Fayette County, KY

County

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2020 Population

322,200

0.499% 1-year growth

US Senator

Mitch McConnell

Republican Party

US Senator

Rand Paul

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

34.8

0.578% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

15.8%

6% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$58,954

2.9% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$200,900

5.85% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

168,366

0.563% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Fayette County, KY had a population of 322k people with a median age of 34.8 and a median household income of $58,954. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Fayette County, KY grew from 320,601 to 322,200, a 0.499% increase and its median household income grew from $57,291 to $58,954, a 2.9% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Fayette County, KY are White (Non-Hispanic) (71.3%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (14.2%), White (Hispanic) (4.07%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (3.64%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.11%).

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.

93.1% of the residents in Fayette County, KY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Fayette County, KY are University of Kentucky (8,401 degrees awarded in 2020), Bluegrass Community and Technical College (4,484 degrees), and Transylvania University (205 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Fayette County, KY was $200,900, and the homeownership rate was 54.6%.

Most people in Fayette County, KY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Fayette County, KY was 2 cars per household.

Fayette County, KY borders Bourbon County, KY, Clark County, KY, Jessamine County, KY, Madison County, KY, Scott County, KY, and Woodford County, KY.

About the photo: Lexington, KY

Photo by Anthony

Population & Diversity

Fayette County, KY is home to a population of 322k people, from which 93.1% are citizens. As of 2020, 10% of Fayette County, KY residents were born outside of the country (32.3k people).

In 2018, there were 5.01 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (227k people) in Fayette County, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 45.3k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 13k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

93.1%

2020 Citizenship

93.2%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 93.1% of Fayette County, KY residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Fayette County, KY was 93.2%, 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.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Fayette County, KY

White (Non-Hispanic)
227k ± 509
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
45.3k ± 807
White (Hispanic)
13k ± 1.04k

7.17%

Hispanic Population

22.9k people

7.17% of the people in Fayette County, KY are hispanic (22.9k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Fayette County, KY as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Kentucky.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
29,760 ± 4,221 people
India
12,679 ± 2,761 people
Cuba
12,635 ± 2,756 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Kentucky was Mexico, the natal country of 29,760 Kentucky residents, followed by India with 12,679 and Cuba with 12,635.

Foreign-Born Population

10%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

32.3k people

9.66%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

31k people

As of 2020, 10% of Fayette County, KY residents (32.3k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Fayette County, KY was 9.66%, 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.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,736 ± 451
Gulf War (2001-)
2,985 ± 457
Gulf War (1990s)
2,234 ± 354

Fayette County, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.59 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Fayette County, KY employs 168k people. The largest industries in Fayette County, KY are Educational Services (24,477 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (24,368 people), and Retail Trade (20,989 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($79,872), Utilities ($68,500), and Finance & Insurance ($56,644).

Males in Kentucky have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $45,693. The income inequality in Kentucky (measured using the Gini index) is 0.454, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

168k

2020 Value

± 3,275

0.563%

1 Year growth

± 2.6%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Fayette County, KY grew at a rate of 0.563%, from 167k employees to 168k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Fayette County, KY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (18,487 people), Sales & Related Occupations (18,003 people), and Management Occupations (17,325 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Fayette County, KY.

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

168k

2020 Value

± 3,275

0.563%

1 Year growth

± 2.6%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Fayette County, KY grew at a rate of 0.563%, from 167k employees to 168k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Fayette County, KY, are Educational Services (24,477 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (24,368 people), and Retail Trade (20,989 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.

Median Earnings by Industry

$41,214

Median earning men ± $987

$30,902

Median earning women ± $667

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,892), Manufacturing ($56,713), and Public Administration ($52,743).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($43,443), Wholesale Trade ($43,295), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($43,043).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Kentucky. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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

4,161
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
2,293
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
2,216
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$3.85M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$1.62M
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
$1.55M
Manufacturing

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

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Kentucky to other states, or from other states to Kentucky.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Kentucky product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $57B, followed by Electronics ($34.7B) and Machinery ($31.1B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Kentucky products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Kentucky.

$326B

2020 Value in Kentucky

$644B

Projected 2050 Value in Kentucky

97.4% growth

In 2020, total outbound Kentucky trade was $326B. This is expected to increase 97.4% to $644B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Kentucky trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Kentucky to other states, or from other states to Kentucky.

Most Common Trade Partners

Tennessee
$24.4B
Ohio
$18.8B
California
$17.9B

In 2020, the top outbound Kentucky domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Tennessee with $24.4B, followed by Ohio with $18.8B and California and $17.9B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Kentucky shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Fayette County, KY went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 59.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.5%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.56%).

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

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (59.3%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (38.5%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.56%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Fayette County, KY for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senators Elections

US Senators from Kentucky

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Mitch McConnell

Senator from Kentucky

Assumed office on January 3, 1985

Rand Paul

Senator from Kentucky

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.

