City · Iowa
Fayette, Iowa
Fayette, city, in Fayette County, Iowa. Fayette had 1,185 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 5.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,256 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,309 (±144). GEOID 1927165.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,185
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,256 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,309 ±144
Median household income
$47,917
±$15,829 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$119,000
±$14,046 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$1,347
±$792 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Fayette and what county is it in?
Fayette is a city in Fayette County, Iowa. It covers 1.5 square miles of land, 839 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Fayette, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,185 people lived in Fayette on July 1, 2025, down 5.9% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 1,256 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,309 (±144).
| Measure | Fayette | Fayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,309 ±144 | 19,288 | no clear change |
| Households | 451 ±79 | 8,342 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.05 ±0.28 | 2.22 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 521 ±86 | 9,320 | no clear change |
Fayette's population since 2000
From 1,300 in 2000 to 1,185 in 2025: down 8.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Fayette as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Fayette?
The median resident of Fayette is 23.4 years old; 11.3% are under 18 and 13.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 81.5%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 6.6%. 10.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Fayette | Fayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 23.4 ±4.6 | 43.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 11.3% ±4.2 pts | 21.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 13.9% ±3.4 pts | 22.9% | – |
| Male | 59.4% ±5.8 pts | 50.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.5% ±2.7 pts | 3.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 81.5% ±6.8 pts | 91.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 6.6% ±5.1 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.4% ±1.8 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±2.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.1% ±3.3 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 10.5% ±5.5 pts | 2.1% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.6% ±3.2 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.0% ±2.6 pts | 8.4% | – |
| With a disability | 10.6% ±3.1 pts | 15.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.0% ±2.7 pts | 5.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.6% ±2.5 pts | 93.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 32.6% ±9.4 pts | 20.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.9% ±3.9 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 78.1% ±6.4 pts | 89.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 12.0% ±4.6 pts | 2.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Fayette earn?
Half of Fayette's 451 households earn less than $47,917 a year (±$15,829), against $60,165 in Fayette County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $44,075 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 25.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fayette | Fayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,917 ±$15,829 | $60,165 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $57,513 ±$12,566 | $80,301 | – |
| Per capita income | $22,517 ±$3,019 | $35,469 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 25.7% ±10.6 pts | 12.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 16.2% ±11.9 pts | 15.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.8% ±5.3 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.1% ±4.2 pts | 90.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.2% ±5.0 pts | 85.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Fayette?
Owners occupy 53.4% of Fayette's occupied homes and renters 46.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $119,000 by its owner (±$14,046). The median renter pays $1,347 a month including utilities, and 65.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Fayette | Fayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $119,000 ±$14,046 | $136,800 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,347 ±$792 | $881 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 65.4% ±19.3 pts | 36.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,296 ±$125 | $1,239 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 53.4% ±12.0 pts | 76.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 46.6% ±12.0 pts | 23.5% | – |
| Housing units | 521 ±86 | 9,320 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 5.9% ±6.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.2% ±7.2 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 73.3% ±7.0 pts | 84.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.0% ±2.1 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.4% ±4.2 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 46.3% ±10.3 pts | 41.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.4% ±2.5 pts | 5.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Fayette building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Fayette in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 0.8 per 1,000 residents against 4.2 across Iowa.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Fayette work and get to work?
71.3% of Fayette's workers drive alone and 8.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 15.3 minutes.
| Measure | Fayette | Fayette County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 65.9% ±6.5 pts | 60.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% ±3.9 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 71.3% ±8.1 pts | 79.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.3% ±6.1 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 9.2% ±4.5 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 8.3% ±4.3 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 15.3 min ±3.7 | 22.5 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Fayette?
No census tract lies mostly in Fayette; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 802Fayette County | 3,397 | $57,402 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Fayette) · Census block assignment files
How does Fayette compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Fayette is the 9,645th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 242nd-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Fayette ranks 273rd of 279 places in Iowa with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 242nd | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 273rd | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 200th | 279 |
| Median household income | 273rd | 279 |
| Per capita income | 278th | 279 |
| Median home value | 232nd | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 9th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 3rd | 232 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69th | 279 |
| Median age | 277th | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 274th | 279 |
| Work from home | 132nd | 221 |
| Travel time to work | 236th | 279 |
Fayette's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Fayette with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Fayette?
15 of the 57 figures for Fayette on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Fayette are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Fayette.