberg County, Kentucky

ZIP code 42321 is located in Beech Creek, Kentucky, within Muhlenberg County. It covers approximately 3.66 square miles and serves a population of 415 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 270/364.

About ZIP code 42321

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $87,900.

Median household income is $66,250. Poverty affects 19% of residents, above the national average. 58% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 30 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 8% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (29%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include disability rates above the national average at 30%.

Overall, ZIP code 42321 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

415

population

3.66

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

42321 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 42321

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 42321. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Beech Creek	Acceptable

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	415
Population density	113 / sq mi
State FIPS	21
County FIPS	177

Geography
Land area	3.66 sq mi
Water area	0.02 sq mi
Latitude	37.1734
Longitude	-87.0718
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	270/364

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	86.2%	53.8%	47.9%
$50k – $100k	13.8%	28.8%	30.3%
$100k – $200k	0.0%	12.7%	17.6%
Over $200k	0.0%	4.7%	4.2%

Demographics & statistics

415

Population

113

People per sq mi

38.2

Median age

$66,250

Median household income

$31,700

Per capita income

$87,900

Median home value

Median monthly rent

100.0%

Home ownership

19.3%

Poverty rate

5.4%

Unemployment

197

Housing units

8.0%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

25–34

35–44

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	104	25.1%
18 and over	311	74.9%
65 and over	115	27.7%
Median age	38.2 years

Race & ethnicity

White 100%

Group	Count	%
White	415	100%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	86.2%	53.8%	47.9%
$50k – $100k	13.8%	28.8%	30.3%
$100k – $200k	0.0%	12.7%	17.6%
Over $200k	0.0%	4.7%	4.2%

Under $10k 6.0%

$15k–$25k 18.5%

$25k–$35k 8.3%

$35k–$50k 10.7%

$50k–$75k 6.5%

$75k–$100k 24.4%

$100k–$150k 12.5%

$150k–$200k 8.9%

$200k+ 4.2%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	6.0%
$15k–$25k	18.5%
$25k–$35k	8.3%
$35k–$50k	10.7%
$50k–$75k	6.5%
$75k–$100k	24.4%
$100k–$150k	12.5%
$150k–$200k	8.9%
$200k+	4.2%
Median income	$66,250

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 16.7%

$50k–$100k 54.8%

$200k–$300k 28.6%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$87,900
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	100.0%
Renter occupied	0.0%
Vacant	14.7%
Single-family detached	87.3%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	12.7%
Median rooms	6.2
Avg household size (owned)	2.47

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	7.6%
2000–2009	12.7%
1990–1999	0.0%
1980–1989	9.6%
1970–1979	40.6%
1960–1969	3.6%
1950–1959	13.7%
1940–1949	12.2%
1939 or earlier	0.0%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	0.0%
2 bedrooms	22.3%
3 bedrooms	51.8%
4 bedrooms	17.8%
5+ bedrooms	8.1%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	17.3%
1 vehicle	26.8%
2 vehicles	45.2%
3 or more	10.7%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	16.1%
Electricity	83.9%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	89	53.0%
Cohabiting couple	24	14.3%
Male householder, no spouse	14	8.3%
Female householder, no spouse	41	24.4%
Households with children under 18	53	31.5%
Households with seniors (65+)	83	49.4%
Average household size	2.47

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	16.0%	17.6%
Married	59.9%	56.6%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	8.6%	11.9%
Divorced	15.4%	13.8%

Education

Less than 9th grade 8.7%

Some HS, no diploma 12.7%

HS graduate 30.7%

Some college, no degree 15.3%

Associate's degree 24.7%

Bachelor's degree 0.0%

Graduate / professional 8.0%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	78.7%
Bachelor's or higher	8.0%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	60	55.0%
High school	10	9.2%
College / grad school	39	35.8%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 36.6%

Construction 20.3%

Manufacturing 16.3%

Professional & management 16.3%

Retail trade 5.7%

Arts, food & hospitality 4.9%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	31.7%
Service	10.6%
Sales & office	4.9%
Natural resources & construction	30.9%
Production & transportation	22.0%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	87.8%
Government	12.2%
Self-employed	0.0%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	100.0%
Carpool	0.0%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	0.0%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	30.0

Poverty

All people 19.3%

Under 18 years 44.2%

18 and over 10.9%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 100.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	57.7%
Retirement income	42.9%
Supplemental Security	20.8%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	8.3%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	40.4%
High blood pressure	40.5%
High cholesterol	37.1%
Diabetes	12.4%
Heart disease	7.7%
Stroke	3.6%
Asthma	12.0%
Arthritis	31.1%
Kidney disease	3.2%
Pulmonary disease	12.1%
Cancer	5.8%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	29.1%
Binge drinking	15.9%
No physical activity	35.1%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	38.8%
Depression	28.1%
Fair or poor health	23.7%
Poor mental health	20.4%
Poor physical health	15.7%
No health insurance	12.9%
Visited doctor (checkup)	75.2%
Visited dentist	46.6%
Cholesterol screening	85.9%
Teeth loss	24.4%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	0	0.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	29.9%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	26.0%
65 and over	63.5%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	69.4%
Public insurance	65.3%
No insurance	0.0%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	381	91.8%
Spanish	0	0.0%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	415	100.0%
Born in same state	415	100.0%
Born in different state	353	85.1%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	0	0.0%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	95	22.9%
Italian	50	12%

Ancestry	Count	%
French	48	11.6%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	40.5%
Internet access	75.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 42321

What city is ZIP code 42321 in?

ZIP code 42321 is primarily assigned to Beech Creek, Kentucky.

What county is ZIP code 42321 in?

ZIP code 42321 falls within Muhlenberg County, Kentucky.

Does ZIP code 42321 have a large retiree population?

58% of households in ZIP code 42321 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Does ZIP code 42321 have an older population?

28% of residents in ZIP code 42321 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 42321?

8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42321?

19% of residents in ZIP code 42321 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What timezone is ZIP code 42321 in?

ZIP code 42321 observes the CST timezone.