Fayette County, Texas

County in Texas, United States

County in Texas

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 / ﻿29.86°N 96.93°W﻿ / 29.86; -96.93
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

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 was settled by German and Czech emigrants in the mid 1830's.[4] The county lies in the Texas German belt, a fragmented belt of German towns throughout central Texas.[5]

## History

[edit]

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.[6][7]

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.[8]

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

[edit]

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.[9]

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

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%
2024 (est.)| 25,488| [10]| 4.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1850–2010[12] 2010[13] 2020[14]
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[15] | Pop 2010[13] | Pop 2020[14] | % 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[16] 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.[17]

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

[edit]

### Airport

[edit]

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

### Major highways

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

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

### Newspapers

[edit]

* Fayette County Record
* Schulenburg Sticker
* Flatonia Argus

### Radio

[edit]

* KVLG/KBUK
* KTIMe

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

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

### Towns

[edit]

* Flatonia
* Round Top

### Census-designated place

[edit]

* Plum

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* 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

[edit]

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

## Politics

[edit]

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[18] 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[19] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 10,408  | 78.34% | 2,649  | 19.94%  | 228  | 1.72%

## Education

[edit]

School districts:[20]

* 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.[21]

## See also

[edit]

* 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

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Fayette County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on April 12, 2017. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
4. ^ https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/fayetteville-tx-fayette-county#:~:text=By the 1830s some German,Empire's occupation of their land. [bare URL]
5. ^ https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/germans#:~:text=This belt stretched from Galveston and Houston,in the state, both rural and urban. [bare URL]
6. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 124.
7. ^ Alvarez, Elizabeth Cruce (November 8, 2011). Texas Almanac 2012–2013. Texas A&M University Press. pp. Contents. ISBN 9780876112571. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
8. ^ "Robison, Joel Walter". Texas State Historical Association. June 15, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
9. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
10. ^ "QuickFacts: Fayette County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
11. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
12. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
13. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Fayette County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
14. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Fayette County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
15. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Fayette County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
16. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
17. ^ Wilson, Reid. The second-largest religion in each state, The Washington Post, June 4, 2014.
18. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
19. ^ "2024 Senate Election (Official Returns)". Commonwealth of Texas by county. November 5, 2024. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
20. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Fayette County, TX" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved June 29, 2022. \- List
21. ^ Texas Education Code, Sec. 130.166. AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA..

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fayette County, Texas.

* Fayette County government's website
* Fayette County, Texas from the Handbook of Texas Online
* Historic materials from Fayette County, hosted by the Portal to Texas History

Places adjacent to Fayette County, Texas

| Bastrop County | Lee County | Washington County

|
|

|  |
Caldwell County |

Fayette County, Texas

| Austin County
|  |
Gonzales County | Lavaca County | Colorado County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Fayette County, Texas, United States

County seat: La Grange

Cities|

* Carmine
* Ellinger
* Fayetteville
* La Grange
* Schulenburg

Fayette County map

Towns|

* Flatonia
* Muldoon
* Round Top

CDP|

* Plum

Other
communities|

* Ammannsville
* Cistern
* Dubina
* Engle
* Freyburg
* High Hill
* Holman
* Hostyn
* Kirtley
* Ledbetter
* 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|

* Black Jack Springs
* Bluff
* Stella

* Texas portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

Counties of Texas

* Anderson
* Andrews
* Angelina
* Aransas
* Archer
* Armstrong
* Atascosa
* Austin
* Bailey
* Bandera
* Bastrop
* Baylor
* Bee
* Bell
* Bexar
* Blanco
* Borden
* Bosque
* Bowie
* Brazoria
* Brazos
* Brewster
* Briscoe
* Brooks
* Brown
* Burleson
* Burnet
* Caldwell
* Calhoun
* Callahan
* Cameron
* Camp
* Carson
* Cass
* Castro
* Chambers
* Cherokee
* Childress
* Clay
* Cochran
* Coke
* Coleman
* Collin
* Collingsworth
* Colorado
* Comal
* Comanche
* Concho
* Cooke
* Coryell
* Cottle
* Crane
* Crockett
* Crosby
* Culberson
* Dallam
* Dallas
* Dawson
* Deaf Smith
* Delta
* Denton
* DeWitt
* Dickens
* Dimmit
* Donley
* Duval
* Eastland
* Ector
* Edwards
* El Paso
* Ellis
* Erath
* Falls
* Fannin
* Fayette
* Fisher
* Floyd
* Foard
* Fort Bend
* Franklin
* Freestone
* Frio
* Gaines
* Galveston
* Garza
* Gillespie
* Glasscock
* Goliad
* Gonzales
* Gray
* Grayson
* Gregg
* Grimes
* Guadalupe
* Hale
* Hall
* Hamilton
* Hansford
* Hardeman
* Hardin
* Harris
* Harrison
* Hartley
* Haskell
* Hays
* Hemphill
* Henderson
* Hidalgo
* Hill
* Hockley
* Hood
* Hopkins
* Houston
* Howard
* Hudspeth
* Hunt
* Hutchinson
* Irion
* Jack
* Jackson
* Jasper
* Jeff Davis
* Jefferson
* Jim Hogg
* Jim Wells
* Johnson
* Jones
* Karnes
* Kaufman
* Kendall
* Kenedy
* Kent
* Kerr
* Kimble
* King
* Kinney
* Kleberg
* Knox
* La Salle
* Lamar
* Lamb
* Lampasas
* Lavaca
* Lee
* Leon
* Liberty
* Limestone
* Lipscomb
* Live Oak
* Llano
* Loving
* Lubbock
* Lynn
* Madison
* Marion
* Martin
* Mason
* Matagorda
* Maverick
* McCulloch
* McLennan
* McMullen
* Medina
* Menard
* Midland
* Milam
* Mills
* Mitchell
* Montague
* Montgomery
* Moore
* Morris
* Motley
* Nacogdoches
* Navarro
* Newton
* Nolan
* Nueces
* Ochiltree
* Oldham
* Orange
* Palo Pinto
* Panola
* Parker
* Parmer
* Pecos
* Polk
* Potter
* Presidio
* Rains
* Randall
* Reagan
* Real
* Red River
* Reeves
* Refugio
* Roberts
* Robertson
* Rockwall
* Runnels
* Rusk
* Sabine
* San Augustine
* San Jacinto
* San Patricio
* San Saba
* Schleicher
* Scurry
* Shackelford
* Shelby
* Sherman
* Smith
* Somervell
* Starr
* Stephens
* Sterling
* Stonewall
* Sutton
* Swisher
* Tarrant
* Taylor
* Terrell
* Terry
* Throckmorton
* Titus
* Tom Green
* Travis
* Trinity
* Tyler
* Upshur
* Upton
* Uvalde
* Val Verde
* Van Zandt
* Victoria
* Walker
* Waller
* Ward
* Washington
* Webb
* Wharton
* Wheeler
* Wichita
* Wilbarger
* Willacy
* Williamson
* Wilson
* Winkler
* Wise
* Wood
* Yoakum
* Young
* Zapata
* Zavala

