Fayette County, Alabama Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Fayette County is located in Alabama with a total population of 16,053. It is the 52nd most populous county out of 67 in Alabama. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fayette County is 43.3 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 39.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fayette County is $49,488. This is 23% lower than the state median of $63,999. It is also 39% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.8%. This is 40% higher than the state poverty rate of 15.6%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 8.4%. This is 80% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $125,900. Housing costs are 40% lower than the state median of $209,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Fayette County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 78.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 12% higher than the state average of 70.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Fayette County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.2% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 11.1%. The Black or African American population (11.1%) is well below the state average of 25.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.9%) is well below the state average of 5.6%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 1.4%.

Education

14.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 48% lower than the state rate of 28.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 85.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Fayette County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Alabama and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.