Fayette County, Texas

Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 24,435.^[1] Its county seat is La Grange.^[2] The county was created in 1837 and organized the next year.^[3]

Fayette County
County
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.
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 29°52′N 96°56′W
Country	United States
State	Texas
Founded	1837
Named after	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)
• 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.co.fayette.tx.us

History

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.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 960 square miles (2,500 km²), of which 9.8 sq mi (25 km²) (1.0%) are covered by water.^[7]

Adjacent counties

• Lee County (north)
• Washington County (northeast)
• Austin County (east)
• Colorado County (southeast)
• Lavaca County (south)
• Gonzales County (southwest)
• Caldwell County (west)
• Bastrop County (northwest)

Atrium in Courthouse

Back of Courthouse

Old County Jail

Demographics

Historical population

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]

Fayette County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
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 may be of any race.

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000[12]	Pop 2010[10]	Pop 2020[11]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	17,271	18,038	17,041	79.21%	73.46%	69.74%
Black or African American alone (NH)	1,508	1,599	1,383	6.92%	6.51%	5.66%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	61	69	50	0.28%	0.28%	0.20%
Asian alone (NH)	49	61	67	0.22%	0.25%	0.27%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	6	6	6	0.03%	0.02%	0.02%
Other race alone (NH)	8	25	72	0.04%	0.10%	0.29%
Mixed or multiracial (NH)	115	171	600	0.53%	0.70%	2.46%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2,786	4,585	5,216	12.78%	18.67%	21.35%
Total	21,804	24,554	24,435	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the census^[13] 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 Hispanic or Latino 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.^[14]

Of the 8,722 households, 28.5% had children under 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were not families. About 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 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 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.0% who were 65 or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 91.0 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.

Transportation

Airport

The county owns Fayette Regional Air Center, in an unincorporated area west of LaGrange.

Major highways

• Interstate 10
• U.S. Highway 77
• U.S. Highway 90
• U.S. Highway 290
• State Highway 71
• State Highway 95
• State Highway 159
• State Highway 237

Media

Fayette County is home to three newspapers and two radio stations.

Newspapers

• Fayette County Record
• Schulenburg Sticker
• Flatonia Argus

Radio

• KVLG/KBUK
• KTIMe

Communities

Cities

• Carmine
• Ellinger
• Fayetteville
• La Grange (county seat)
• Schulenburg

Towns

• Flatonia
• Round Top

Census-designated place

• Plum

Unincorporated communities

• Ammannsville
• Cistern
• Dubina
• Engle
• Freyburg
• High Hill
• Holman
• Hostyn
• Kirtley
• Ledbetter
• Muldoon
• Mullins Prairie
• Nechanitz
• O'Quinn
• Oldenburg
• Park
• Praha
• Rabbs Prairie
• Rek Hill
• Roznov
• Rutersville
• Swiss Alp
• Waldeck
• Walhalla
• Warda
• Warrenton
• West Point
• Willow Springs
• Winchester
• Winedale

Ghost towns

• Biegel
• Black Jack Springs
• Bluff
• Gay Hill
• Haw Creek
• Stella

Politics

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.

United States presidential election results for Fayette County, Texas^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	10,699	80.09%	2,515	18.83%	145	1.09%
2020	10,171	78.36%	2,661	20.50%	148	1.14%
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%

United States Senate election results for Fayette County, Texas1^[16]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	10,408	78.34%	2,649	19.94%	228	1.72%

Education

School districts:^[17]

• Fayetteville Independent School District
• Flatonia Independent School District
• Giddings Independent School District
• La Grange Independent School District
• Round Top-Carmine Independent School District
• Schulenburg Independent School District
• Smithville Independent School District
• Weimar Independent School District

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.^[18]

See also

• Texas portal

• Adelsverein
• Museums in Central Texas
• Nassau Plantation
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Fayette County, Texas
• Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks in Fayette County
• The Chicken Ranch, and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas