Water Valley, Kentucky Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 137, Water Valley's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Water Valley is a small community located in Kentucky, within Graves County. The total population is 137. It ranks as the 500th most populous out of 552 Census-designated places in Kentucky.

Age Demographics

The median age in Water Valley is 29.0 years. This is 26% lower than the state median of 39.1 years. 10.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Water Valley is $42,143. This is 34% lower than the state median of $63,726. It is also 48% lower than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Water Valley. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The survey records no unemployed residents in Water Valley, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $77,100. Housing costs are 63% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Water Valley is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 46% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Water Valley is White (non-Hispanic), making up 80.3% of the population.

Education

0.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 93.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Water Valley, Kentucky is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Kentucky state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 552 Census-designated places in Kentucky. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.