Graves County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Graves County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Graves County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Graves County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $50,878 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,219 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.0% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.0% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.2% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Graves County is about 21% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing slower in Graves County (3.0%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Graves County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Kentucky average of 9%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Graves County, Kentucky grew by 44.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $50,878 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Graves County
| Metric | Graves County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.552 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $55,787 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $39,625 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 29.0% | 19.4% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Graves County, it is 0.552, about the same as Kentucky's 0.547, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 41% more than women's income in Graves County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 41% wage gap accumulates to roughly $565,670 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Graves County, Kentucky has widened from about 27% to 29% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 36% in 2017, and was narrowest at 24% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,788 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Graves County widened by 2.2 points while Kentucky's narrowed by 5.2 points.
Employment
| Metric | Graves County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.4% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 553 people are unemployed in Graves County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Graves County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Graves County, Kentucky has fallen from 9.8% to 3.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.7% in 2012.
Graves County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Graves County, KY is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 36,630 residents against a local median of 31,743. The measure that sets Graves County, KY apart most is income growth: 3.0%/yr, 48% below the local median of 5.7%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $50,878 against a local median of $64,056, 21% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Graves County, KY reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 2.1%/yr on income growth, so Graves County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Graves County, KY has the 6th highest income growth of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graves County, KY | 36,630 | $50,878 #6/6 | 3.0%/yr #6/6 | 3.4% #3/6 | 0.552 #5/6 |
| Hickman County, KY | 4,439 | $61,724 | 6.8%/yr | 3.1% | 0.526 |
| McCracken County, KY | 67,525 | $66,255 | 5.7%/yr | 3.2% | 0.542 |
| Carlisle County, KY | 4,760 | $64,056 | 6.1%/yr | 3.7% | 0.534 |
| Marshall County, KY | 31,743 | $67,559 | 5.1%/yr | 4.5% | 0.534 |
| Calloway County, KY | 38,226 | $53,083 | 4.7%/yr | 4.4% | 0.561 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Graves County, Kentucky has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Kentucky, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Graves County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Graves County, Kentucky?
Graves County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $50,878, about 21% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
How has median household income changed in Graves County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Graves County, Kentucky rose 45%, from $35,123 to $50,878. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Kentucky as a whole: +45% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Graves County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Graves County, Kentucky was $50,500, down 3% from $52,207 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Graves County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Graves County, Kentucky was $45,762. By 2024 it had risen 11% to $50,878.
Is it hard to find a job in Graves County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Graves County, Kentucky is only 3.4%, well below the Kentucky rate of 4.8%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Graves County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Graves County is 0.552. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Graves County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Graves County, Kentucky has widened from about 27% to 29% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 36% in 2017, and was narrowest at 24% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,788 since 2009.
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