Population 36,630 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Graves County
Household size in Graves County
| Period | Graves County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.48 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.58 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.57 | 2.52 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.11 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
At 2.59 people per household, Graves County sits close to the national average of 2.65. Household size has climbed from 2.48 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Graves County
| Period | Graves County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.7 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.8 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.1 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.4 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.7 | +1.5 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Graves County are younger than 41.4 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 39.7 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the northeast and oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Graves County
| Period | Graves County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.6% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Graves County (11.7%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 2.4 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Graves County
Renters in Graves County
| Period | Graves County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.7% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 26.0% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.5% | 32.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.9% | 31.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 23.9% of households in Graves County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly half of owners (48.4%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northwest.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Graves County
| Period | Graves County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.0% | 12.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 11.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.2% | 12.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.2% | 10.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Graves County: 14.2% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has edged up 1.2 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Graves County
| Period | Graves County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Graves County was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in Kentucky as a whole, where the median home dates to 1982. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Graves County
| Period | Graves County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $514 | $657 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $586 | $728 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $651 | $814 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $824 | $1,024 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$310 | +$367 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Graves County costs $824 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $310 a month from 2006–10, a 60% jump, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 28.3% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the east and lowest in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Graves County
Bachelor's degrees in Graves County
| Period | Graves County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.3% | 21.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.9% | 22.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.9% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.9% | 27.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Graves County: 17.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 3.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Graves County
| Period | Graves County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.4% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.0% | 83.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.1% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.0% | 88.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.6 pts | +7.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Graves County is close to the national rate: 89.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 9.6 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Graves County
| Period | Graves County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 9.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.3 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Graves County than nationally: unemployment was 3.4%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 6.3 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Graves County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graves County | 2.59 | 41.4 | 11.7% | 23.9% | 14.2% | 1977 | $824 | 17.9% | 89.0% | 3.4% |
| Hickman County | 2.54 | 47.3 | 18.5% | 29.2% | 20.8% | 1977 | $806 | 15.0% | 85.0% | 2.6% |
| Carlisle County | 2.54 | 40.7 | 10.0% | 19.6% | 18.6% | 1980 | $754 | 15.2% | 92.2% | 4.0% |
| Marshall County | 2.37 | 45.3 | 9.7% | 18.4% | 18.4% | 1983 | $836 | 21.5% | 91.1% | 4.7% |
| Calloway County | 2.32 | 38.3 | 11.3% | 36.1% | 16.4% | 1983 | $871 | 33.3% | 91.7% | 4.2% |
| Mississippi County | 2.36 | 40.6 | 13.3% | 37.1% | 14.8% | 1972 | $761 | 15.0% | 84.0% | 3.5% |
| Trigg County | 2.41 | 44.0 | 7.3% | 23.1% | 18.8% | 1985 | $852 | 21.8% | 88.4% | 4.6% |
| New Madrid County | 2.33 | 41.6 | 14.3% | 35.8% | 15.9% | 1977 | $737 | 14.8% | 86.6% | 3.5% |
| Christian County | 2.80 | 33.0 | 14.3% | 50.0% | 14.6% | 1985 | $1,067 | 18.2% | 88.1% | 7.1% |
| Stoddard County | 2.49 | 41.9 | 9.3% | 28.2% | 12.9% | 1976 | $802 | 18.3% | 84.5% | 3.6% |
| Todd County | 2.73 | 37.5 | 9.3% | 24.0% | 12.2% | 1985 | $834 | 17.8% | 81.6% | 3.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Huntington County, IN · Scott County, MS · Scott County, MO · Scotland County, NC · Schoharie County, NY · Sanpete County, UT · Sanilac County, MI · San Miguel County, NM · Rio Arriba County, NM · Scotts Bluff County, NE
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Graves County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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