County · Kentucky
Fayette County, Kentucky
Fayette County, Kentucky. Fayette County had 329,751 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.2% since 2020, in line with Kentucky (+2.2%). It holds 1 place (1 city, village or borough) and 82 census tracts. GEOID 21067.
Fayette County is one of the 6 counties of the Lexington-Fayette, KY metropolitan statistical area (the Census Bureau's July 2023 delineation).
Fayette County is the same area as Lexington-Fayette: the county and the city are one area with the same figures. This page lists its census tracts and the places within it; the city's page has its city ranks and its building permits.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
329,751
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 322,570 · ACS 2020-2024: 323,725
Median household income
$69,479
±$1,691 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $63,726
Median home value
$293,500
±$5,552 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $205,600
Median gross rent
$1,164
±$18 (90% margin)
Kentucky: $967
How many people live in Fayette County, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 322,570 residents in Fayette County. The Census Bureau estimates 329,751 for July 1, 2025, up 2.2% since 2020, in line with Kentucky (+2.2%). The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 323,725 over 284 square miles of land.
| Measure | Fayette County | Kentucky | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 323,725 | 4,534,824 | +3,124 |
| Households | 139,715±787 | 1,814,469 | +9,931 |
| Average household size | 2.23±0.01 | 2.43 | −0.14 |
| Housing units | 148,959±115 | 2,023,116 | +7,306 |
Fayette County's population since 2000
From 260,512 in 2000 to 329,751 in 2025: up 26.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. 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); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov
What cities and towns are in Fayette County?
Fayette County holds 1 place: 1 city, village or borough (an incorporated place). The largest is Lexington-Fayette with 329,751 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.
| Lexington-Fayette | 322,570 | $69,479 |
|---|
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Fayette County?
The median resident of Fayette County is 35.3 years old; 21.0% are under 18 and 14.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 66.7%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 14.4%. 11.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Fayette County | Kentucky | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3±0.1 | 39.1 | +0.7 |
| Under 18 years | 21.0% | 22.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.7%±0.1 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 9.5% | 5.0% | +2.3 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 66.7%±0.1 pts | 81.5% | −4.3 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 14.4%±0.3 pts | 7.6% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.3%±0.1 pts | 1.6% | +0.6 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.7%±0.4 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3%±0.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 11.9%±0.5 pts | 4.7% | +2.2 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 15.9%±0.7 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.0%±0.4 pts | 6.5% | – |
| With a disability | 13.3%±0.5 pts | 17.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.2%±0.5 pts | 6.0% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.1%±0.5 pts | 88.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 48.3%±1.0 pts | 27.6% | +4.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 21.0%±0.9 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.7%±0.4 pts | 2.4% | – |
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 County earn?
Half of Fayette County's 139,715 households earn less than $69,479 a year (±$1,691), against $63,726 in Kentucky. In 2015-2019 it was $70,508 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 14.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fayette County | Kentucky | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,479±$1,691 | $63,726 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $101,608±$2,318 | $87,807 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,790±$977 | $35,821 | +$1,402 |
| People below the poverty line | 14.9%±0.9 pts | 16.1% | −1.9 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 17.9%±2.4 pts | 20.3% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.5%±0.7 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.5%±0.6 pts | 88.6% | – |
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 County?
Owners occupy 53.8% of Fayette County's occupied homes and renters 46.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $293,500 by its owner (±$5,552). The median renter pays $1,164 a month including utilities, and 40.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Fayette County | Kentucky | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $293,500±$5,552 | $205,600 | +$59,914 |
| Median gross rent | $1,164±$18 | $967 | +$61 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 40.0%±1.9 pts | 36.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,636±$27 | $1,433 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 53.8%±0.8 pts | 68.3% | no clear change |
| Housing units | 148,959±115 | 2,023,116 | +7,306 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.5%±0.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.8%±0.7 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 58.4%±0.8 pts | 67.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.1%±0.2 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.7%±0.3 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.8%±0.4 pts | 9.0% | – |
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 County building?
Builders took permits for 1,052 new housing units across Fayette County in 2025 (507 single-family), 3.2 per 1,000 residents.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Fayette County get to work?
73.1% of Fayette County's workers drive alone and 12.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 20.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.9%.
| Measure | Fayette County | Kentucky | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.4%±0.6 pts | 59.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9%±0.5 pts | 4.9% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 73.1%±1.1 pts | 76.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.7%±0.7 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.5%±0.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 3.1%±0.4 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.2%±0.7 pts | 10.2% | +7.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.9 min±0.5 | 24.0 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 are Fayette County's census tracts?
Fayette County is divided into 82 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $18,929 (Tract 8.01) to $248,571 (Tract 23.04).
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Fayette County compare with Kentucky's other counties?
| Measure | Rank |
|---|---|
| Population | 2nd of 120 |
| Growth 2020-2025 | 56th of 120 |
| Residents per square mile | 2nd of 120 |
| Median household income | 15th of 120 |
| Median home value | 5th of 120 |
| Median gross rent | 4th of 120 |
| Poverty rate | 89th of 120 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1st of 120 |
| Median age | 115th of 120 |
Source: PlainCities ranks 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 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 County 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' school search.