Fayette County, Georgia

{{Short description|County in Georgia, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Fayette County
 | state                = Georgia
 | ex image             = Fayette County GA courthouse.jpg
 | ex image size        = 240px
 | ex image cap         = [[Fayette County Courthouse (Fayetteville, Georgia)|Fayette County Courthouse]], in Fayetteville
 | seal                 = Fayette County, Georgia seal.png
 | founded year         = {{start date and age|1821}}
 | founded date         = May 15
 | seat wl              = Fayetteville
 | largest city wl      = Peachtree City
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 199
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 194
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 5.0
 | area percentage      = 2.5%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 119194<ref name="ReferenceA">US 2020 Census Bureau report, Fayette County, Georgia</ref>
 | density_sq_mi        = 
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | web                  = www.fayettecountyga.gov
 | district             = 3rd
 | district2            = 13th
 | named for            = [[Marquis de Lafayette]]
}}

'''Fayette County''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|f|eɪ|(|j|)|ə|t}} {{respell|FAY|(y)ət}}) is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the north central portion of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]. As of the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]], the population was 119,194, an increase from 106,567 in 2010.<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13/13113.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 22, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110703091508/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13/13113.html|archive-date=July 3, 2011}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">US 2020 Census Bureau report, Fayette County, Georgia</ref> Fayette County was established in 1821. The [[county seat]], [[Fayetteville, Georgia|Fayetteville]], was established in 1823. Much of Fayette County is bordered on the east side by the [[Flint River (Georgia)|Flint River]].

Fayette County was organized in 1821 after the United States signed a treaty at [[Indian Springs, Georgia]] with the [[Creek people]] for cession of a large portion of their land. The county and its seat, Fayetteville, were both named in honor of the French aristocrat the [[Marquis de Lafayette]], who aided General [[George Washington]] in the American Revolutionary War.

Since the late 20th century, Fayette County has been part of the Greater Atlanta Metropolitan Area. It is located south of [[Atlanta]], which is based in Fulton County. Fayette County is minutes from [[Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport]]. As a suburb of Atlanta, Fayette County has increased rapidly in population and development since the late 20th century, nearly doubling its population since 1990.

== History ==

Fayette County was created on May 15, 1821, from territory ceded to the United States by the [[Creek people]], who had historically inhabited the area. It was named for the [[Marquis de Lafayette]], French hero of the [[American Revolutionary War]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n123 124]}}</ref>

In the years following World War II, the county developed suburban residential communities, with many workers commuting to Atlanta. [[Peachtree City, Georgia|Peachtree City]] was chartered in 1959. It was developed as the only planned community in the county and in the Southeast; it covers 16,000 acres.<ref name="tree">[http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/counties-cities-neighborhoods/fayette-county Carolyn Cary, "Fayette County"], ''New Georgia Encyclopedia'', 2006/2015</ref>

The county population has increased rapidly during the late twentieth century with the growth of Atlanta. It has also benefited from a reverse migration of African Americans to the South, as new residents are attracted to jobs and opportunities. Significant growth and development continues.

In 2002 Charles "Chuck" Floyd was appointed to the position of Chief Magistrate Judge of the county. In 2004 and 2008, he was elected to the position in his own right, the first African American ever elected to any office in the county.

==Government==

Fayette County's local government is led by a board of five county commissioners, known as the governing authority of Fayette County. Since March 2016, four seats are to be filled by election from [[single-member district]]s and one [[at-large]] from the county.<ref name="newlaw"/>

===Voting rights suit and settlement===
Until 2013, the county was divided into three "county commission districts." Three of the members of the board of commissioners were required to live inside one of the designated districts. The remaining two commissioners could live anywhere in the county. All members of the county commission were elected "at-large," which meant that each candidate had to attract the majority of votes across the county in order to win.<ref name="star">[http://atlantablackstar.com/2013/05/22/fayette-county-at-large-election-process-violates-voting-rights-act/ ABS Staff, "Fayette County at-large election process violates the Voting Rights Act"], ''Atlanta Black Star,'' 22 May 2013; accessed 11 April 2015</ref> Since 1982, more than 100 cases of such at-large voting systems in Georgia have been replaced by single-member districts.<ref name="newlaw"/>

The five members of the school board were also elected at-large. In the early 21st century, Fayette County was one of only 20 school boards among 180 in the state of Georgia to maintain at-large voting to elect members of these boards.<ref name="star"/> The practical effect was the exclusion of African Americans from these positions. The county has been majority-white and majority-Republican since the late 20th century. Neither Republican nor Democratic African-American candidates had any electoral success.

