Area data
Water Valley, KY — ZIP 42085
Population: 914 (Census ACS)
The median home value in ZIP 42085 (Water Valley, KY) is $112,641 — up 1.8% over the past year. FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall natural-hazard risk Relatively Moderate, with icestorm, strongwind, coldwave the top-rated hazards. Cost of living is 9.8% below the US average (BEA, metro/state-level).
$112,641
Median home value
+1.8%
1-year change
Relatively Moderate
Hazard risk (county)
Home values & appreciation
- Median home value
- $112,641
- 1-year appreciation
- +1.8%
- 3-year appreciation
- +3.3%
- 5-year appreciation
- +20.3%
- 10-year appreciation
- +88.6%
- All-time peak (2025-05)
- $115,443
- House Price Index (state)
- 413.6 (+4.3% YoY)
Sources: home value index (ZIP-level) · FHFA House Price Index (state-level)
Market activity
- Median list price
- $119,900
- Active listings
- 4
- 1-year forecast
- +3.3%
Source: recent area sales and market data (ZIP-level)
Rents
- Studio fair-market rent
- $650/mo
- 1BR fair-market rent
- $695/mo
- 2BR fair-market rent
- $909/mo
- 3BR fair-market rent
- $1,219/mo
- 4BR fair-market rent
- $1,270/mo
Sources: market rent index (ZIP-level) · HUD Fair Market Rents (metro/county-level, 40th-percentile regulatory reference)
Affordability
- Cost of living index (Below Average)
- 90.2 (100 = US avg)
- Electricity rate (state-level)
- 13.2¢/kWh
- Natural gas rate (state-level)
- $14.20/MCF
- 30-year mortgage rate (national)
- 7.40%
- 15-year mortgage rate (national)
- 6.73%
Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities (metro/state-level) · EIA energy rates (state-level) · Freddie Mac PMMS (national)
Natural hazards & flood risk
- Overall hazard risk (county)
- Relatively Moderate
- Top hazards (county)
- iceStorm, strongWind, coldWave, drought, earthquake
- Notable hazard ratings (county)
- hail: Relatively Low · drought: Relatively Moderate · tornado: Relatively Moderate · coldWave: Relatively Moderate · heatWave: Relatively Low · iceStorm: Relatively High
- Wildfire risk to homes (county)
- Higher than 22% of US counties
- Buildings in wildfire direct-exposure zone
- 73.7%
- Radon potential (county)
- Low radon potential — EPA Zone 3 of 3
- EPA Superfund (NPL) sites within 5 mi
- None
Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (county-level) · FEMA flood data (ZIP-level) · USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (county-level) · EPA radon zones + Superfund NPL
Climate (30-year normals)
- Average annual temperature
- 59.0°F
- Average high
- 70.0°F
- Average low
- 48.0°F
- Annual precipitation
- 54.7 in
- Annual snowfall
- 3.1 in
- USDA plant hardiness zone
- 7b (extreme annual low 5 to 10°F)
Sources: NOAA Climate Normals (30-year, nearest-station) · USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
Amenities
- National parks within ~60 mi
- 1
- Nearest national park
- Fort Donelson National Battlefield (47 mi)
- Airports within 30 mi
- 14
- Nearest airport
- Fulton Airport (9 mi)
- Nearest major airport
- Barkley Regional Airport (PAH) (34 mi)
- Hospitals nearby (~15 mi)
- 12
- Hospitals include
- MURRAY-CALLOWAY COUNTY HOSPITAL, MERCY HEALTH - LOURDES HOSPITAL, BAPTIST HEALTH PADUCAH
- Avg hospital rating (CMS)
- 3.0 / 5
- Best hospital rating nearby (CMS)
- 4.0 / 5
- Solar radiation rating
- Fair (4.3 kWh/m²/day)
Sources: National Park Service · FAA airport data · CMS hospital data · DOE/NREL (proximity-based)
Migration
- Net migration (county)
- -116 tax filers
Source: IRS county-to-county migration data (county-level, ~12-month lag)
Housing stock
- Median year housing built
- 1,974
- Housing built before 1970
- 40.8%
- Housing built 2000 or later
- 14.4%
- Median annual property tax
- $727
- Households with broadband internet
- 35.0%
Source: Census ACS 5-year estimates (ZIP-level)
Employment & development
- Total county employment
- 10,082
- Average weekly wage
- $997
- Top industries (by employment)
- Accommodation & Food, Wholesale Trade, Administrative Services
- Annual residential building permits (county)
- 83
Sources: BLS QCEW (county-level) · Census Building Permits (county-level)
How it compares
| ZIP 42085 | State median | US median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $112,641 | $169,240 | $288,527 |
| Median annual property tax | $727 | $921 | $2,006 |
State and US medians are computed across all US ZIP codes with sufficient public-data coverage, from the same sources as the figures above.
Area data compiled from public government, academic, and industry research feeds. Data sources →
Common questions
- What is the median home value in ZIP 42085?
- $112,641.
- What is typical rent in ZIP 42085?
- 2-bedroom fair-market rent: $909/month (HUD FMR — a 40th-percentile regulatory reference, not market-observed).
- What is the natural-hazard risk in ZIP 42085?
- Overall risk: Relatively Moderate (FEMA NRI, county-level). Top hazards: iceStorm, strongWind, coldWave, drought, earthquake.
- What is the wildfire risk in ZIP 42085?
- Risk to homes is higher than 22% of US counties (USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities, county-level).
- What is the radon potential in ZIP 42085?
- Low radon potential — EPA Zone 3 of 3, county-level. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone.
- Are there Superfund sites near ZIP 42085?
- No current or proposed National Priorities List sites within 5 miles (EPA).
- What is the cost of living in ZIP 42085?
- Regional Price Parity: 90.2 (100 = US average) (Below Average) (BEA RPP, metro/state-level).
Nearby ZIP codes
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Data last updated
Most recent source refresh: Oct 2026. See all data sources →