Population 125,997 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Fayette County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Fayette County
Household size in Fayette County
| Period | Fayette County | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.44 | 2.37 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.44 | 2.35 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.31 | 2.29 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.23 | 2.30 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.21 | −0.07 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Fayette County are small: just 2.23 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.44 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, only four 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 | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.1 | 42.5 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.9 | 43.0 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.8 | 43.7 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.6 | 43.9 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +1.4 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Fayette County skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.6, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 43.1, mirroring the country.
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 | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 8.9% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 8.8% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.0% | 8.4% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.2% | 8.8% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −0.0 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Fayette County than nationally: 10.2%, against 11.6%. Locally, though, single parents are more common here than in the wider Pittsburgh area (8.8%). The single-parent share has edged down 1.0 points since 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 | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.0% | 28.5% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.3% | 29.9% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.6% | 30.3% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.6% | 29.3% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a quarter of households in Fayette County rent their homes (27.6%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Just over half of owners (52.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the northwest; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share has edged up 0.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 10.7% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.5% | 10.4% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.7% | 10.5% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 10.0% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −0.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Fayette County: 11.6% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has edged down 0.9 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 | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1960 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1961 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1962 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1960 | 1964 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Fayette County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1960, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1956 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the west 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 | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $541 | $720 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $603 | $801 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $696 | $922 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $847 | $1,162 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$306 | +$442 | +$494 | +$606 |
Rent in Fayette County runs $847 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $306 a month since 2006–10, up 57%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.2% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the west.
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 | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.9% | 29.5% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.0% | 31.7% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.4% | 35.2% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.1% | 39.0% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +9.5 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Fayette County: 19.1% 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 5.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Fayette County has a lower share of college graduates than the great majority of Pennsylvania counties.
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 | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.0% | 90.8% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.2% | 92.3% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.6% | 93.8% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.9% | 95.0% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +4.2 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Fayette County is close to the national rate: 89.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the wider Pittsburgh area (95.0%). The share with a diploma is up 6.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | Pittsburgh area | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 6.9% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 7.5% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.5% | 4.9% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 5.0% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −1.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Fayette County than nationally: unemployment was 6.3%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.3 points since 2006–10, as it has 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 | 2.23 | 45.6 | 10.2% | 27.6% | 11.6% | 1960 | $847 | 19.1% | 89.9% | 6.3% |
| Greene County | 2.20 | 43.5 | 11.8% | 22.9% | 11.4% | 1961 | $823 | 21.9% | 89.9% | 5.3% |
| Somerset County | 2.36 | 47.1 | 7.4% | 19.6% | 18.1% | 1962 | $812 | 18.5% | 90.8% | 4.9% |
| Ohio County | 2.19 | 43.5 | 10.6% | 33.6% | 14.3% | 1957 | $869 | 35.1% | 92.8% | 6.1% |
| Marshall County | 2.36 | 46.3 | 12.5% | 21.6% | 15.8% | 1961 | $831 | 19.2% | 91.4% | 5.1% |
| Belmont County | 2.35 | 45.0 | 11.7% | 26.4% | 13.7% | 1968 | $839 | 19.2% | 92.3% | 5.0% |
| Bedford County | 2.44 | 46.4 | 6.6% | 22.5% | 16.6% | 1971 | $861 | 15.8% | 90.2% | 3.9% |
| Fulton County | 2.29 | 47.0 | 8.5% | 22.4% | 11.4% | 1976 | $821 | 17.7% | 89.3% | 2.9% |
| Guernsey County | 2.38 | 42.1 | 11.6% | 27.9% | 13.5% | 1971 | $942 | 15.1% | 86.9% | 5.0% |
| Franklin County | 2.52 | 42.5 | 10.4% | 26.5% | 6.9% | 1977 | $1,149 | 24.5% | 91.1% | 3.9% |
| Muskingum County | 2.49 | 40.6 | 14.4% | 31.8% | 11.1% | 1972 | $870 | 21.4% | 90.5% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Pickens County, SC · Clark County, OH · Clarke County, GA · Cochise County, AZ · Florence County, SC · Hampton City, VA · Harnett County, NC · Kendall County, IL · Madison County, IN · Humboldt County, CA
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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.