Carter County, Kentucky courthouse, 2007
Grayson’s story
186 years in pictures
Census counts: 152 in 1870, 3,834 in 2020. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1953 on.
- 1840Grayson is settled
GraysonKY
A town of 3,728, settled in 1840.
Photo: W.marsh · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
3,728
2025 Census estimate · −2.8% since 2020
Typical home
$172K
−3.2% in a year
Household income
$28K
median
Median age
30.3
years
Jobs based here
2,803
A job hub
TownGrade
C+
#73 of 138 in KY
Is Grayson a good place to live?
Grayson gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $172K for a typical one, or 2.9 years of the Huntington metro’s $60K median household income. It grades C+ overall, ranked 73rd of 138 in Kentucky. The low prices come with trade-offs. The median household income is $28K, and 38% of residents live below the poverty line, and CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 90% of the country. On the plus side, its schools outperform 83% of the state's. 38% of residents live below the poverty line in Grayson, above both Kentucky’s towns (16%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 9 of Kentucky’s 237 towns score higher on walkability. Grayson is home to Kentucky Christian University.
What makes Grayson stand out
Where Grayson beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here2,803
Residents who work1,210
Work
2.3 jobs for every working resident
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 95% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 90% of U.S. towns
18.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A job hub
Every workday, about 2,506 people come to Grayson for work
Where Grayson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,803jobs based in Grayson
25%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Grayson grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kentucky), ordered by how far Grayson is from typical.
Its grades run from A for walkability (better than 90% of comparable towns) to D− for jobs and income (better than 4%), so the C+ overall blends very different results.
Jobs & incomeD−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.3 of 20; 20.6% of households have no carAOpen →HealthKing's Daughters' Medical Center 18.7 miles awayDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →SchoolsA−Open →Cost of livingB+Open →SafetyC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0% conserved landCOpen →History1 notable person born hereC−Open →Civic life2.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Grayson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Grayson, and how to reach them.
PowerKentucky Power15.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGrayson Utility CommissionNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Grayson’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Kentucky you can register online until 29 days before Election Day, in person until 29 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 29 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCarter County ClerkCarter County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2019
ZIP code4114341143 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Grayson.
Grayson pairs an A− for schools with modest home prices and draws workers from Ashland and beyond, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of Kentucky (mostly inland flooding).
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
In Grayson, the median household income runs lower than in the typical Kentucky or U.S. town
2,803 jobs are based in Grayson, 2.3 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. Jobs based here fell from 3,734 in 2013 to 2,803.
Among 142 Kentucky towns, just 3 have a lower median household income than Grayson. 25% of Grayson working residents work locally. Since 2013, Grayson has lost 931 jobs, to 2,803 in 2023.
25%work in town
| Grayson | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $28,000 | $60,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 25% | 15% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Grayson25%
Ashland11%
Huntington4%
Morehead3%
Lexington3%
18 mi
median commute distance
2,803
jobs based in Grayson
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 90% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsA−
Grayson’s grade for schools is an A−
Its A− for schools comes with a B+ for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $172K.
Its public schools are run by the Carter County school district. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is East Carter County High School, with 678 students.
83%of KY districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prichard Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 612 | B |
| East Carter County High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 678 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within KY on state tests and graduation
HealthD
Grayson’s grade for health is a D
Against the 365 U.S. towns with household incomes like Grayson’s, it is healthier than 77%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income.
21% of adults smoke cigarettes in Grayson. Grayson beats the Kentucky average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 29% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Grayson.
10%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Grayson | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 27% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Kentucky
0 better20 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Grayson | KY |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 30.8% | 18.9% |
| More uninsured adults | 8.3% | 5.4% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 19.1% | 15.5% |
King's Daughters' Medical Center
18.7 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
20th
percentile among KY towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Grayson faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 92% of Kentucky towns; that rating is what its D for hazard risk is built on.
Grayson’s FEMA risk score is 86 of 100. Since 1978, 35 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Grayson.
86risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHeat waves
35
paid flood claims since 1978
13
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
More young adults than Kentucky overall
37.9% of residents live below the poverty line, against 16.1% across Kentucky, which weighs on its D− for jobs and income. The median household earns $27,542, against $63,726 across Kentucky.
Adults 18 to 34 are 36% of residents (22% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 26% of residents (38% statewide). The median age in Grayson is 30.3 years. Grayson has lost 2.8% of its people since 2020, down to 3,728 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
30.3median age · KY 39.1
| Grayson | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.3 years | 37.6 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 19% | 26% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 17% | 17% | 18% |
GraysonKentuckyUnited States
Ages · share of residents
19%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma15%
High school49%
Some college13%
Associate’s5%
Bachelor’s5%
Graduate14%
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5 points. Across Kentucky, 50.5% of residents are women.
| Grayson | KY | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 15.3% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 6.9% | 10.5% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 16.5% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 19.1% | 13.1% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.4% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 4.9% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.2% | 13% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.4% | 10.5% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 6.3% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 14.9% | 11.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 49.2% | 32.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 12.7% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4.5% | 9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 5.1% | 16.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13.6% | 11.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,700, single groups can be off by several points
HousingCost of living grade B+
Grayson’s grade for cost of living is a B+
At 2.9 years of the Huntington metro’s $60K median household income, the typical home (about $172K) costs less against local pay than in 76% of Kentucky towns; that ratio is one input to its B+ for cost of living.
The typical Grayson home is worth about $172,000, down 3.2% in a year, 25% below the Kentucky typical home.
$172KZillow home value
| Grayson | Kentucky towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 39% | 59% | 73% |
| Median rent | $745 a month | $937 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Grayson$172K
Kentucky$231K
−3.2%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Grayson
Grayson has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 87°, January nights drop to 24° and about 18 inches of snow falls in a winter.
18″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–46°
Spring42–68°
Summer62–86°
Fall44–69°
Oct 17
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
SafetyC+
Crime per resident in Grayson is higher than in 59% of U.S. towns
At 22.2 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 74% of Kentucky’s graded towns.
41%of U.S. towns report more crimeC+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Grayson1.4
Kentucky2.1
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Grayson9.5
Kentucky12.8
U.S.15.5
41st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
26th
percentile among KY towns
5
violent crimes reported in 2025
35
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
0.3%conserved
0.3%
conserved · 5 of 1,800 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Dixie Park | — | 3 |
| 2. City of Grayson Walking Trail | — | 1 |
| 3. Veterans memorial park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Grayson
20pages on Grayson
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 83% of KY districts · 3 schoolsSafetyC+1.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than KY on 0 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$172K typical home · down 3.2% in a yearWork & commuteD−$28K median household income · 2,803 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 86% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Grayson
About 11 of every 100 Grayson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Kentucky.
College town
11% of Grayson is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
About Grayson
City in Kentucky, United States
Grayson is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Carter County, Kentucky, United States, on U.S. Route 60 and Interstate 64 in the state's northeastern region. It is approximately 21 miles west of Ashland. As of the 2020 census, Grayson had a population of 3,834. Along with Carter County, the city is closely associated with the nearby Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area and is often erroneously included in the MSA being just 9 miles west of the MSA's western boundary. The city has grown in size substantially since the opening of Interstate 64 in 1975 through Carter County. Immediately afterwards, Grayson experienced several years of commercial sector growth…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1844
- Area
- 2.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 633 ft
- ZIP code
- 41143
- Area code
- 606
Questions about Grayson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Grayson, KY a good place to live?
Grayson grades C+ overall, better than 37% of U.S. towns and #73 of 138 in Kentucky. It grades D for health, C+ for safety and A− for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Grayson, KY expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.