Graves County High School

As a large four-year high school in Mayfield, Kentucky, Graves County High School enrolls 1,145 students from grades 9 through 12, operated by Graves County. Enrollment runs roughly 105% above the state mean of about 558.

Graves County High School is one of 10 schools operated by Graves County, a district that enrolls 3,906 students overall.

On demographics, Graves County High School logs that 81% of students identify as White, making the school strongly White-majority; the rest reads as 10% Hispanic, 6% multiracial.

On the resource side, The school currently runs with 68 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 16.9:1. The state averages about 16.6:1, putting this campus right in line with peers. About 53% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Graves County (around 61%), the school's rate is noticeably below typical.

On a residual basis (actual vs predicted given the student mix), Graves County High School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 45.4%; this one delivers 41.3%.

In the broader community, Graves County reports that median household earnings sit near $50,772, 18% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 15%. In all, Graves County runs 14 public schools (combined enrollment of about 5,969 students), of which Graves County High School is one.

Gateway Academy High School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 0.1 miles from this campus. Within five miles, there are 7 other public schools. Among the 7 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Graves County High School ranks 5th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 50.3%.

The school occupies a small-town site.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Graves County High School has edged down 10%, going from 1,277 students in 2018 to 1,145 in 2025. The White share of enrollment declined from 88% to 81% over that span.

In the discussion threads here, members of the Graves County High School community share and discuss classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. The community welcomes input from current and former families.