Graves County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Graves County, Kentucky had an estimated 36,821 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 36,655, across 552 square miles. County output reached $1.75 bn in 2024, 668 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 19 7(a) approvals worth $7.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Graves County
How many people live in Graves County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202436,630
- Households14,139
- Average household size2.59
- Median household income$50,772
- Median age40.4
- Median gross rent$775 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$147,800
- Home value to household income2.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher18.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over24,924
- Population under 188,849
- Share under 1824.2 percent
- Population 65 and over6,753
- Share 65 and over18.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6421,028
- Civilian labor force16,168
- Unemployment rate3.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over58.2 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties29th of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1302nd of 3,222
Graves County is the 29th largest of 120 Kentucky counties by population. A median home costs 2.9 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 24.2 percent against 18.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Graves County
Is Graves County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202436,821
- Census 2020 base population36,655
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.45 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024221
- Births, 2024455
- Deaths, 2024486
- Natural change, 2024-31
- Net domestic migration, 2024101
- Net international migration, 2024153
- Total net migration, 2024254
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024246
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1669th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.45 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Graves County
Where are people moving to Graves County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving686
- People arriving, from those returns1,339
- Tax returns filed by households leaving802
- Net household movement-116
- Adjusted gross income arriving$32.4 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$83,000
- Average income of an arriving household$47,206
- Average income of a leaving household$40,274
- Largest single originMcCracken County (133 households)
- Largest single destinationMcCracken County (163 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| McCracken County | 133 | 266 | $6.4 m |
| Calloway County | 73 | 127 | $2.9 m |
| Marshall County | 60 | 118 | $2.7 m |
| Carlisle County | 32 | 62 | $1.7 m |
Households arriving report $6,932 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is McCracken County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Graves County
What is the Graves County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$1.75 bn
- County GDP, 2023$1.67 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.1 percent
- GDP change over five years39.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kentucky areas BEA publishes31st of 120
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1392nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$47,878
Output grew 5.1 percent in the latest year and 39.0 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Graves County
Employment by industry in Graves County
- Covered employment, annual average11,945
- Establishments reporting1,042
- Average annual pay$50,028
- Average weekly wage$962
- Manufacturing, employment2,303
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$51,077
- Retail trade, employment1,486
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,933
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,103
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$17,724
- Wholesale trade, employment688
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$68,831
- Construction, employment410
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment400
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,303 | 65 | $51,077 |
| Retail trade | 1,486 | 138 | $36,933 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,103 | 58 | $17,724 |
| Wholesale trade | 688 | 57 | $68,831 |
| Construction | 410 | 108 | $53,371 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 400 | 88 | $68,266 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 399 | 46 | $46,925 |
| Finance and insurance | 306 | 48 | $62,655 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,303 jobs, 19.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Graves County
How many businesses are in Graves County?
- Establishments, all industries668
- Employment at those establishments9,905
- Annual payroll$441.3 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents18.2
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Graves County
Building permits in Graves County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20249
- Declared construction value permitted$2.0 m
- Single family units authorized9
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$217,500
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.6
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Graves County
SBA loans in Graves County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded19
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$7.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$386,463
- Median 7(a) approval$181,200
- Largest single approval$1,520,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)127
- Jobs per approval6.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active7
- Distinct industries receiving approvals14
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer36.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms7
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter11
- Franchise loans3
- Franchise share of approvals15.8 percent
- Most active lenderU.S. Bank, National Association (11)
- 504 approvals recorded7
- 504 gross approval dollars$5.8 m
- Average 504 approval$833,143
- Median 504 approval$163,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval8.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.5
- Most active CDCPurchase Area Development District (6)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$13.2 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Graves County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Graves County
Do SBA loans in Graves County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded8
- Paid in full8
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full8
- Status: Exempt from disclosure9
- Status: Cancelled2
Only 8 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Graves County
SBA lending by place in Graves County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Mayfield, approvals17
- Wingo, approvals1
- Hickory, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Mayfield | 17 | $5,787,800 |
| Wingo | 1 | $1,520,000 |
| Hickory | 1 | $35,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Graves County
How large is Graves County?
- Land area552 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties7th of 120
- Width, east to west18.5 mi
- Height, north to south30.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land66
- Establishments per square mile1.21
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Graves County
Flood risk in Graves County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Graves County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 210282
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book3
- Of those, participating in the NFIP3
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Graves County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Graves County (community 210282), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Graves County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Graves County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Graves County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202436,630
- Households14,139
- Average household size2.59
- Median household income$50,772
- Median age40.4
Common questions
Graves County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Graves County, Kentucky?
The Census Bureau estimates 36,821 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 36,630, in 14,139 households, ranking 29th of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Graves County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.45 percent since the 2020 census base of 36,655, to 36,821 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 455 births against 486 deaths, with net migration of 254. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Graves County?
$50,772. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $147,800, which is 2.9 times income, and median gross rent is $775 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Graves County?
668 establishments, employing 9,905 people with an annual payroll of $441.3 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Graves County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,303 jobs, 19.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 11,945 jobs at an average annual pay of $50,028, or $962 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Graves County?
19 7(a) approvals totaling $7.3 m since FY2020, across 7 lenders, with a median approval of $181,200, plus 7 504 approvals worth $5.8 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Graves County?
9 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $2.0 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Graves County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Graves County come from?
The largest single origin is McCracken County, with 133 households. Arriving households report an average income of $47,206 against $40,274 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Graves County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Graves County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Graves County
Cities and places in Graves.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Graves County. All 10 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayfield | city | 9,868 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Wingo | city | 606 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Symsonia | CDP | 473 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sedalia | CDP | 334 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fancy Farm | CDP | 326 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Farmington | CDP | 245 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pryorsburg | CDP | 204 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Water Valley | CDP | 137 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lowes | CDP | 111 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hickory | CDP | 23 | 1 | Wholly in this county |