In 2011 the NAACP and several African-American county residents filed suit against the county and the board for the at-large voting system. In May 2013, the federal district court ordered the county and school board to change their systems of [[at-large]] voting, finding that it violated the [[Voting Rights Act of 1965]] by diluting the voting power of the minority.<ref name="joyner2">[http://www.myajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/fayette-county-voting-rights-timeline/bgfklyPlwTLMQj2QwHrkON/ Tammy Joyner, "Fayette County Voting Rights Timeline"], ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution,'' 13 January 2016; accessed 13 December 2016</ref> African Americans make up 20% of the county population but were unable to elect candidates of their choice, as every commission and school board seat required a majority of county voters. The county has a majority-white, majority-Republican population.<ref name="star"/>

Under the federal ruling, five districts were established so that members of both the school board and county commission are elected from [[single-member district]]s. This broadened representation on the boards.<ref name="star"/><ref name="joyner"/> Voters of each district elect a commissioner living within its boundaries.

In 2014, Democrat Pota E. Coston was elected as the first black county commissioner in the 194-year history of the county.<ref name="poston"/> Leonard Presberg was first appointed and then elected in his own right as the first Jewish member of the school board.<ref name="poston">[http://thecitizen.com/government-county-politics/fayette-chooses-%E2%80%98discriminatory%E2%80%99-large-voting-replace-coston-democrats "Fayette chooses ‘discriminatory’ at-large voting to replace Coston, Democrats charge"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221035441/http://thecitizen.com/government-county-politics/fayette-chooses-%E2%80%98discriminatory%E2%80%99-large-voting-replace-coston-democrats |date=2016-12-21 }}, ''The Citizen,'' 13 July 2015; accessed 13 December 2016</ref>

The county and school board both appealed the federal district court ruling. In January 2015, the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta remanded the case to the district court for a bench trial by the federal district judge, ruling that Judge Timothy Batten Sr. had made a technical error in granting summary judgment in the case. It did not overturn his ruling to establish the single-member district system. The bench trial by Judge Batten would give the county an opportunity to present additional evidence to support its case.<ref name="bench trial">[http://thecitizen.com/articles/01-07-2015/fayette-county-wins-district-voting-appeal Cal Beverly, "Fayette County wins district voting appeal"], ''The Citizen,'' 7 January 2015; accessed 13 December 2016</ref>

After Coston died in office, the Fayette Board of Elections voted to use at-large voting in a special election to replace her. The NAACP returned to court as it opposed using the former system. Judge Batten ruled that the county had to use the single-member district system established by his earlier ruling. In September 2015 Democrat Charles Rousseau was elected from District 5 to succeed Coston, becoming the second African American elected to the county commission. In October 2015 the Fayette Chamber of Commerce and two prominent white leaders urged the county to settle the nearly five-year lawsuit and accept district voting. Judge Batten ordered the two sides into mediation and postponed the bench trial. In January 2016 the Fayette County School Board voted unanimously to settle the lawsuit and accept district voting for election of its members.<ref name="joyner2"/> The County Commission voted to settle by a 3–2 vote.

