Fayette County, KY

County

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    2024 Population
    323,725
    US Senator
    Mitch McConnell
    Republican Party
    US Senator
    Rand Paul
    Republican Party
    2024 Median Age
    35.3
    0.284% 1-year increase
    2024 Poverty Rate
    14.9%
    4.84% 1-year decrease
    2024 Median Household Income
    $69,479
    2.73% 1-year growth
    2024 Median Property Value
    $293,500
    7.86% 1-year growth
    2024 Employed Population
    171,716
    1.95% 1-year growth

    About

    None of the households in Fayette County, KY reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

    92.3% of the residents in Fayette County, KY are U.S. citizens.

    The largest universities in Fayette County, KY are University of Kentucky (9,971 degrees awarded in 2024), Bluegrass Community and Technical College (5,429 degrees), and Transylvania University (245 degrees).

    In 2024, the median property value in Fayette County, KY was $293,500, and the homeownership rate was 53.8%.

    Most people in Fayette County, KY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Fayette County, KY was 2 cars per household.

    About the photo: Lexington, KY
    Photo by Anthony
    United StatesKentuckyLexington-Fayette, KY

    Population & Diversity

    Fayette County, KY is home to a population of 324k people, from which 92.3% are citizens. As of 2024, 11.7% of Fayette County, KY residents were born outside of the country (37.9k people).

    In 2024, there were 4.64 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (216k people) in Fayette County, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 46.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 14.1k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    Population & Diversity

    Citizenship

    92.3%
    2024 Citizenship
    93.1%
    2023 Citizenship

    As of 2024, 92.3% of Fayette County, KY residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Fayette County, KY was 93.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

    The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Fayette County, KY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Diversity

    Race and Ethnicity

    The 3 largest ethnic groups in Fayette County, KY
    1. White (Non-Hispanic)
      216k ± 455
    2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
      46.6k ± 1.08k
    3. Asian (Non-Hispanic)
      14.1k ± 434
    9.52%
    Hispanic Population
    30.8k people

    In 2024, there were 4.64 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (216k people) in Fayette County, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 46.6k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 14.1k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    9.52% of the people in Fayette County, KY are hispanic (30.8k people).

    The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Fayette County, KY as a share of the total population.

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    Global Diversity

    The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Kentucky.
    Most Common Origin
    1. Mexico
      34,417 ± 4,537 people
    2. Cuba
      21,613 ± 3,601 people
    3. India
      11,987 ± 2,684 people

    In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Kentucky was Mexico, the natal country of 34,417 Kentucky residents, followed by Cuba with 21,613 and India with 11,987.

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    Foreign-Born Population

    11.7%
    2024 Foreign-Born Population
    37.9k people
    10.8%
    2023 Foreign-Born Population
    34.7k people

    As of 2024, 11.7% of Fayette County, KY residents (37.9k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Fayette County, KY was 10.8%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

    The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Fayette County, KY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Military

    Veterans

    Most Common Service Period
    1. Vietnam
      3,990 ± 423
    2. Gulf War (2001-)
      3,098 ± 438
    3. Gulf War (1990s)
      2,107 ± 408

    Fayette County, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.29 times greater than any other conflict.

    The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Fayette County, KY.

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    Health

    92.8% of the population of Fayette County, KY has health coverage, with 52.4% on employee plans, 17.5% on Medicaid, 10.8% on Medicare, 11% on non-group plans, and 1% on military or VA plans.

    Primary care physicians in Fayette County, KY see 832 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (832 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 666 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 167 patients per year.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

    Coverage

    Patient to Clinician Ratios

    832 to 1
    Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Fayette County, KY

    Primary care physicians in Fayette County, KY see an average of 832 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (832 patients).

    The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Fayette County, KY in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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    Health Care Diversity

    In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.9% under 18 years, 27.1% between 18 and 34 years, 35.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.5% over 64 years.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

    The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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    Uninsured People

    7.21%
    Uninsured
    52.4%
    Employer Coverage
    17.5%
    Medicaid
    10.8%
    Medicare
    11%
    Non-Group
    1%
    Military or VA

    Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Fayette County, KY grew by 5.34% from 6.85% to 7.21%.

