Graves County | |
|---|---|
 Graves County Courthouse in Mayfield in 2008, part of the Mayfield Downtown Commercial District; building sustained major damage in a long-tracked tornado on December 10, 2021. | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Kentucky | |
 Kentucky's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 36°43′N 88°39′W / 36.72°N 88.65°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kentucky |
| Founded | 1824 |
| Named for | Benjamin F. Graves |
| Seat | Mayfield |
| Largest city | Mayfield |
| Area | |
• Total | 557 sq mi (1,440 km2) |
| • Land | 552 sq mi (1,430 km2) |
| • Water | 5.0 sq mi (13 km2) 0.9% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 36,649 |
• Estimate (2023) | 36,461  |
| • Density | 66/sq mi (25/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | www |
Graves County is a county located on the southwest border of the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,649.[1] Its county seat is Mayfield.[2] The county was formed in 1824 and was named for Major Benjamin Franklin Graves, a politician and fallen soldier in the War of 1812.
Graves County comprises the Mayfield, KY Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Paducah-Mayfield, KY-IL Combined Statistical Area.
Graves County is a "limited" dry county, meaning that sale of alcohol in the county is prohibited except for wine and beer in restaurants. In 2016, county residents voted on whether to become a "wet" county, but that attempt failed. Later in the year, a ballot measure was proposed and passed within the city limits of Mayfield (the county seat) to allow alcohol sales in stores and gas stations.
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.