Population 28,876 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fayette County
Household size in Fayette County
| Period | Fayette County | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.48 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.46 | 2.51 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.40 | 2.47 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.49 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Fayette County run a little small, averaging 2.49 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. That is in line with the rest of Ohio. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.9 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.3 | 40.7 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.8 | 40.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Fayette County are younger than 40.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.5, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the east.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.5% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.6% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −0.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Fayette County (10.6%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 2.9 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.4% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.7% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.1% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.3% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in Fayette County rent their homes (35.3%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 37.9% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the southwest. Few Ohio counties have a higher share of renters: only seven of 88.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 10.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Fayette County is close to the national rate: 10.9% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Ohio as a whole (8.7%). Vacancy has risen 1.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1968 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1969 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1970 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1972 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +6 |
Fayette County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1969, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the south.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $748 | $765 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $729 | $814 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $730 | $901 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $848 | $1,142 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$100 | +$377 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Fayette County costs $848 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $100 a month from 2006–10, a 13% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 26.6% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the center.
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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.8% | 25.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.9% | 26.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.5% | 28.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.6% | 31.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Fayette County: 14.6% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 1.7 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Only eight of Ohio's 88 counties have a lower 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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.0% | 87.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.8% | 88.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.6% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.5% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in seven adults in Fayette County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.5% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma has risen 4.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only eight of Ohio's 88 counties have a lower 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 | Ohio | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 4.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.6 pts | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Fayette County than nationally: unemployment was 3.8%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 6.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 | 2.49 | 40.8 | 10.6% | 35.3% | 10.9% | 1969 | $848 | 14.6% | 86.5% | 3.8% |
| Clinton County | 2.46 | 40.9 | 9.5% | 28.2% | 8.1% | 1976 | $987 | 19.4% | 91.9% | 4.2% |
| Pickaway County | 2.63 | 40.2 | 11.0% | 26.0% | 5.0% | 1979 | $1,190 | 22.4% | 90.1% | 3.3% |
| Warren County | 2.71 | 40.8 | 7.9% | 20.6% | 5.0% | 1994 | $1,456 | 46.7% | 95.5% | 2.9% |
| Hocking County | 2.41 | 42.9 | 12.5% | 21.2% | 11.4% | 1980 | $851 | 13.6% | 89.7% | 6.1% |
| Butler County | 2.68 | 38.5 | 12.6% | 30.1% | 7.5% | 1980 | $1,320 | 33.0% | 91.0% | 5.2% |
| Union County | 2.41 | 41.8 | 11.4% | 20.2% | 10.8% | 1967 | $882 | 19.1% | 88.5% | 4.4% |
| Morgan County | 2.40 | 44.5 | 11.5% | 21.1% | 21.3% | 1977 | $764 | 14.1% | 88.1% | 3.5% |
| Fayette County | 2.51 | 43.6 | 13.4% | 27.9% | 14.5% | 1962 | $921 | 16.1% | 86.0% | 3.4% |
| Washington County | 2.37 | 44.6 | 11.1% | 24.6% | 11.2% | 1970 | $854 | 22.2% | 93.9% | 4.8% |
| Rush County | 2.48 | 42.9 | 8.3% | 25.1% | 9.1% | 1956 | $851 | 18.9% | 91.1% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Breckinridge County, KY · White County, TN · Butler County, AL · Burke County, GA · Bureau County, IL · Whitley County, IN · Buchanan County, IA · Willacy County, TX · Brown County, SD · Brown County, MN
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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