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Fayette County, Texas facts for kids

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Fayette 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.
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.
Map of Texas highlighting Fayette County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
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)
 • Total 24,435
 • Density 25.45/sq mi (9.83/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 10th

Fayette County is a county in the state of Texas. In 2020, about 24,435 people lived there. The main city and county seat is La Grange. Fayette County was created in 1837.

History of Fayette County

Fayette County was formed in 1837. It was made from parts of Bastrop and Colorado counties. The county is named after the Marquis de la Fayette. He was a French nobleman and a hero of the American Revolutionary War.

One important early resident was Joel Walter Robison. He fought in the Texas Revolution. He also served in the Texas government. Many historic places in Fayette County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography and Location

Fayette County covers about 960 square miles. Most of this area is land. Only a small part, about 9.8 square miles, is water.

Neighboring Counties

Fayette County shares borders with several other counties. These are:

People and Population

Historical population
Census Pop.
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
1850–2010 2010 2020

The population of Fayette County has changed over time. In 1850, there were about 3,756 people. By 1900, the population grew to over 36,000. In recent years, the population has been around 24,000 people.

Most people in Fayette County are White. There are also groups of African American, Native American, and Asian people. A growing number of people are of Hispanic or Latino background.

In 2000, the average age in the county was 43 years old. About 23% of the population was under 18. About 22% were 65 or older. The average income for a family was about $43,156 per year.

Transportation in Fayette County

Airport

Fayette County has its own airport. It is called the Fayette Regional Air Center. It is located near La Grange.

Main Highways

Several important highways pass through Fayette County. These roads help people travel and move goods.

  • I-10 (TX).svg Interstate 10
  • US 77.svg U.S. Highway 77
  • US 90.svg U.S. Highway 90
  • US 290.svg U.S. Highway 290
  • Texas 71.svg State Highway 71
  • Texas 95.svg State Highway 95
  • Texas 159.svg State Highway 159
  • Texas 237.svg State Highway 237

Media and News

Fayette County has local news sources. These include newspapers and radio stations.

Newspapers

  • Fayette County Record
  • Schulenburg Sticker
  • Flatonia Argus

Radio Stations

  • KVLG/KBUK
  • KTIMe

Communities in Fayette County

Fayette County has several towns and cities. It also has many smaller communities.

Cities

Towns

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller places that are not officially cities or towns.

Ghost Towns

These are places that used to be communities but are now mostly empty.

Education in Fayette County

Students in Fayette County attend schools in several different school districts.

  • 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

For college, most of Fayette County is part of the Blinn Junior College District. Some parts of the county are also served by Austin Community College.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Fayette (Texas) para niños

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