Graves County, Kentucky

County Distress Index: Elevated · 58.1 | 36,461 people · 63rd most distressed in Kentucky
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Graves County, KY registers elevated household financial distress with a score of 58.1 — 1065th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Structural Poverty, where income and poverty levels indicate moderate economic strain. Within Kentucky, it ranks 63rd of 120 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Graves County's primary driver is Structural Poverty at 64.9 — above the national median.

Structural Poverty Primary driver 64.9
Unemployment Rate 23
Poverty Rate 76
Income vs. State Median 58
Child Poverty Rate 77
Disability Rate 75
Transfer Income Dependency 74
Legal Distress 64.7
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 65
Consumer Credit Distress 61.1
Debt in Collections 66
Medical Debt 72
Auto Loan Delinquency 55
Credit Card Delinquency 52
Uninsured Rate 50
Subprime Credit Population 65
Housing Cost Burden 58.5
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 59
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 71
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 45
Homeownership Rate 39
Economic Vitality 27.0
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 12
Rent-to-Income Ratio 31
Business Formation Rate 65
House Price Change (YoY) 16

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Graves County
Graves County, KY 58.1 Elevated —
Weakley County, TN 60.0 Elevated +1.8
Henry County, TN 59.2 Elevated +1.0
McCracken County, KY 57.7 Elevated -0.4
Calloway County, KY 56.5 Elevated -1.7
Carlisle County, KY 52.3 Elevated -5.9
Marshall County, KY 49.0 Normal -9.1
Hickman County, KY 46.8 Normal -11.3

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Graves County
Perry County, AR 58.2 Elevated +0.0
Brooke County, WV 58.1 Elevated -0.0
Stoddard County, MO 58.2 Elevated +0.0
Tishomingo County, MS 58.1 Elevated -0.0
Bates County, MO 58.2 Elevated +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Graves County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Graves County

Find an Attorney

Kentucky Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Kentucky Bar Association Lawyer Referral 502-564-3795

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Graves County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid of the Bluegrass 1-800-928-4615
Kentucky Legal Aid 1-866-452-9243
Appalachian Research and Defense Fund of Kentucky (866) 277-5733
Legal Aid Society (502) 584-1254

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Graves County, Kentucky?

    Graves County has a County Distress Index score of 58.1 out of 100, placing it in the Elevated zone. It ranks 1,065th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 63rd in Kentucky out of 120 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Graves County?

    The primary driver of distress in Graves County is Structural Poverty, where the county scores 64.9 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Unemployment Rate, Poverty Rate, Income vs. State Median.

  • How does Graves County compare to neighboring counties?

    Graves County (58.1) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Weakley County, TN (60.0); Henry County, TN (59.2); McCracken County, KY (57.7).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Elevated zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Graves County's score of 58.1 sits in the Elevated zone (55–71).

  • What data sources power Graves County's CDI score?

    Graves County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Graves County?

    Graves County, Kentucky has a population of approximately 36,461 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.