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About Mayfield, KY

About Mayfield, KY

The "newest city in Kentucky"

Mayfield, Kentucky, is an agricultural community of about 10,000 people, halfway between Nashville and St. Louis. “It’s just a rural community with a lot of farming and churchgoing,” says lifelong resident Barry McDonald. “We’re far enough into the south that it has a good Southern feel. The good and the bad is you know everybody, and everybody knows you.” In 2021, the most destructive December tornado on record struck Mayfield, killing 57 people and destroying hundreds of homes. “It was devastating, to say the least,” McDonald says. “It came into town and hit public works buildings, the water treatment plant, city hall, the courthouse, the fire station, the police station… a lot of businesses and several downtown churches. We’re trying to put it back together. As the governor’s said…it’ll be the newest city in Kentucky.”

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Mayfield Kentucky is the county seat of Graves County.
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Mayfield is a scenic small town south of Paducah Kentucky.
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Rebuilding Mayfield’s housing

Mayfield started by replacing lower-income housing when rebuilding the city. “Right now, construction is a very booming industry since the tornado,” McDonald says. “We’ve had a lot of people come in and donate time. Samaritan’s Purse built a whole subdivision with 16 homes. There’s been a lot of community effort to help people who couldn’t afford to build back.” Mayfield’s available housing includes ranch-style and new traditional homes, as well as empty lots to build on, with a median price of $170,500, about $235,000 below the national median. “Mayfield has kind of one area that still has some historic housing that’s been well kept, but one of the oldest neighborhoods that had some unique architecture in it was destroyed,” McDonald says.

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Traditional homes can be found in Mayfield.
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Ranch style houses dot the landscape of Mayfield.
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Locals visit Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area

Mayfield has seven city parks, a dog park and a ballpark. Thirty-two miles east, Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area is a 17,000-acre outdoor space between the Kentucky and Barkley lakes where residents enjoy activities like hiking, camping and boating. “People like to go 30 miles away to the lakes to spend time there fishing and boating,” McDonald says. “A lot of people have cabins or camp and so forth. Hunting and fishing activities in the region are all very popular.”

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Kentucky Lake is a beautiful place to spend time near Mayfield.
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Kentucky Lake offers a large recreational area to enjoy the outdoors near Mayfield.
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Two school districts and a private school for Mayfield’s students

Two school districts serve Mayfield: B-plus-rated Graves County Public Schools and A-minus-rated Mayfield Independent Schools. Mayfield also ranks in the top 20 school districts in Kentucky on Niche. “Friday nights are a big thing with the football games because there’s a lot of tradition in the football program in Mayfield and in Graves County High School,” McDonald says. “That’s the big thing for our community.” Northside Baptist Christian School is Mayfield’s only private school. It enrolls preschool through high school students and gets a B-minus from Niche. West Kentucky Community & Technical College’s Purchase Training Center is in Mayfield. It hosts a diesel technology program that trains students to work in truck, farm equipment and construction equipment repair.

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Graves County High School is the home of the Eagles.
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As of 2024 Mayfield High School had a student population of 537.
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Downtown rebuilds after the 2021 tornado

The 2021 tornado's devastation of downtown affected Mayfield's dining options, including the loss of several longstanding family-owned restaurants. "We're not without," McDonald says. “We have a couple of restaurants that have been built back on a smaller scale - The Barn, Majestic Family Restaurant, some pizza places and several good Mexican restaurants.” Government buildings, including the courthouse, city hall and fire station, are also being rebuilt.

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The Majestic is a place for fresh made pizzas and delicious steak in Mayfield, Kentucky.
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The Barn has been serving up BBQ for 70 years in Mayfield, Kentucky.
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Mayfield’s Festival of Lights

Mayfield's annual Festival of Lights is held every night all December at the Mayfield-Graves County Fairgrounds. Visitors drive through the park to enjoy light displays from local businesses, families, churches and other community organizations.