Together with the [[NAACP]] and black county plaintiffs, the county commission agreed in January 2016 to a system of electing four members from single-member districts and the fifth as an at-large member. A law implementing this change was signed by Governor [[Nathan Deal]] in March 2016.<ref name="newlaw">[http://www.ajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/new-law-creates-fayette-new-voting-system/2mIIGcPXuTloEWgrlRIKVN/ Tammy Joyner, "New law creates Fayette’s new voting system"], ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,'' 4 March 2016; accessed 13 December 2016</ref>

===Representation===
Fayette County has five incorporated municipalities within its borders; Fayetteville, Brooks, Woolsey, Tyrone and Peachtree City. Formerly, Inman was also a municipality, but gave up its charter years ago. In 2015, Fayetteville, a majority-white city, elected its first African-American mayor, Ed Johnson. In 2011, he had been the first African American elected to its city council and only the second African American elected to any office in the history of Fayette County.<ref name="joyner">[http://www.myajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/fayetteville-first-black-mayor-bridge-builder/Bndk1VDee9jSrgOkdBqe3J/ Tammy Joyner, "Fayetteville’s first black mayor is ‘bridge builder’"], ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution,'' 7 November 2015; accessed 13 December 2016</ref><ref name="pratt">[http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2016/2/16/black-mayors-georgia-towns.html Timothy Pratt, "New black mayors make a difference, one Georgia town at a time"], ''Al-Jazeera'' (US), 16 February 2016; accessed 12 December 2016</ref>
Fayette is represented in the U.S. House by the [[Georgia's 3rd congressional district|3rd]] and [[Georgia's 13th congressional district|13th]] congressional districts, and in the General Assembly by the 16th and 34th state senate and 63rd, 64th, 71st, 72nd and 73rd state house districts.

===Politics===
Fayette County has been a Republican stronghold since [[1980 United States presidential election in Georgia|1980]]. In 1980 and [[1984 United States presidential election in Georgia|1984]], it was the most Republican county in the entire state. However, with the rapid population growth much of the [[Atlanta metro]] has experienced in recent years, the percentage of Republican voters has decreased significantly in each of the past three elections. The margin went from [[Mitt Romney]]'s 31.2 points in [[2012 United States presidential election in Georgia|2012]], to [[Donald Trump]]'s 19.1 points in [[2016 United States presidential election in Georgia|2016]], to 6.8 points in his [[2020 United States presidential election in Georgia|2020 reelection bid]]. In the runoff for the [[2022 United States Senate election in Georgia]], [[Raphael Warnock]] narrowly lost the county in his re-election bid by a margin of 491 votes or 1.0 points.
{{PresHead|place=Fayette County, Georgia|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=2018-03-19}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|37,956|33,062|994|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|35,048|23,284|3,179|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|38,075|19,736|917|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|38,501|20,313|627|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|37,346|14,887|391|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|29,338|11,912|1,199|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|21,005|9,875|2,329|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|17,576|8,430|5,681|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|16,443|4,593|87|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|12,575|2,861|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|6,351|3,798|400|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|2,837|3,718|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,401|450|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|867|552|1,888|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|1,349|896|4|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|359|1,198|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|138|1,308|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|195|1,214|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|54|825|265|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|98|782|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|44|577|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|70|748|1|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|6|746|1|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|190|367|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|24|257|42|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|80|231|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|25|494|70|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|12|363|87|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|162|338|153|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|59|260|154|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|141|471|24|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|345|562|61|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|192|547|483|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|204|690|1|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1884|Democratic|246|578|0|Georgia}}
{{PresFoot|1880|Democratic|183|499|0|Georgia}}

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|199|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|194|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|5.0|sqmi}} (2.5%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

The [[Flint River (Georgia)|Flint River]] passes through the county and provided the earliest route for transportation and shipping of commodity crops. The entirety of Fayette County is located in the Upper [[Flint River (Georgia)|Flint River]] sub-basin of the [[ACF River Basin]] (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gaswcc.org/maps/ |title=Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience |publisher=Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission |access-date=2015-11-19 |archive-date=October 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003004639/http://www.gaswcc.org/maps/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Major highways===
* [[File:Georgia 54.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 54|State Route 54]]
* [[File:Georgia 74.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 74|State Route 74]]
* [[File:Georgia 85.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 85|State Route 85]]
* [[File:Georgia 92.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 92|State Route 92]]
* [[File:Georgia 138.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 138|State Route 138]]
* [[File:Georgia 279.svg|25px]] [[Georgia State Route 279|State Route 279]]
* [[File:Georgia 314.svg|25px]] [[Georgia State Route 314|State Route 314]]

