Geography of Fayette County
Fayette County is a rural county of 950 square miles and about 25,459 residents, where farms and ranches fill most of the space between La Grange and its smaller communities.
It lies in the Central Texas region at about 29.88° N, 96.92° W and is 85th in size among Texas's 254 counties. Fayette County shares boundaries with 8 other Texas counties, and the closest major cities are Austin (about 56 miles away in a straight line) and College Station (about 63 miles).
Central Texas stretches across the Hill Country, the Blackland Prairie and the Cross Timbers. It includes some of the fastest-growing suburbs in the nation along the I-35 corridor, alongside quiet ranching counties with limestone creeks and live-oak savanna.
For a broader view of how Fayette County fits within the state, download our free Texas map with counties and cities PDF — a printable, high-resolution reference showing all 254 Texas counties labeled with their county seats.
Population & demographics
With approximately 25,459 residents across 950 square miles, Fayette County has a population density of about 26.8 people per square mile. Like much of West and South Texas, the county is sparsely populated, with wide-open country between settlements.
County seat: La Grange
La Grange is the county seat of Fayette County. This is where the county courthouse stands and where residents go for property records, vehicle registration, marriage licenses, court cases and voter services handled by the county clerk, district clerk and tax assessor-collector. For many residents, a trip to La Grange combines county business with groceries, school events and church.
History & name origin
Fayette County was established in 1837 and was named for Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette (1757–1834), the French-born general and hero of the American Revolutionary War. It was carved from territory previously part of Bastrop County.
Fayette County, Texas — frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Fayette County geography, population, county seat, neighboring counties, and how to use the maps on this page. Figures are sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau; answers are written and reviewed by the Texas County Map team.
Where is Fayette County, Texas located?+
Fayette County is located in the Central Texas region of Texas at approximately 29.877° N, 96.920° W. It is one of the 254 counties of Texas and carries U.S. Census FIPS code 48149. The interactive map on this page renders the official U.S. Census TIGER boundary for Fayette County over real-world OpenStreetMap, Esri satellite, and topographic basemaps.
How big is Fayette County in square miles?+
Fayette County covers approximately 950 square miles of land in the Central Texas region — a mid-sized Texas county. By land area it ranks 85th out of 254 Texas counties. The full bounding box of the county is rendered to scale on the interactive map and matches the U.S. Census TIGER 2023 polygon.
What is the population of Fayette County, Texas?+
Fayette County has a population of approximately 25,459 residents. With 950 square miles of land, that works out to a population density of about 26.8 people per square mile, which is rural for a Texas county. That makes Fayette County the 102nd most populous of the 254 counties in Texas.
What is the county seat of Fayette County?+
La Grange is the county seat of Fayette County, Texas, which was organized in 1837 and named for Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette (1757–1834), the French-born general and hero of the American Revolutionary War. Fayette County was originally carved out of Bastrop County. County government offices, courthouses, and most public records for Fayette County are located in La Grange.
Which Texas counties border Fayette County?+
Fayette County shares borders with Lee, Austin, Caldwell, Lavaca, Bastrop, Colorado, Gonzales, and Washington counties. These 8 neighboring counties are highlighted on the schematic boundary map and linked at the bottom of this page so you can quickly compare population, area, and county seats across the Central Texas region.
Where can I download or print a map of Fayette County?+
Use the "Download PDF" button below the Fayette County map on this page to save a letter-size PDF of the county boundary, neighboring counties and incorporated places, drawn from U.S. Census Bureau 2023 boundary files. The "Official TxDOT road map" button downloads the Texas Department of Transportation county road mapbook for Fayette County. Both files are stored on this site and download directly. Our free Texas map with counties and cities PDF shows all 254 counties on one sheet.
What is the FIPS code for Fayette County, Texas?+
The full 5-digit U.S. Census FIPS code for Fayette County is 48149, made up of Texas state code 48 and the 3-digit county code 149. This is the same FIPS code used by the U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line files, the American Community Survey, and most federal datasets that key on county.