42085 ZIP Code — Water Valley, KY

Graves County, Kentucky

ZIP code 42085 is located in Water Valley, Kentucky, within Graves County. It covers approximately 28.59 square miles and serves a population of 658 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 270/364.

About ZIP code 42085

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1960s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $99,700. Owner-occupancy is high at 96%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $56,182. Poverty affects 21% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 21% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 47% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is production, transportation, and material moving, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 23 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 7% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (26%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 16% of civilians, above the national average of 7%; and disability rates above the national average at 27%.

Overall, ZIP code 42085 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, a strong veteran community, high homeownership, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

658

population

28.59

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

42085 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 42085

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 42085. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Water Valley	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

42041 Fulton (3 mi) 42088 Wingo (4.5 mi) 38226 Dukedom (10.3 mi) 42079 Sedalia (11.8 mi) 42066 Mayfield (12 mi) 42031 Clinton (13.2 mi) 38237 Martin (14.4 mi) 42039 Fancy Farm (14.6 mi) 38241 Palmersville (15 mi) 42040 Farmington (15.7 mi) 38238 Martin (16.9 mi) 42021 Arlington (17.2 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	658
Population density	23 / sq mi
State FIPS	21
County FIPS	083

Geography
Land area	28.59 sq mi
Water area	0.12 sq mi
Latitude	36.5812
Longitude	-88.7942
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	61.6%	52.0%	47.9%
$50k – $100k	29.1%	32.6%	30.3%
$100k – $200k	9.2%	12.8%	17.6%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.7%	4.2%

Demographics & statistics

658

Population

People per sq mi

47.7

Median age

$56,182

Median household income

$23,829

Per capita income

$99,700

Median home value

Median monthly rent

96.1%

Home ownership

21.3%

Poverty rate

4.7%

Unemployment

277

Housing units

6.9%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	40	6.1%
18 and over	618	93.9%
65 and over	147	22.3%
Median age	47.7 years

Race & ethnicity

White 75.9%

Two or more races 13.6%

Hispanic or Latino 9.5%

Asian 1%

Group	Count	%
White	552	75.9%
Two or more races	99	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	69	9.5%
Asian	7	1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	61.6%	52.0%	47.9%
$50k – $100k	29.1%	32.6%	30.3%
$100k – $200k	9.2%	12.8%	17.6%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.7%	4.2%

$10k–$15k 4.7%

$15k–$25k 15.1%

$25k–$35k 8.1%

$35k–$50k 3.9%

$50k–$75k 41.9%

$75k–$100k 18.2%

$100k–$150k 5.8%

$150k–$200k 2.3%

Range	% of households
$10k–$15k	4.7%
$15k–$25k	15.1%
$25k–$35k	8.1%
$35k–$50k	3.9%
$50k–$75k	41.9%
$75k–$100k	18.2%
$100k–$150k	5.8%
$150k–$200k	2.3%
Median income	$56,182

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 24.6%

$50k–$100k 25.8%

$100k–$150k 34.3%

$150k–$200k 8.1%

$200k–$300k 2.4%

$500k–$1M 4.8%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$99,700
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	96.1%
Renter occupied	3.9%
Vacant	10.1%
Single-family detached	80.5%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	19.5%
Median rooms	6.3
Avg household size (owned)	2.61

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	3.8%
2000–2009	2.1%
1990–1999	5.2%
1980–1989	22.3%
1970–1979	13.9%
1960–1969	32.4%
1950–1959	0.0%
1940–1949	6.6%
1939 or earlier	13.6%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	0.0%
2 bedrooms	29.6%
3 bedrooms	66.6%
4 bedrooms	0.0%
5+ bedrooms	3.8%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	4.7%
1 vehicle	22.9%
2 vehicles	32.9%
3 or more	39.5%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	29.5%
Electricity	38.0%
Propane / LP gas	32.6%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	160	62.0%
Cohabiting couple	0	0.0%
Male householder, no spouse	72	27.9%
Female householder, no spouse	26	10.1%
Households with children under 18	54	20.9%
Households with seniors (65+)	103	39.9%
Average household size	2.55

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	34.3%	30.4%
Married	41.7%	59.3%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	0.0%	7.9%
Divorced	24.0%	2.4%

Education

Less than 9th grade 2.2%

Some HS, no diploma 18.0%

HS graduate 54.2%

Some college, no degree 10.2%

Associate's degree 8.4%

Bachelor's degree 4.2%

Graduate / professional 2.7%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	79.8%
Bachelor's or higher	6.9%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	0	0.0%
High school	121	75.6%
College / grad school	39	24.4%

Employment

Industry of employment

Transportation & utilities 33.7%

Manufacturing 32.2%

Professional & management 15.1%

Other services 11.7%

Education & healthcare 7.3%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	5.4%
Service	15.1%
Sales & office	2.9%
Natural resources & construction	11.7%
Production & transportation	64.9%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	90.7%
Government	0.0%
Self-employed	9.3%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	92.7%
Carpool	7.3%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	0.0%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	22.8

Poverty

All people 21.3%

Under 18 years 35.0%

18 and over 20.4%

Married-couple families 18.1%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	47.3%
Retirement income	24.4%
Supplemental Security	15.5%
Cash public assistance	5.4%
Food stamps / SNAP	21.3%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	39.0%
High blood pressure	44.5%
High cholesterol	38.8%
Diabetes	13.1%
Heart disease	8.5%
Stroke	4.0%
Asthma	11.4%
Arthritis	33.9%
Kidney disease	3.4%
Pulmonary disease	11.9%
Cancer	7.1%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	25.8%
Binge drinking	14.6%
No physical activity	33.2%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	39.3%
Depression	25.3%
Fair or poor health	22.7%
Poor mental health	18.3%
Poor physical health	15.5%
No health insurance	11.4%
Visited doctor (checkup)	77.4%
Visited dentist	49.3%
Cholesterol screening	89.7%
Teeth loss	21.8%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	99	16.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	26.6%
Under 18	35.0%
18–64 years	19.7%
65 and over	46.3%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	57.3%
Public insurance	52.4%
No insurance	5.8%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	632	96.0%
Spanish	10	1.6%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	10	1.6%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	641	97.4%
Born in same state	627	95.3%
Born in different state	385	58.5%
Foreign born	14	2.1%
Naturalized citizen	17	2.6%
Not a US citizen	17	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	78	11.9%
French	49	7.4%

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	29	4.4%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	39.2%
Internet access	91.5%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 42085

What city is ZIP code 42085 in?

ZIP code 42085 is primarily assigned to Water Valley, Kentucky.

What county is ZIP code 42085 in?

ZIP code 42085 falls within Graves County, Kentucky.

Is ZIP code 42085 mostly owner-occupied?

96% of occupied units in ZIP code 42085 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 42085?

7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

Does ZIP code 42085 have a large retiree population?

47% of households in ZIP code 42085 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 42085?

21% of residents in ZIP code 42085 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What timezone is ZIP code 42085 in?

ZIP code 42085 observes the CST timezone.