Population 323,725 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fayette County
Household size in Fayette County
| Period | Fayette County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.34 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.52 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Fayette County is a place of small households, averaging 2.36 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Only nine of Kentucky's 120 counties have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Fayette County
| Period | Fayette County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.3 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.2 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.5 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.6 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +1.5 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Fayette County is 36.6 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 35.3 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only four of Kentucky's 120 counties are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Fayette County
| Period | Fayette County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.4% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.2% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Fayette County (10.2%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 1.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Fayette County
Renters in Fayette County
| Period | Fayette County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.1% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 45.1% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.6% | 32.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 46.2% | 31.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Fayette County than nationally: 46.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 33.9% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 3.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only one other Kentucky county has a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Fayette County
| Period | Fayette County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 12.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 11.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 10.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Fayette County as nationally: 8.7%, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in Kentucky overall (10.6%). Vacancy has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Fayette County
| Period | Fayette County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Fayette County was built around 1982, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Fayette County
| Period | Fayette County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $823 | $657 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $896 | $728 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,024 | $814 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,309 | $1,024 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$486 | +$367 | +$606 |
The median renter in Fayette County pays $1,309 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in Kentucky as a whole ($1,024). Rents are up $486 a month from 2006–10, a 59% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.9% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Fayette County
Bachelor's degrees in Fayette County
| Period | Fayette County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.8% | 21.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 41.0% | 22.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.6% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 47.5% | 27.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.7 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Fayette County: 47.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 7.7 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. No other Kentucky county has a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Fayette County
| Period | Fayette County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.6% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.6% | 83.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.9% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.3% | 88.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +7.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Fayette County have finished high school (92.3%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 3.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Kentucky's 120 counties, only ten have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Fayette County
| Period | Fayette County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 9.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.6% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.6%, unemployment in Fayette County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has edged down 0.7 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Fayette County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County | 2.36 | 36.6 | 10.2% | 46.2% | 8.7% | 1982 | $1,309 | 47.5% | 92.3% | 5.6% |
| Woodford County | 2.49 | 42.2 | 11.2% | 28.3% | 8.7% | 1985 | $1,129 | 40.3% | 90.7% | 2.6% |
| Clark County | 2.51 | 41.1 | 11.9% | 29.3% | 8.9% | 1980 | $959 | 22.5% | 88.8% | 4.7% |
| Anderson County | 2.55 | 42.8 | 9.4% | 22.4% | 6.8% | 1985 | $889 | 26.2% | 90.5% | 2.5% |
| Franklin County | 2.26 | 41.7 | 12.3% | 35.5% | 6.8% | 1978 | $1,015 | 30.9% | 92.5% | 5.8% |
| Montgomery County | 2.58 | 39.9 | 9.7% | 31.7% | 11.6% | 1984 | $869 | 21.0% | 86.5% | 4.0% |
| Bath County | 2.76 | 39.6 | 11.0% | 25.3% | 13.4% | 1986 | $592 | 12.2% | 82.1% | 2.5% |
| Spencer County | 2.82 | 42.1 | 12.0% | 12.1% | 5.5% | 1999 | $974 | 23.7% | 92.6% | 5.0% |
| Menifee County | 2.49 | 46.5 | 15.3% | 24.5% | 23.4% | 1988 | $609 | 15.1% | 80.9% | 7.2% |
| Rowan County | 2.28 | 33.8 | 13.8% | 38.5% | 12.3% | 1989 | $807 | 26.5% | 85.0% | 5.5% |
| Bullitt County | 2.68 | 42.4 | 12.4% | 15.1% | 6.1% | 1993 | $1,057 | 20.3% | 90.3% | 4.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Osceola County, FL · Merced County, CA · Mercer County, NJ · New Hanover County, NC · New London County, CT · Norfolk City, VA · Northampton County, PA · Nueces County, TX · Orange County, NY · McLennan County, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Fayette County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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