Graves County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

Name: Graves County, Kentucky Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Graves County, Kentucky has a population of 36,630, the 29th most populous county in Kentucky. The median household income is $50,772 and the median home value is $147,800. The poverty rate is 19.9%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Graves County Quick Facts

Population 36,630

Median Household Income $50,772

Median Home Value $147,800

Poverty Rate 19.9%

Unemployment Rate 3.4%

Median Age 40.4 years

Homeownership Rate 76.1%

Affordability Ratio 2.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 18.4%

High School Graduation 89.3%

Cities/Places 10

Population 36,630 29th of 120

Median Income $50,772 20% lower than state

Poverty Rate 19.9%

Unemployment 3.4%

How Graves County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	36,612	36,630	+0.0%
Median household income	$50,576	$50,772	+0.4%
Median home value	$139,000	$147,800	+6.3%

Median Household Income

Graves

$50,772

$63,726

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Graves

$147,800

$205,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 23.7%

$25K-$50K 25.6%

$50K-$100K 28.9%

$100K+ 21.9%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

8.6%

$10K-$15K

5.2%

$15K-$20K

4.5%

$20K-$25K

5.4%

$25K-$30K

4.4%

$30K-$35K

6.0%

$35K-$40K

3.8%

$40K-$45K

4.8%

$45K-$50K

6.6%

$50K-$60K

8.7%

$60K-$75K

9.9%

$75K-$100K

10.3%

$100K-$125K

7.3%

$125K-$150K

4.3%

$150K-$200K

5.0%

$200K+

5.2%

Employment

3.4% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%

56.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 76.1%

Renter 23.9%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $775/mo 18.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

24.2%

18-34

20.1%

35-54

23.4%

55-74

24.7%

75+

7.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 33 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Graves County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Mayfield	9,868	$40,965	26.9%	$112,500
Wingo	606	$50,000	15.4%	$117,200
Symsonia	473	N/A	21.8%	$264,800
Sedalia	334	$45,900	0.0%	$116,200
Fancy Farm	326	$60,268	31.6%	$135,500
Farmington	245	$33,636	60.8%	$86,800
Pryorsburg	204	N/A	34.3%	N/A
Water Valley	137	$42,143	0.0%	$77,100
Lowes	111	N/A	100.0%	N/A
Hickory	23	N/A	N/A	N/A

Explore Kentucky Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Graves County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 36,630. It is the 29th most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Graves County is 40.4 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Graves County is $50,772. This is 20% lower than the state median of $63,726. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 19.9%. This is 24% higher than the state poverty rate of 16.1%. The unemployment rate is 3.4%. This is 30% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $147,800. Housing costs are 28% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Graves County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 76.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Graves County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.9% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (8.1% vs 5.0%). The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

18.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 33% lower than the state rate of 27.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Graves County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Kentucky and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Graves County, Kentucky?

Graves County has a population of 36,630, making it the 29th most populous county in Kentucky.

What is the median income in Graves County?

The median household income in Graves County is $50,772 with a poverty rate of 19.9%.

How many cities are in Graves County, Kentucky?

Graves County contains 10 Census-designated places.