Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,321.[1] Its county seat is Fayette. Its name is in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette[2] (or de la Fayette), who aided General George Washington in the American Revolutionary War.

Fayette County
Fayette County Courthouse in Fayette
Fayette County Courthouse in Fayette
Map of Alabama highlighting Fayette County
Location within the U.S. state of Alabama
Map of the United States highlighting Alabama
Alabama's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°43′12″N 87°44′19″W / 33.72°N 87.738611111111°W / 33.72; -87.738611111111
Country United States
State Alabama
FoundedDecember 20, 1824
Named forMarquis de Lafayette
SeatFayette
Largest cityFayette
Area
 • Total629 sq mi (1,630 km2)
 • Land628 sq mi (1,630 km2)
 • Water1.7 sq mi (4 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total16,321
 • Estimate 
(2023)
15,967 Decrease
 • Density26/sq mi (10/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district4th
  • County Number 32 on Alabama Licence Plates

History

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Fayette County was established on December 20, 1824, during Lafayette's historic tour of the 24 United States

Geography

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 629 square miles (1,630 km2), of which 628 square miles (1,630 km2) is land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2) (0.3%) is water.[3]

Sheriffs Department

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Sheriff-Byron Yerby

Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18303,547
18406,94295.7%
18509,68139.5%
186012,85032.7%
18707,136−44.5%
188010,13542.0%
189012,82326.5%
190014,13210.2%
191016,24815.0%
192018,36513.0%
193018,4430.4%
194021,65117.4%
195019,388−10.5%
196016,148−16.7%
197016,2520.6%
198018,80915.7%
199017,962−4.5%
200018,4953.0%
201017,241−6.8%
202016,321−5.3%
2023 (est.)15,967[4]−2.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790–1960[6] 1900–1990[7]
1990–2000[8] 2010–2020[1]

2020 census

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Fayette County, Alabama – 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[9] Pop 2010[10] Pop 2020[11] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 15,994 14,832 13,552 86.48% 86.03% 83.03%
Black or African American alone (NH) 2,199 1,958 1,720 11.89% 11.36% 10.54%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 35 47 43 0.19% 0.27% 0.26%
Asian alone (NH) 28 37 49 0.15% 0.21% 0.30%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 0 1 0.00% 0.00% 0.01%
Other race alone (NH) 1 11 29 0.01% 0.06% 0.18%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 86 152 531 0.46% 0.88% 3.25%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 152 204 396 0.82% 1.18% 2.43%
Total 18,495 17,241 16,321 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,321 people, 6,802 households, and 4,774 families residing in the county.

2010 census

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As of the census[12] of 2010, there were 17,241 people, 7,493 households, and 5,342 families residing in the county. The population density was 30 people per square mile (12 people/km2). There were 8,472 housing units at an average density of 14 units per square mile (5.4 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 86.92% White, 11.93% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 0.51% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of 2012 the largest self-reported ancestry groups in Fayette County were:

There were 7,493 households, out of which 30.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.30% were married couples living together, 10.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 26.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.30% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 26.50% from 25 to 44, 25.30% from 45 to 64, and 17.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,539, and the median income for a family was $34,560. Males had a median income of $29,239 versus $20,606 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,439. About 13.10% of families and 17.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.30% of those under age 18 and 17.90% of those age 65 or over.

Life expectancy

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Of 3,143 counties in the United States in 2013, Fayette County ranked 2,882 in the longevity of male residents and 3,091 of female residents. Males in Fayette County lived an average of 71.2 years and females lived an average of 75.3 years compared to the national average for longevity of 76.5 for males and 81.2 for females. The average longevity of men in Fayette County increased by 2.0 years from 1985 to 2013 compared to a national average for the same period of an increased life span for men of 5.5 years. The average longevity, however, for females in Fayette County declined by 4.2 years between 1985 and 2013 compared to the national average for the same period of an increased life span of 3.1 years for women. High rates of smoking and obesity and a low rate of physical activity appear to be contributing factors to the low level of longevity for both sexes.[13]

One study concluded that Fayette County between 1985 and 2010 was one of the few U.S. counties which saw a decline in the longevity of women and that the decline in female longevity in Fayette Country was the largest of any county in the nation.[14]

Education

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Transportation

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Major highways

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Airport

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Richard Arthur Field (Municipal)- A 5,000 ft (1,500 m) paved runway with JET A and 100LL fuel service. Located about 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of the city center.

Rail

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Government

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Fayette County is reliably Republican at the presidential level. The last Democrat to win the county in a presidential election is Bill Clinton, who won it by a plurality in 1996.

United States presidential election results for Fayette County, Alabama[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 7,300 83.28% 1,395 15.91% 71 0.81%
2016 6,712 81.37% 1,362 16.51% 175 2.12%
2012 6,054 76.07% 1,817 22.83% 87 1.09%
2008 5,883 73.93% 1,994 25.06% 80 1.01%
2004 5,534 69.16% 2,408 30.09% 60 0.75%
2000 4,582 58.68% 3,064 39.24% 162 2.07%
1996 3,191 44.26% 3,381 46.90% 637 8.84%
1992 3,604 42.55% 3,830 45.22% 1,036 12.23%
1988 4,338 57.40% 3,186 42.16% 33 0.44%
1984 4,654 64.63% 2,533 35.18% 14 0.19%
1980 3,315 48.83% 3,389 49.92% 85 1.25%
1976 2,165 34.44% 4,076 64.83% 46 0.73%
1972 4,240 83.53% 836 16.47% 0 0.00%
1968 827 13.26% 676 10.84% 4,735 75.91%
1964 3,203 71.34% 0 0.00% 1,287 28.66%
1960 1,923 45.73% 2,274 54.08% 8 0.19%
1956 1,948 49.59% 1,956 49.80% 24 0.61%
1952 1,481 39.19% 2,287 60.52% 11 0.29%
1948 580 35.76% 0 0.00% 1,042 64.24%
1944 913 35.51% 1,648 64.10% 10 0.39%
1940 737 25.88% 2,091 73.42% 20 0.70%
1936 732 24.41% 2,244 74.82% 23 0.77%
1932 733 26.47% 2,013 72.70% 23 0.83%
1928 1,686 59.83% 1,131 40.13% 1 0.04%
1924 977 41.26% 1,358 57.35% 33 1.39%
1920 1,865 56.36% 1,413 42.70% 31 0.94%
1916 697 39.69% 1,026 58.43% 33 1.88%
1912 434 28.52% 762 50.07% 326 21.42%
1908 678 43.80% 731 47.22% 139 8.98%
1904 599 39.43% 712 46.87% 208 13.69%

Communities

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Cities

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Towns

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Unincorporated communities

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  2. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 124.
  3. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  4. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
  5. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  6. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  7. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  8. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  9. ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Fayette County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  10. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Fayette County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  11. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Fayette County, Alabama". United States Census Bureau.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  13. ^ "Fayette County, Alabama", http://www.healthdata.org/sites/default/files/files/county_profiles/US/County_Report_Fayette_County_Alabama.pdf Archived April 14, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, accessed October 12, 2016
  14. ^ Wang et al, "Population Health Metrics", 2013, 11:8, http://www.pophealthmetrics.com/content/11/1/8, accessed October 13, 2016
  15. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 16, 2016.
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33°43′12″N 87°44′19″W / 33.72000°N 87.73861°W / 33.72000; -87.73861