Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 137, settled in 1872.
No town among the 143 in Kentucky we compare has a higher owner-occupancy rate than Water Valley. Camp Beauregard Memorial in Water Valley and Meacham Manor is on the National Register of Historic Places. Water Valley has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Census counts: 100 in 1880, a peak of 395 in 1980, 235 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2004 and 2 maps from 1952 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Ordered by what stands out in Water Valley.
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 2.5%.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Water Valley’s natural-hazard score from FEMA is recorded as 82 of 100. One declared disaster, in 2021, has brought federal aid to Water Valley households. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 57% come from earthquakes and 15% from inland flooding.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The median commute is under 16 miles. The average trip to work in Water Valley is 28 minutes. The top destinations are Mayfield (17%), Fulton (10%) and Murray (7%).
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expect July afternoons of 89° and January nights of 28°, with about 6 inches of snow a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
In Water Valley, 34% of adults get no exercise outside work, against 27% in Kentucky’s towns and 25% across U.S. towns. No town among the 142 in Kentucky we compare has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Water Valley. Water Valley: 29% of adults have been diagnosed with depression. Among 142 Kentucky towns, just 4 have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Water Valley.
| Water Valley | Typical Kentucky town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 18% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 38% | 35% |
| What stands out | Water Valley | KY |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 84.7% | 81.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 14.6% | 10.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Water Valley is unincorporated, so Graves County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Where Water Valley’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
None within 15 miles of Water Valley; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Water Valley residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Kentucky.
Census-designated place in Kentucky, United States
Water Valley is a census-designated place and former home rule-class city in Graves County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 235 as of the 2020 census. It was incorporated on April 19, 1884, and had its charter dissolved via court order effective June 20, 2016.
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Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Water Valley has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
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