Fayette County is a county in Texas, United States, roughly midway between Austin and Houston. It had a population of 24,435 at the 2020 census and covers 960 square miles (2,500 km2), centred near 29°52′N 96°56′W.
La Grange is the county seat, and its postal code is 78945. The county has five incorporated cities, two incorporated towns, and dozens of unincorporated communities. Texas counties have no civil township divisions. The county sits in the Central time zone (UTC−6, UTC−5 during daylight saving).
Towns & Villages in Fayette County
Fayette County has five incorporated cities (La Grange, Schulenburg, Fayetteville, Carmine and Ellinger) and two incorporated towns (Flatonia and Round Top). The rest of the places below are unincorporated communities, many of them Czech and German farming settlements founded in the 1850s–1880s.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Grange | City · seat | 4,641 | 78945 |
| Schulenburg | City | 2,865 | 78956 |
| Flatonia | Town | 1,393 | 78941 |
| Fayetteville | City | 291 | 78940 |
| Carmine | City | 149 | 78932 |
| Round Top | Town | 90 | 78954 |
| Ellinger | City | — | 78938 |
| Ammannsville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Armstrong | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cistern | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Colony | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cozy Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dubina | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elm Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Engle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Floy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fords Prairie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Freyburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gay Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Halsted | Unincorp. | — | — |
| High Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Holman | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hostyn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Joiner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kirtley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ledbetter | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lena | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Marly | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Muldoon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mullins Prairie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nechanitz | Unincorp. | — | — |
| O’Quinn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Flatonia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oldenburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Park | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Plum | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Praha | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Prairie Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rabbs Prairie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rek Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Roznov | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rutersville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saint John | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stellar | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Swiss Alp | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tamberg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Waldeck | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Walhalla | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Warda | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Warrenton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wendt | Unincorp. | — | — |
| West Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Willow Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Winchester | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Winedale | Unincorp. | — | — |
Schulenburg straddles the Fayette–Colorado county line, with most of the city on the Fayette side; its population figure here is the citywide total. Round Top, one of the smallest incorporated towns in Texas, is best known for its twice-yearly antiques fair, which briefly multiplies the town’s population many times over.
ZIP Codes
- 78945 — La Grange (also serves Ammannsville, Rutersville, Winchester)
- 78956 — Schulenburg (also serves High Hill, Praha)
- 78941 — Flatonia (also serves Waldeck)
- 78940 — Fayetteville (also serves Rek Hill)
- 78932 — Carmine (also serves Warda, Ledbetter)
- 78954 — Round Top (also serves Warrenton, Winedale)
- 78938 — Ellinger
Most of the county’s smaller unincorporated communities share a ZIP code with the nearest post-office town rather than carrying their own.
Geography
Fayette County lies in the post oak savannah and blackland prairie transition of south-central Texas, drained by the Colorado River, which crosses the county near La Grange, and by Cummins, Rabbs, and Peach creeks. The terrain is gently rolling, mixing hardwood bottomland along the river with open pasture and small farms elsewhere.
The county borders Lee County to the north, Washington County to the northeast, Austin County to the east, Colorado County to the southeast, Lavaca County to the south, Gonzales County to the southwest, and Caldwell County and Bastrop County to the west and northwest.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 24,435 residents. La Grange, the seat, and Schulenburg are the two largest communities. The county’s median household income runs below the Texas median of $75,780, reflecting its rural, agriculture- and ranching-based economy. Population density is roughly 26 people per square mile, well below the statewide average.
Economy & Local Life
Cattle ranching, hay and row-crop farming, and light manufacturing anchor the local economy, along with a growing tourism trade centred on Round Top’s antiques shows and the county’s German and Czech heritage sites. Schulenburg sits on a rail line and functions as the county’s secondary commercial hub alongside La Grange. The Texas Quilt Museum and the Fayette County Fair, held each September in La Grange, are among the county’s best-known draws.
History
Fayette County was organized in 1837 from land carved out of Bastrop and Colorado Counties, one of the original counties formed after Texas independence. It is named for the Marquis de Lafayette, the French nobleman who served as a general in the American Revolutionary War. German and Czech immigrants settled much of the county from the 1850s onward, founding communities such as Dubina, Praha, and Hostyn that still hold Czech-heritage churches and festivals today. La Grange itself grew around a river crossing on the Colorado and became the seat soon after the county’s founding.
Getting There
Interstate 10 crosses the southern part of the county through Schulenburg and Flatonia, and US Highways 77 and 90 and US 290 also run through the county, along with State Highways 71, 95, 159, and 237.
- Austin — 65 miles northwest
- Houston — 90 miles east
- San Antonio — 95 miles southwest
- Bryan-College Station — 60 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Fayette County, Texas?
It sits in south-central Texas roughly midway between Austin and Houston, crossed by the Colorado River.
What is the population of Fayette County?
The 2020 census counted 24,435 residents.
How big is Fayette County?
It covers 960 square miles (2,500 km2), of which 950 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Fayette County?
La Grange is the county seat.
How many towns are in Fayette County?
Five incorporated cities (La Grange, Schulenburg, Fayetteville, Carmine, Ellinger), two incorporated towns (Flatonia and Round Top), and dozens of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Fayette County?
Main ZIP codes include 78945 (La Grange), 78956 (Schulenburg), 78941 (Flatonia), 78940 (Fayetteville), 78932 (Carmine), 78954 (Round Top), and 78938 (Ellinger).
What is Round Top known for?
Round Top, one of the smallest incorporated towns in Texas, hosts a major twice-yearly antiques fair that draws tens of thousands of visitors.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Texas.