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Fulton County, Georgia|Fulton County]] – north
* [[Clayton County, Georgia|Clayton County]] – east
* [[Spalding County, Georgia|Spalding County]] – south
* [[Coweta County, Georgia|Coweta County]] – west

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1830 = 5504
| 1840 = 6191
| 1850 = 8709
| 1860 = 7047
| 1870 = 8221
| 1880 = 8605
| 1890 = 8728
| 1900 = 10114
| 1910 = 10966
| 1920 = 11396
| 1930 = 8665
| 1940 = 8170
| 1950 = 7978
| 1960 = 8199
| 1970 = 11364
| 1980 = 29043
| 1990 = 62415
| 2000 = 91263
| 2010 = 106567
| 2020 = 119194
| estyear = 2023
| estimate = 123351
| estref = <ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2023/counties/totals/co-est2023-pop.xlsx| title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher= United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 14, 2024}}</ref>
| align-fn = center
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=}}</ref><br>1790-1880<ref name=1880CensusGACty>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800 |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1880|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1880/vol-01-population/1880_v1-08.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}</ref> 1890-1910<ref name=1910CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1910 Census of Population - Georgia  |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1910|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ga.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}</ref><br> 1920-1930<ref name=1930CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1930 Census of Population - Georgia  |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1930|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/03815512v1ch04.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}</ref> 1930-1940<ref name=1940CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1940 Census of Population - Georgia  |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1940|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch04.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref><br> 1940-1950<ref name=1950CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1950 Census of Population - Georgia - |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1950|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-2/37779083v2p11ch2.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 1960-1980<ref name=1980CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia  |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1980|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_gaABC-01.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref><br> 1980-2000<ref name=2000CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia  |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 2000|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-12.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF"/> 2020<ref name="ReferenceA">US 2020 Census Bureau report, Fayette County, Georgia</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Fayette County racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US13113&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-13|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]
|68,144
|65%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]]
|29,166
|26.7%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|212
|0.18%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|6,362
|5.34%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|44
|0.04%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/mixed]]
|5,786
|4.85%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|9,480
|7.95%
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 119,194 people, 41,253 households, and 33,101 families residing in the county.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States Census]], there were 106,567&nbsp;people, 38,167&nbsp;households, and 30,288&nbsp;families residing in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US13113
  |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data
  |access-date=2015-12-29
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213024023/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US13113
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The population density was {{convert|548.3|PD/sqmi}}. There were 40,793 housing units at an average density of {{convert|209.9|/sqmi}}.<ref name="census-density">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US13113
  |access-date=2015-12-29
  |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213192813/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US13113
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 71.1% white, 20.1% black or African American, 3.9% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.3% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.3% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/> In terms of European ancestry, 15.0% identified as [[English people|English]], 14.0% as [[Germans|German]], 13.0% as [[Irish people|Irish]], and 8.1% simply as [[Americans|American]].<ref name="census-dp2">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US13113
  |title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=2015-12-29
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213024322/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US13113
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

Of the 38,167&nbsp;households, 39.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 20.6% were non-families, and 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.15. The median age was 42.4 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

The median income for a household in the county was $82,216 and the median income for a family was $92,976. Males had a median income of $68,381 versus $46,140 for females. The per capita income for the county was $35,076. About 3.4% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US13113
  |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=2015-12-29
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213014411/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US13113
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2011-05-14 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 91,263 people, 31,524 households, and 25,975 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|463|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 32,726 housing units at an average density of {{convert|166|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 80.96% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 12.87% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.21% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 2.42% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.76% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.25% from two or more races. 2.83% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 31,524 households, out of which 43.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.50% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.60% were non-families. 15.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.10% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 27.80% from 45 to 64, and 8.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $71,227, and the median income for a family was $78,853 (these figures had risen to $79,498 and $89,873 respectively as of a 2007 estimate<ref>{{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=05000US13135&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US13%7C05000US13135&_street=&_county=fayette&_cityTown=fayette&_state=04000US13&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=050&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200211180604/http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=05000US13135&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US13%7C05000US13135&_street=&_county=fayette&_cityTown=fayette&_state=04000US13&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=050&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null:null&_keyword=&_industry= |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-02-11 |title=Fayette County, Georgia – Fact Sheet – American FactFinder |publisher=Factfinder.census.gov |access-date=2010-07-22 }}</ref>). Males had a median income of $54,738 versus $33,333 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $29,464. About 2.00% of families and 2.60% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.80% of those under age 18 and 4.60% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==

Fayette County is served by the [[Fayette County School System (Georgia)|Fayette County School System]]. The governing authority for the school system is known as the Fayette County Board of Education, a board of five elected persons. They hire a superintendent to manage daily operations of the schools.

