Ballard County, KY

ZIP 42087

In ZIP 42087, 4 of the 12 things we check have at least one part graded D or F.

• Drinking water: Paducah Water Works has 2 contaminants at or over an EPA legal limit; 16 contaminants are above health goals, led by pfos at 6× California’s Public Health Goal.
• Closer to Superfund sites than 60% of U.S. neighborhoods, with no listed site within 10 miles of its center.
• Largest share of modeled toxic air from industry: Phoenix Paper Wickliffe LLC (81%), mostly acetaldehyde.
• Fine particles (PM2.5) average 7.1 µg/m³; the WHO guideline is 5 and the EPA annual standard is 9.
• About 95,105 kg of agricultural pesticides are applied in the county each year.

Grades for ZIP 42087

• Superfund sites nearbyA to D
• Factories and industrial sitesB to C
• Oil and gas wellsA
• Parks and nature nearbyC
• Air qualityB
• Drinking water qualityD to F
• Pesticide useF
• Neighborhood health statusF
• Past wildfire impactsA
• Past flood impactsA
• Noise levelsA
• Radiation signalsC

Based on 3 census tracts · compiled September 10, 2026 · how each grade works and its sources

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