Grayson, Kentucky
Grayson, Kentucky | |
|---|---|
Carter County Courthouse in Grayson | |
| Motto: "Heart of the Parks" | |
Location of Grayson in Carter County, Kentucky. | |
| Coordinates: 38°19′55″N 82°56′14″W / 38.33194°N 82.93722°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kentucky |
| County | Carter |
| Named after | Landowner William Grayson |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Troy Combs |
| Area | |
• Total | 2.83 sq mi (7.32 km2) |
| • Land | 2.77 sq mi (7.17 km2) |
| • Water | 0.058 sq mi (0.15 km2) |
| Elevation | 584 ft (178 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 3,834 |
• Estimate (2024) | 3,702 |
| • Density | 1,384.3/sq mi (534.47/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 41143 |
| Area code | 606 |
| FIPS code | 21-32572 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2403732 |
| Website | graysonky |
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, mainly to serve the Interstate 64 traffic. Since 1990, the city has also seen significant growth in the residential sector with the Interstate making for a faster trip to and from Ashland. Beginning in 1995, AA Highway terminates in Grayson making the city a gateway to the Huntington-Ashland urban area.