Fayette County, Illinois Demographics 2026

Name: Fayette County, Illinois Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Fayette County, Illinois has a population of 21,315, the 54th most populous county in Illinois. The median household income is $60,944 and the median home value is $130,700. The poverty rate is 15.5%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Fayette County Quick Facts

Population 21,315

Median Household Income $60,944

Median Home Value $130,700

Poverty Rate 15.5%

Unemployment Rate 3.8%

Median Age 41.9 years

Homeownership Rate 80.6%

Affordability Ratio 2.1x

Bachelor's Degree+ 17.2%

High School Graduation 87.3%

Cities/Places 7

Population 21,315 54th of 102

Median Income $60,944 27% lower than state

Poverty Rate 15.5%

Unemployment 3.8%

How Fayette County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	21,380	21,315	-0.3%
Median household income	$57,113	$60,944	+6.7%
Median home value	$114,700	$130,700	+13.9%

Median Household Income

Fayette

$60,944

$83,390

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Fayette

$130,700

$263,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.4%

$25K-$50K 23.8%

$50K-$100K 30.3%

$100K+ 28.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.5%

$10K-$15K

4.2%

$15K-$20K

3.4%

$20K-$25K

4.3%

$25K-$30K

5.1%

$30K-$35K

4.3%

$35K-$40K

5.1%

$40K-$45K

5.7%

$45K-$50K

3.6%

$50K-$60K

8.0%

$60K-$75K

11.2%

$75K-$100K

11.0%

$100K-$125K

11.5%

$125K-$150K

5.6%

$150K-$200K

6.8%

$200K+

4.6%

Employment

3.8% Unemployment Rate State: 5.8%|National: 5.2%

54.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 80.6%

Renter 19.4%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.1x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $798/mo 15.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.4%

18-34

21.6%

35-54

25.0%

55-74

24.3%

75+

8.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 61 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Fayette County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Vandalia	5,796	$45,469	22.2%	$98,500
St. Elmo	1,257	$45,294	27.8%	$82,600
Ramsey	1,094	$53,375	17.5%	$65,800
Brownstown	722	$53,000	19.8%	$72,900
St. Peter	338	$63,500	10.4%	$99,600
La Clede	135	$43,641	0.0%	$63,000
Bingham	63	N/A	57.1%	N/A

Explore Illinois Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Fayette County is located in Illinois with a total population of 21,315. It is the 54th most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fayette County is 41.9 years. This is 7% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fayette County is $60,944. This is 27% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 25% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.5%. This is 31% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.8%. This is 35% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $130,700. Housing costs are 50% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.1x, Fayette County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 80.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Fayette County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 88.3% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 3.3%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (88.3% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (3.3%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.0%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

17.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 55% lower than the state rate of 37.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 87.3%.

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 Illinois 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Fayette County, Illinois?

Fayette County has a population of 21,315, making it the 54th most populous county in Illinois.

What is the median income in Fayette County?

The median household income in Fayette County is $60,944 with a poverty rate of 15.5%.

How many cities are in Fayette County, Illinois?

Fayette County contains 7 Census-designated places.