* v
* t
* e

State of Texas

Austin (capital)

Topics|

* Outline
* Architecture
* Climate (Climate change)
* Cuisine
* Dialects
* Geography
* Government
* Healthcare
* History
* Languages
* Law
* Literature
* Mass media
* Newspapers
* Radio
* TV
* National Historic Landmarks
* National Register of Historic Places Sites
* Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks
* Sports
* Symbols
* Texans
* Time
* Tourist attractions
* Transportation

Society|

* Abortion
* Culture
* Crime
* Demographics
* Economy
* Education
* Gambling
* Gun laws
* Homelessness
* LGBT rights
* Politics

Regions|

* Ark‑La‑Tex
* Big Bend
* Boca Chica
* Blackland Prairies
* Brazos Valley
* Central Texas
* Coastal Bend
* Concho Valley
* Cross Timbers
* East Texas
* Edwards Plateau
* Golden Triangle
* Hill Country
* Llano Estacado
* Northeast Texas
* North Texas
* Osage Plains
* Panhandle
* Permian Basin
* Piney Woods
* Rio Grande Valley
* Southeast Texas
* South Plains
* South Texas
* Texoma
* Trans-Pecos
* West Texas

Metropolitan
areas|

* Abilene
* Amarillo
* Austin–Round Rock (Greater Austin)
* Beaumont–Port Arthur
* Brownsville–Harlingen
* College Station–Bryan
* Corpus Christi
* Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington (DFW)
* El Paso
* Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land (Greater Houston)
* Killeen–Temple
* Laredo
* Longview/Kilgore
* Lubbock
* McAllen–Edinburg–Mission
* Midland
* Odessa
* San Angelo
* San Antonio–New Braunfels
* Sherman–Denison
* Texarkana
* Tyler
* Victoria
* Waco
* Wagner Creek
* Wichita Falls

Counties|

See: List of counties in Texas

Texas portal

* v
* t
* e

ZZ Top

* Billy Gibbons
* Frank Beard
* Elwood Francis

* Lanier Greig
* Dan Mitchell
* Billy Ethridge
* Dusty Hill

Studio albums|

* ZZ Top's First Album
* Rio Grande Mud
* Tres Hombres
* Fandango!
* Tejas
* Degüello
* El Loco
* Eliminator
* Afterburner
* Recycler
* Antenna
* Rhythmeen
* XXX
* Mescalero
* La Futura

Compilations|

* The Best of ZZ Top
* Greatest Hits
* One Foot in the Blues
* Rancho Texicano: The Very Best of ZZ Top

Live albums|

* Live from Texas

Box sets|

* The Six Pack
* Chrome, Smoke & BBQ

Singles|

* "Francine"
* "La Grange"
* "Tush"
* "It's Only Love"
* "Arrested for Driving While Blind"
* "I Thank You"
* "Cheap Sunglasses"
* "Leila"
* "Tube Snake Boogie"
* "Gimme All Your Lovin'"
* "Sharp Dressed Man"
* "TV Dinners"
* "Legs"
* "Sleeping Bag"
* "Stages"
* "Velcro Fly"
* "Rough Boy"
* "Doubleback"
* "My Head's in Mississippi"
* "Viva Las Vegas"
* "Pincushion"
* "She's Just Killing Me"
* "What's Up with That"

Other songs|

* "Waitin' for the Bus"
* "Jesus Just Left Chicago"
* "Master of Sparks"
* "Pearl Necklace"
* "Got Me Under Pressure"

Video albums|

* Greatest Hits
* Live from Texas
* Live at Montreux 2013

Tours|

* Worldwide Texas Tour
* Recycler Tour
* XXX Tour
* Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers Tour
* Whack Attack Tour
* Hollywood Blues Tour
* El Camino Ocho Tour
* 2010 World Tour
* Gang of Outlaws Tour
* Tonnage Tour
* Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour

Related articles|

* Discography
* Super Bowl XXXI halftime show
* CadZZilla
* Bill Ham
* Moving Sidewalks
* American Blues
* Sharp Dressed Men: A Tribute to ZZ Top
* ZZ Top: A Tribute from Friends

* Category

29°52′N 96°56′W﻿ / ﻿29.86°N 96.93°W﻿ / 29.86; -96.93

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* Israel

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

Other|

* NARA
* Yale LUX

*[Pop.]: Population
*[%±]: Percent change
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template