Fayette County is a county in Indiana, United States, on the west bank of the Whitewater River in the east-central part of the state. It had a population of 23,398 at the 2020 census and covers 215.16 square miles (557.3 km2) centred near 39°38′N 85°11′W.
Connersville is the county seat and postal code is 47331. The county has one incorporated city, Connersville, and roughly a dozen unincorporated communities spread across nine civil townships. Fayette County sits in the Eastern time zone.
Towns & Villages in Fayette County
Connersville is the only incorporated place in Fayette County; every other settlement below is an unincorporated community or crossroads. The table lists each place, its type, township (where confirmed), and ZIP code.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connersville | City · seat | Connersville | 13,157 | 47331 |
| Alpine | Unincorp. | — | — | 47331 |
| Alquina | Unincorp. | — | — | 47331 |
| Bentonville | Unincorp. | — | — | 47322 |
| Bunker Hill | Unincorp. | — | — | 47331 |
| Columbia | Unincorp. | Columbia | — | 47331 |
| Everton | Unincorp. | — | — | 47331 |
| Glenwood | Unincorp. | — | — | 46133 |
| Harrisburg | Unincorp. | Harrison | — | 47331 |
| Huber | Unincorp. | — | — | 47331 |
| Longwood Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — | 47331 |
| Lyonsville | Unincorp. | — | — | 47331 |
| Nulltown | Unincorp. | — | — | 47331 |
| Orange | Unincorp. | Orange | — | 47331 |
| Springersville | Unincorp. | — | — | 47331 |
| Tyner Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — | 47331 |
| Waterloo | Unincorp. | Waterloo | — | 47331 |
Bentonville and Glenwood are the only Fayette County communities with their own ZIP codes; every other place on the list is served out of the Connersville post office.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Connersville | — | Connersville |
| Columbia | — | Columbia |
| Fairview | — | — |
| Harrison | — | Harrisburg |
| Jackson | — | — |
| Jennings | — | — |
| Orange | — | Orange |
| Posey | — | — |
| Waterloo | — | Waterloo |
Fayette County has organised nine civil townships since February 1819, the year after the county itself was formed.
ZIP Codes
- 47331 — Connersville (also serves Alpine, Alquina, Bunker Hill, Columbia, Everton, Harrisburg, Huber, Longwood Crossing, Lyonsville, Nulltown, Orange, Springersville, Tyner Crossing and Waterloo)
- 46133 — Glenwood
- 47322 — Bentonville (PO Box delivery only)
The 47331 ZIP covers roughly 96% of the county’s population, since Connersville holds most of Fayette County’s residents.
Geography
Fayette County sits astride the West Fork of the Whitewater River, which runs south through Connersville toward the Ohio border. The terrain is gently rolling farmland typical of east-central Indiana, with almost no natural lakes; nearly all of the county’s 215 square miles is land. Fayette County borders Henry County to the north, Wayne County to the northeast, Union County to the east, Franklin County to the south, and Rush County to the west.
Demographics
Fayette County had 23,398 residents at the 2020 census, making it one of Indiana’s smaller counties by population. Connersville is by far the largest community; Bentonville and Glenwood are the county’s next-largest named places, though both are small unincorporated settlements. Median household income in the county has historically ranked at or near the bottom among Indiana’s 92 counties, well below the Indiana median of $69,477. Population density works out to roughly 109 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Manufacturing, retail, and healthcare are the county’s main employment sectors, concentrated in and around Connersville. The city was historically a major automobile- and appliance-manufacturing center in the 20th century, and industrial employment remains part of the local economy today alongside newer retail and health-services jobs.
History
Fayette County was organized in December 1818 out of parts of Wayne, Franklin, and unassigned territory, and named for the Marquis de Lafayette, the French general who served under George Washington in the American Revolution. The county was divided into five original townships in February 1819, later expanded to the nine that exist today. Connersville, platted along the Whitewater River, became the county seat and grew through the 19th century as a stop on the Whitewater Canal and later a rail and manufacturing hub.
Getting There
Three state roads, Indiana 1, Indiana 44, and Indiana 121, meet in Connersville. U.S. 40 passes about 12 miles north of the county, and Interstate 70 is roughly 14 miles north. CSX freight trains run through Connersville, and the Whitewater Valley Railroad operates a heritage tourist line from the city; the county has no commercial airport or intercity bus service.
- Richmond — 20 miles northeast
- New Castle — 20 miles north
- Rushville — 20 miles west
- Brookville — 20 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Dayton International Airport in Ohio, about an hour’s drive to the east.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Fayette County, Indiana?
It is in east-central Indiana, on the Whitewater River, bordered by Henry, Wayne, Union, Franklin, and Rush counties.
What is the population of Fayette County?
Fayette County had a population of 23,398 at the 2020 census.
How big is Fayette County?
The county covers 215.16 square miles (557.3 km2), nearly all of it land.
What is the county seat of Fayette County?
Connersville is the county seat and the only incorporated city in the county.
How many towns are in Fayette County?
Fayette County has one incorporated city, Connersville, plus about sixteen unincorporated communities across nine townships.
What ZIP codes are in Fayette County?
The main ZIP codes are 47331 (Connersville), 46133 (Glenwood), and 47322 (Bentonville).
What is Fayette County known for?
Connersville’s 20th-century history as an automobile- and appliance-manufacturing center, and today the Whitewater Valley Railroad, a heritage tourist train that runs along the old Whitewater Canal route.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Indiana.