US Representatives Elections

US Representatives from Kentucky

Kentucky is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Kentucky have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Fayette County, KY awarded 13,352 degrees. The student population of Fayette County, KY in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 17,222 male students and 24,499 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Fayette County, KY are White (10,188 and 78.8%), followed by Black or African American (969 and 7.5%), Hispanic or Latino (524 and 4.05%), and Two or More Races (423 and 3.27%).

The largest universities in Fayette County, KY by number of degrees awarded are University of Kentucky (8,401 and 62.9%), Bluegrass Community and Technical College (4,484 and 33.6%), and Transylvania University (205 and 1.54%).

The most popular majors in Fayette County, KY are Liberal Arts & Sciences (782 and 5.86%), General Computer & Information Sciences (763 and 5.71%), and Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training (502 and 3.76%).

The median tuition costs in Fayette County, KY are $39,920 for private four year colleges, and $11,135 and $29,945 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Fayette County, KY, the percentage of applicants admitted was 96%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 25.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 41,721 (41.3% men and 58.7% 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.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2020 there were 41,721 students enrolled in Fayette County, KY, 41.3% men and 58.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 30,486 records, of which 59.4% were women and 40.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business
338 degree-majors awarded
General Marketing & Marketing Management
329 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
298 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Fayette County, KY was General Business with 338 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Kentucky
8,401 degrees awarded
Bluegrass Community and Technical College
4,484 degrees awarded
Transylvania University
205 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Kentucky with 8,401 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 6,318 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Fayette County, KY, which is 0.898 times less than the 7,034 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 10,188 degrees mean that there were 10.5 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 969 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($39,920) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,690) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Public, 2-year ($1,000) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2020, 0.764% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.662% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (1.15M), Some college (792k), and Secondary Education (572k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Fayette County, KY was $200,900 in 2020, which is 0.874 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $189,800 to $200,900, a 5.85% increase. The homeownership rate in Fayette County, KY is 54.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Fayette County, KY have an average commute time of 20.8 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.

Median household income in Fayette County, KY is $58,954. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Fayette County, KY was Census Tract 40.06 with a value of $209,583, followed by Census Tract 23.04 and Census Tract 39.16, with respective values of $183,233 and $137,604.

In 2021, 16.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Fayette County, KY. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator grew 0.135%.

Housing

Property

$200,900

Median Property Value 2020

±$3,423

$71,547

Median Property Taxes

±$1,761

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 $800 - $1,499 range.

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

Rent vs Own

54.6%

Homeownership

2020

67%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 54.6% of the housing units in Fayette County, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 54.4%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 40.06
Census Tract 23.04
Census Tract 39.16

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Fayette County, KY was Census Tract 40.06 with a value of $209,583, followed by Census Tract 23.04 and Census Tract 39.16, with respective values of $183,233 and $137,604.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Fayette County, KY colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$58,954

Median Household Income

± $1,465

131k

Number of Households

± 2,732

In 2020, the median household income of the 131k households in Fayette County, KY grew to $58,954 from the previous year's value of $57,291.

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.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Fayette County, KY is from Kentucky.

0.454

2020 Wage GINI in Kentucky

0.456

2019 Wage GINI in Kentucky

In 2020, the income inequality in Kentucky was 0.454 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.305% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Kentucky was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (77.9%)
Carpooled (8.18%)
Worked At Home (6.71%)

In 2020, 77.9% of workers in Fayette County, KY drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.18%) and those who worked at home (6.71%).

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.

Commute Time

20.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Fayette County, KY have a shorter commute time (20.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.58% 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.

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.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2021, 16.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Fayette County, KY. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator grew 0.135%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

15.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Fayette County, KY (48.8k out of 309k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. 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.

Children in Poverty

In 2021, 16.7% of the children was living in poverty in Fayette County, KY. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 3.5%.

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

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2021, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 369 in Fayette County, KY. From 2014 to 2021, 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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Health

93.3% of the population of Fayette County, KY has health coverage, with 53.6% on employee plans, 16.8% on Medicaid, 10.2% on Medicare, 11.3% on non-group plans, and 1.3% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Kentucky was $8,004 in 2014. This is a 6.11% increase from the previous year ($7,543).

Primary care physicians in Fayette County, KY see 801 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.743% decrease from the previous year (807 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 673 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 242 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.7% were men and 52.3% were women.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Kentucky. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Kentucky, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

801 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Fayette County, KY

Primary care physicians in Fayette County, KY see an average of 801 patients per year. This represents a 0.743% decrease from the previous year (807 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.

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Kentucky across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.7% under 18 years, 27.8% between 18 and 34 years, 36.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.7% were men and 52.3% were women.

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

Uninsured People

6.68%

Uninsured

53.6%

Employer Coverage

16.8%

Medicaid

10.2%

Medicare

11.3%

Non-Group

1.3%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Fayette County, KY declined by 1.92% from 6.81% to 6.68%.

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.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2021, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 47.9 in Fayette County, KY.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2021, 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 28.3% in Fayette County, KY.

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

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