Fayette County
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The current Fayette County Courthouse in La Grange was finished in 1891. The Romanesque Revival style building uses four types of native Texas stone to detail the exterior.
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Location within the U.S. state of Texas
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Texas's location within the U.S.
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| Coordinates: 29°52′N 96°56′W / 29.86°N 96.93°W / 29.86; -96.93 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1837 |
| Named for | Marquis de la Fayette |
| Seat | La Grange |
| Largest city | La Grange |
| Area | |
| • Total | 960 sq mi (2,500 km2) |
| • Land | 950 sq mi (2,500 km2) |
| • Water | 9.8 sq mi (25 km2) 1.0% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 24,435 |
| • Density | 25/sq mi (9.8/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 10th |
| Website | www |
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. stateofTexas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,435.[1] Its county seatisLa Grange.[2] The county was created in 1837 and organized the next year.[3]
Fayette County was established in 1837 from land given by Bastrop and Colorado Counties. It is named for the Marquis de Lafayette, a French nobleman who became an American Revolutionary War hero.[4][5]
An early resident of Brazoria County and then Fayette County, Joel Walter Robison, fought in the Texas Revolution and served in the Texas House of Representatives.[6]
More than a dozen historic properties are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Fayette County.
Fayette County is the location of the real Chicken Ranch, which was the basis of the musical play and feature film The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 960 square miles (2,500 km2), of which 950 square miles (2,500 km2) are land and 9.8 square miles (25 km2) (1.0%) are covered by water.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 3,756 | — | |
| 1860 | 11,604 | 208.9% | |
| 1870 | 16,863 | 45.3% | |
| 1880 | 27,996 | 66.0% | |
| 1890 | 31,481 | 12.4% | |
| 1900 | 36,542 | 16.1% | |
| 1910 | 29,796 | −18.5% | |
| 1920 | 29,965 | 0.6% | |
| 1930 | 30,708 | 2.5% | |
| 1940 | 29,246 | −4.8% | |
| 1950 | 24,176 | −17.3% | |
| 1960 | 20,384 | −15.7% | |
| 1970 | 17,650 | −13.4% | |
| 1980 | 18,832 | 6.7% | |
| 1990 | 20,095 | 6.7% | |
| 2000 | 21,804 | 8.5% | |
| 2010 | 24,554 | 12.6% | |
| 2020 | 24,435 | −0.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1850–2010[9] 2010[10] 2020[11] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010[10] | Pop 2020[11] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 18,038 | 17,041 | 73.46% | 69.74% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 1,599 | 1,383 | 6.51% | 5.66% |
| Native AmericanorAlaska Native alone (NH) | 69 | 50 | 0.28% | 0.20% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 61 | 67 | 0.25% | 0.27% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 6 | 6 | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 25 | 72 | 0.10% | 0.29% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 171 | 600 | 0.70% | 2.46% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4,585 | 5,216 | 18.67% | 21.35% |
| Total | 24,554 | 24,435 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
As of the census[12] of 2000, 21,804 people, 8,722 households, and 6,044 families resided in the county. The population density was 23 people per square mile (8.9 people/km2). The 11,113 housing units averaged 12 units per square mile (4.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.58% White, 7.01% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 6.72% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. About 12.78% of the population were HispanicorLatino of any race; 34.9% were of German, 16.4% Czech, 7.6% American, and 5.3% English ancestry according to Census 2000.
Christianity is the number-one religion and Judaism is the second.[13]
Of the 8,722 households, 28.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.00% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were not families. About 28.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county, the population was distributed as 23.20% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 23.60% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 22.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,526, and for a family was $43,156. Males had a median income of $29,008 versus $20,859 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,888. About 8.10% of families and 11.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.70% of those under age 18 and 13.50% of those age 65 or over.
The county owns Fayette Regional Air Center, in an unincorporated area west of LaGrange.
U.S. Highway 77
U.S. Highway 90
U.S. Highway 290
State Highway 71
State Highway 95
State Highway 159
State Highway 237Fayette County is home to three newspapers and two radio stations.
At the presidential level, from 1912 through 1964, Fayette County, as was typical of the Solid South, voted predominantly for the Democratic candidate, even in 1928 with Al Smith the Democratic nominee, unlike most Texas counties. From 1972, the county has shifted to the Republican nominee.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 10,171 | 78.60% | 2,661 | 20.56% | 109 | 0.84% |
| 2016 | 8,743 | 78.24% | 2,144 | 19.19% | 287 | 2.57% |
| 2012 | 8,106 | 76.61% | 2,315 | 21.88% | 160 | 1.51% |
| 2008 | 7,582 | 70.43% | 3,014 | 28.00% | 169 | 1.57% |
| 2004 | 7,527 | 72.40% | 2,803 | 26.96% | 67 | 0.64% |
| 2000 | 6,658 | 70.93% | 2,542 | 27.08% | 187 | 1.99% |
| 1996 | 4,195 | 52.00% | 3,119 | 38.66% | 754 | 9.35% |
| 1992 | 3,789 | 42.94% | 2,923 | 33.13% | 2,111 | 23.93% |
| 1988 | 4,551 | 57.09% | 3,390 | 42.53% | 30 | 0.38% |
| 1984 | 5,711 | 70.40% | 2,379 | 29.33% | 22 | 0.27% |
| 1980 | 4,104 | 60.32% | 2,590 | 38.07% | 110 | 1.62% |
| 1976 | 3,030 | 46.67% | 3,428 | 52.80% | 35 | 0.54% |
| 1972 | 3,882 | 73.37% | 1,400 | 26.46% | 9 | 0.17% |
| 1968 | 2,380 | 41.21% | 1,833 | 31.74% | 1,562 | 27.05% |
| 1964 | 2,036 | 35.86% | 3,630 | 63.94% | 11 | 0.19% |
| 1960 | 2,213 | 38.83% | 3,462 | 60.75% | 24 | 0.42% |
| 1956 | 3,574 | 60.54% | 2,282 | 38.65% | 48 | 0.81% |
| 1952 | 4,240 | 62.35% | 2,557 | 37.60% | 3 | 0.04% |
| 1948 | 1,737 | 32.79% | 3,106 | 58.63% | 455 | 8.59% |
| 1944 | 1,611 | 26.72% | 3,156 | 52.34% | 1,263 | 20.95% |
| 1940 | 2,441 | 48.32% | 2,606 | 51.58% | 5 | 0.10% |
| 1936 | 595 | 17.40% | 2,820 | 82.46% | 5 | 0.15% |
| 1932 | 245 | 4.68% | 4,985 | 95.26% | 3 | 0.06% |
| 1928 | 689 | 15.87% | 3,647 | 84.01% | 5 | 0.12% |
| 1924 | 1,450 | 22.46% | 3,851 | 59.66% | 1,154 | 17.88% |
| 1920 | 1,101 | 24.32% | 932 | 20.59% | 2,494 | 55.09% |
| 1916 | 1,212 | 38.35% | 1,902 | 60.19% | 46 | 1.46% |
| 1912 | 461 | 17.16% | 2,011 | 74.84% | 215 | 8.00% |
School districts:[15]
Most of Fayette County is assigned to Blinn Junior College District. Austin Community College is the designated community college for portions of Fayette County in Smithville ISD.[16]
Places adjacent to Fayette County, Texas
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Municipalities and communities of Fayette County, Texas, United States
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29°52′N 96°56′W / 29.86°N 96.93°W / 29.86; -96.93
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