    The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Fayette County, KY changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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    Health Indicators

    Health Outcomes

    Indicator

    In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 5.22 in Fayette County, KY.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Fayette County, KY.

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    Health Behaviors

    Indicator

    In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 34.9% in Fayette County, KY.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Fayette County, KY.

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    Clinical Care

    Indicator

    In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 7.58% in Fayette County, KY.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Fayette County, KY.

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    Economy

    The economy of Fayette County, KY employs 172k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Fayette County, KY were Health Care & Social Assistance (26,754 people), Educational Services (23,909 people), and Retail Trade (19,311 people), and the highest paying industries were Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($187,727), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($69,596), and Utilities ($68,958).

    Employment

    Occupations

    172k
    2024 Value
    ± 3,629
    1.95%
    1 Year growth
    ± 2.91%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Fayette County, KY grew at a rate of 1.95%, from 168k employees to 172k employees.

    The most common job groups, by number of people living in Fayette County, KY, are Management Occupations (18,624 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (18,427 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (15,491 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Fayette County, KY.

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    Unemployment Insurance Claims

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

    This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Kentucky (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

    The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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    Industries

    Employment by Industries

    172k
    2024 Value
    ± 3,629
    1.95%
    1 Year growth
    ± 2.91%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Fayette County, KY grew at a rate of 1.95%, from 168k employees to 172k employees.

    The most common employment sectors for those who live in Fayette County, KY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (26,754 people), Educational Services (23,909 people), and Retail Trade (19,311 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Fayette County, KY, though some of these residents may live in Fayette County, KY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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    Median Earnings by Industry

    $50,954
    Median earning men ± $1,472
    $38,991
    Median earning women ± $1,501

    The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($77,543), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($67,192), and Manufacturing ($65,785).

    The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($57,656), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($57,143), and Construction ($48,010).

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    Employment by Industry Sector

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.
    Y-Axis
    2.51%
    Year-over-year growth
    Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

    As of February 2023, there are 1.98M people employed in Kentucky. This represents a 2.51% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

    Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14.4%.

    The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Kentucky.

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    Establishments by Size

    The industries with the most establishments
    1. 761
      Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
    2. 632
      Health Care and Social Assistance
    3. 502
      Other Services (except Public Administration)

    The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

    The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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    Payroll by Industry Sector

    The industries with the highest total annual payroll
    1. $2.38M
      Health Care and Social Assistance
    2. $1.03M
      Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
    3. $856k
      Construction

    The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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    Civics

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Kentucky went to Donald J. Trump with 64.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (33.9%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.808%).

    Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing the state of Kentucky. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    Kentucky is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

    Presidential Elections

    Voting results are not available for Fayette County, KY. Showing the available data for Kentucky.
    2024 Election Results
    1. Donald J. Trump (64.5%)
      Republican Party
    2. Kamala Harris (33.9%)
      Democratic Party
    3. Robert Kennedy (0.808%)
      Independent Party

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Kentucky went to Donald J. Trump with 64.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (33.9%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.808%).

    The following chart shows the popular vote results in Kentucky for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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    Senator Elections

    US Senators from Kentucky

    Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.
    Mitch McConnell
    Senator from Kentucky2
    Assumed office on January 3, 1985
    Rand Paul
    Senator from Kentucky3
    Assumed office on January 3, 2011

    Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing Kentucky.

    In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    The following chart shows elected senators in Kentucky over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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    Education

    In 2024, universities in Fayette County, KY awarded 16,082 degrees. The student population of Fayette County, KY in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 19,647 male students and 29,739 female students.

    Most students graduating from Universities in Fayette County, KY are White (11,964 and 75.9%), Black or African American (1,321 and 8.38%), Hispanic or Latino (1,034 and 6.56%), and Two or More Races (559 and 3.55%).

    The largest universities in Fayette County, KY by number of degrees awarded are University of Kentucky (9,971 and 62%), Bluegrass Community and Technical College (5,429 and 33.8%), and Transylvania University (245 and 1.52%).

    The most popular majors in Fayette County, KY are Social Work (1,196 and 7.44%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (896 and 5.57%), and General Computer & Information Sciences (607 and 3.77%).