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Mayfield-Graves County Fairgrounds hosts a variety of year round events for locals to enjoy.
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Mayfield-Graves County Fairgrounds has a 1/2 mile horse track.
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Important to know about weather and crime

According to the National Weather Service, extreme weather, including tornadoes, flooding, extreme humidity, arctic cold, oppressive heat and drought has been reported in the area since 2020. FBI data shows that the Mayfield Police Department has seen a steady decline in property crime since 2017, while its violent crime rate has remained about the same.

Interstate 69, Fulton County Transit Authority and Barkley Regional Airport

Interstate 69 and U.S. Route 45 pass through Mayfield. Fulton County Transit Authority provides transportation services in Graves County, including monthly ride-to-work passes and transportation between cities in Fulton, Hickman, Graves and Carlisle counties. Twenty-seven miles north, Barkley Regional Airport (PAH) offers daily passenger services to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLH).

Ellen Daly
Written By
Ellen Daly
Andrew Nelson
Photography Contributed By
Andrew Nelson
Matt Pangman
Video By
Matt Pangman

Mayfield by the Numbers

10,009
Population
51
Average Days on Market

Average Home Value



Source: Public Records

Top Schools in Mayfield, KY

Source:

Best Public Elementary Schools

Farmington Elementary School
#1 Farmington Elementary School
A
Niche
8
GreatSchools
Graves County Central Elementary School
#2 Graves County Central Elementary School
A-
Niche
7
GreatSchools
Sedalia Elementary School
#3 Sedalia Elementary School
A-
Niche
7
GreatSchools
Mayfield Elementary School
#4 Mayfield Elementary School
B+
Niche
5
GreatSchools

Best Public Middle Schools

Graves County Middle School
#1 Graves County Middle School
B+
Niche
6
GreatSchools
Mayfield Middle School
#2 Mayfield Middle School
B-
Niche
7
GreatSchools
Gateway Academy High School
#3 Gateway Academy High School
Mayfield Youth Development Center
#4 Mayfield Youth Development Center

Best Public High Schools

Graves County High School
#1 Graves County High School
B
Niche
8
GreatSchools
Mayfield High School
#2 Mayfield High School
A-
Niche
5
GreatSchools
Fulton County High School
#3 Fulton County High School
B
Niche
6
GreatSchools
Gateway Academy High School
#4 Gateway Academy High School
Mayfield Youth Development Center
#5 Mayfield Youth Development Center
Mayfield/Graves County Area Tech Center
#6 Mayfield/Graves County Area Tech Center

Best Private Schools

Northside Baptist Christian School
#1 Northside Baptist Christian School
B-
Niche
Hickory Amish Mennonite School
#2 Hickory Amish Mennonite School
Shedd Academy
#3 Shedd Academy
St. Joseph Catholic School
#4 St. Joseph Catholic School

Agents Specializing in this Area

Agent Spotlight

Patricia Cherry
(270) 638-9601
I believe in treating clients with respect and representing them like I would a member of my family. My job is to represent you each step of the way by keeping you updated, being aggressive and educated in the real estate market.I have been a realtor since 2004. I have been voted by my community as "Murray's Favorite Realtor" I am a multi-million dollar producer yearly. I know the educational system very well in our area. I have degrees in elementary education, elementary principal and supervision of instruction. I taught 27 1/2 years in Calloway County. I stayed involved with the school systems through volunteering program and athletics. I attended Murray State University. I can directly help you visit any school and the information you may need to enroll. I am deeply embedded in our community. My dad was a Mayor for two and one half terms. My brother is a county magistrate and my sister-in-law is on the city council. I am a Board of Director for the Murray Calloway County Board of Realtors. I am also a Board of Director for Lake Chem Community Federal Credit Union. I serve on various professional committees. I have my cell phone on and with me. Feel free to call,text or email me. I am available to talk you any day or time. If I am with a client I promise to return your call,text or email promptly. I do work seven days a week and most nights until 9 PM. Most clients work until five and I feel showing homes or listing property should be at their convenience. I work hard and referrals from clients past and present are a major part of my business. I strive to make your journey as stress free and enjoyable as possible.
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.