Fayette County
Fayette County is on Interstate Highway 10 sixty miles southeast of Austin in the Blackland Prairies region of south central Texas. The center of the county lies at 29°55' north latitude and 96°55' west longitude. La Grange is the county seat and largest community. In addition to Interstate 10, transportation needs are served by U.S. highways 77, 90, and 290 and State highways 71, 95, 159, and 237. The county's terrain varies from level land to steep slopes, with altitude ranging from 200 to 600 feet. The Colorado River, which bisects the county from northwest to southeast, is fed by several major creeks: Rabb's, Cedar, and Baylor on the east and Buckner's and Williams on the west. Cummins Creek flows through the eastern part of the county and the East and West Navidad rivers through the southern part. Potable groundwater is readily available from the Carrizo-Wilcox and Catahoula-Oakville aquifers at relatively shallow depths. The county covers 950 square miles and is composed of three land resource areas—Blackland Prairies (63 percent), the Post Oak Belt (30 percent), and the Colorado river bottom (7 percent). Within the Blackland Prairie on the uplands are the clayey blacklands and loamy claypen areas. The bottomlands contain dark loamy and clayey soils. The Post Oak Belt contains the Texas Claypan Area with uplands of gray, slightly acid sandy loam and sandy to clayey bottomland soils. Scattered outcrops of the Willis Formation form gravelly ridges along the Colorado River and large areas of gravelly soils in the northern half of the county. The vegetation is a mixture of the post oak savannah and Blackland Prairie region, with tall grasses, oak, and elms predominating. Also commonly found are eastern red cedars, pecans, cottonwoods, and sycamores. Some hickory, walnut, mesquite, and yaupon grow in diverse areas. The north central section is forested by loblolly pine, a continuation of the Lost Pines Forest of neighboring Bastrop County. Whitetail deer are native to the area, especially in the timbered areas, and raccoon, beaver, and possum live along the many creeks. Coyotes are so numerous that a control program has been instigated. Game species found in this district include squirrel, quail, dove, and water fowl. Southern bald eagles traverse the county, particularly along the Colorado River. Natural resources include timber, lignite, sand, gravel, bleaching clays, volcanic ash, oil, and gas. The climate is subtropical humid, with hot summers and mild winters. The average annual precipitation is thirty-six inches. Temperatures range from an average low of 41° F in January to an average high of 96° in July, and the average growing season is 277 days. Flooding is common along the Colorado River; major floods in 1869, 1870, 1900, 1938, and 1992 caused considerable damage to crops and property.
Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.
Daphne Dalton Garrett | © Texas State Historical Association
Fayette County at a Glance
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County Map of Texas
Fayette County
- Fayette County
Currently Exists
Yes
Place type
Fayette County is classified as a County
Altitude Range
200 ft – 590 ft
Places of Fayette County
Photos of Fayette County and surrounding areas

Fayette County, Texas
Fayette County Courthouse, in La Grange, Texas. Photograph by Jim Evans.

Fayette County, Texas
Map of Fayette County, Texas Map credit: Robert Plocheck

La Grange, Fayette County, Texas
Downtown La Grange, the seat of Fayette County, Texas. Photograph by Renelibrary. La Grange

The Sons of Hermann Lodge in Rutersville
Photo by Nicholas Henderson, CC2 Rutersville

City of Carmine, Fayette County, Texas
Carmine Museum and Visitor Center, a city in Fayette County, Texas. Photograph by Larry D. Moore. Carmine

City of Fayetteville, Fayette County, Texas
Downtown view of the City of Fayetteville, Fayette County, Texas. Photograph by Renelibrary. Fayetteville
City of Schulenburg, Fayette County, Texas
Texas Polka Dot Music Museum in the City of Schulenburg, Fayette County, Texas. Photograph by Billy Hathorn. Schulenburg

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Fayette County by the Numbers
Population & Civilian Labor Counts
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Population Counts
Fayette County
Pop. | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
25,346 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Civilian Labor Counts
Fayette County
People | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
11,324 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Per Capita Income
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Per Capita Income (USD) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
$53,564 | 2019 | U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis |
Property Values, Retail Sales, and Wages
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Property Values
Fayette County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
6,910,143,625 | 2019 | State Property Tax Board |
Retail Sales
Fayette County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
489,599,371 | 2019 | State Comptroller of Public Accounts |
Wages
Fayette County
USD ($) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
105,173,443 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Unemployment
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Unemployment Percentage | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
5.2 | 2019 | Texas Workforce Commission |
Rainfall
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Rainfall (inches) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
40.5 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Temperature Ranges
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Min. (January Average, °F) | Max. (July Average, °F) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|---|
39.2 | 95.5 | 2019 | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
Land Area & Total Area
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Land Area
Fayette County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
950.0 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |
Total Area
Fayette County
Area (square miles) | Year | Source |
---|---|---|
959.8 | 2019 | United States Census Bureau |