    The median tuition costs are $44,880 for private four year colleges, and $12,109 and $32,747 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

    Admissions & Enrollments

    Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

    University
    Measure

    In 2024 in Fayette County, KY, the percentage of applicants admitted was 92.6%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 22%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 49,386 (39.8% men and 60.2% women).

    The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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    Enrollments by Gender and Races

    Universities

    In 2024 there were 49,386 students enrolled in Fayette County, KY, 39.8% men and 60.2% women.

    By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 35,194 records, of which 60.5% were women and 39.5% men.

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    Completions

    Concentrations

    Most Common
    1. General Business
      460 degrees awarded
    2. General Marketing & Marketing Management
      405 degrees awarded
    3. Registered Nursing
      339 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Fayette County, KY was General Business with 460 degrees awarded.

    This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Fayette County, KY according to their major.

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    Universities

    Gender
    Race
    Largest Universities by degrees awarded
    1. University of Kentucky
      9,971 degrees awarded
    2. Bluegrass Community and Technical College
      5,429 degrees awarded
    3. Transylvania University
      245 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Kentucky with 9,971 degrees awarded.

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    Student Diversity

    University

    In 2024, 6,943 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Fayette County, KY, which is 0.76 times less than the 9,139 female students who received degrees in the same year.

    In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 11,964 degrees mean that there were 9.06 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,321 degrees awarded.

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    Awarded Degrees over Time

    The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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    Tuition

    Average Net Price by Sector

    Universities

    Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($44,880) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

    Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,990) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

    Public, 2-year ($1,228) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

    The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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    Housing & Living

    The median property value in Fayette County, KY was $293,500 in 2024, which is 0.882 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $272,100 to $293,500, a 7.86% increase. The homeownership rate in Fayette County, KY is 53.8%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

    People in Fayette County, KY have an average commute time of 20.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Fayette County, KY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

    In 2025, 16.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Fayette County, KY. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.516%.

    Housing

    Property

    $293,500
    Median Property Value 2024
    ±$5,552
    $75,121
    Median Property Taxes
    ±$2,004

    The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Fayette County, KY the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

    The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Fayette County, KY compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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    Rent vs Own

    53.8%
    Homeownership
    2024
    67.4%
    Homeowners with Mortgage
    2024

    In 2024, 53.8% of the housing units in Fayette County, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 53.6%.

    This chart shows the percentage of owner in Fayette County, KY compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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    Equity

    Household Income

    Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
    $69,479
    Median Household Income
    ± $1,691
    140k
    Number of Households
    ± 3,035

    In 2024, the median household income of the 140k households in Fayette County, KY grew to $69,479 from the previous year's value of $67,631.

    The following chart displays the households in Fayette County, KY distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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    Wage Distribution

    The closest comparable wage GINI for Fayette County, KY is from Kentucky.
    0.446
    2024 Wage GINI in Kentucky
    0.449
    2023 Wage GINI in Kentucky

    In 2024, the income inequality in Kentucky was 0.446 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.585% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Kentucky was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Kentucky in comparison to the national average.

    This chart shows the number of workers in Kentucky across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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    Transportation

    Commuter Transportation

    Most Common Commute in 2024
    1. Drove Alone (73.1%)
    2. Worked At Home (12.2%)
    3. Carpooled (8.71%)

    In 2024, 73.1% of workers in Fayette County, KY drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (12.2%) and those who carpooled to work (8.71%).

    The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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    Commute Time

    20.9 minutes
    Average Travel Time

    Using averages, employees in Fayette County, KY have a shorter commute time (20.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.87% of the workforce in Fayette County, KY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

    The chart below shows how the median household income in Fayette County, KY compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Car Ownership

    2 cars
    Average Number

    The following chart displays the households in Fayette County, KY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Fayette County, KY have 2 cars.

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    Poverty

    Severe Housing Problems

    In 2025, 16.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Fayette County, KY. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.516%.

    The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

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    Poverty & Diversity

    14.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Fayette County, KY (46.5k out of 311k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

    The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Fayette County, KY is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

    The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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    Children in Poverty

    In 2025, 18.2% of the children was living in poverty in Fayette County, KY. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2%.

    The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

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    Security

    Crimes & Accidents

    Indicator

    In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 369 in Fayette County, KY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 204% per 100,000 population.

    The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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