Since a federal court ruling in 2013, resulting from the federal voting rights lawsuit described above, the five board members are each elected from [[single-member districts]].<ref name="star"/><ref name="poston"/> In January 2016 after mediation, the school board voted unanimously to settle the lawsuit they had earlier appealed along with the county. The board accepted [[single-member district]]s for election of board members.<ref name="joyner2"/>

===High schools===
* [[Fayette County High School (Georgia)|Fayette County High School]]
* [[McIntosh High School]]
* [[Sandy Creek High School]]
* [[Starr's Mill High School]]
* [[Whitewater High School (Georgia)|Whitewater High School]]

===Alternative schools===
* Fayette County Alternative Education Program

== Communities ==

In 2015, the majority-white city of Fayetteville elected its first African-American mayor, [[Ed Johnson (mayor)|Ed Johnson]].<ref name="pratt"/> Described as a "bridge-builder," Johnson is a retired naval commander and pastor of a black church; he was elected in 2011 as the first black member of the city council.<ref name="joyner"/>

=== Cities ===
* [[Fayetteville, Georgia|Fayetteville]] (county seat)
* [[Peachtree City, Georgia|Peachtree City]] (largest city)

=== Towns ===
* [[Brooks, Georgia|Brooks]]
* [[Tyrone, Georgia|Tyrone]]
* [[Woolsey, Georgia|Woolsey]]

=== Unincorporated communities ===
* [[Inman, Georgia|Inman]]
* [[Starrs Mill, Georgia|Starrs Mill]]

==Notable people==

* [[Paris Bennett]], singer
* [[Chris Benoit]], WWE wrestler
* [[Furman Bisher]], longtime late sports columnist, ''Atlanta Journal-Constitution''
* [[Robert H. Brooks]], former chairman and CEO, Hooter's of America Inc.
* [[Zac Brown]], Grammy award-winning singer, Zac Brown Band
* [[Robert J Burch]], children's author
* [[Kandi Burruss]], singer, reality TV star
* [[Kathy Cox (American politician)|Kathy Cox]], State School Superintendent
* [[Creflo Dollar]], [[televangelist]]
* [[Mike Duke]], former CEO of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
* [[Lee Haney]], retired professional bodybuilder and [[Mr. Olympia]] titleholder
* [[Evander Holyfield]], retired professional boxer
* [[Tim Hudson]], former starting pitcher with the Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants
* [[Calvin Johnson (American football)|Calvin Johnson]], former NFL receiver for the [[Detroit Lions]], Sandy Creek HS and [[Georgia Tech]] alum
* [[Emmanuel Lewis]], actor, ''[[Webster (TV series)|Webster]]''
* [[Carole Marsh]], children's author and founder of Gallopade International
* [[Kelley O'Hara]], United States Women's Soccer Player, 2011 FIFA World Cup silver medalist, 2012 Olympic gold medalist, 2015 FIFA World Cup gold medalist
* [[Paul Orndorff]], pro wrestler
* [[Ferrol Sams]], physician, humorist, storyteller, and best-selling novelist
* [[Reed Sorenson]], [[NASCAR]] driver
* [[Christian Taylor (athlete)|Christian Taylor]], gold medal winner, 2012 Olympic Games (London) men's triple jump
* [[Gy Waldron]], creator and executive producer, ''The Dukes of Hazzard''
* [[John Waller (musician)|John Waller]], contemporary Christian singer
* [[Gary Anthony Williams]], television and film actor

==See also==
{{Portal|State of Georgia}}
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Fayette County, Georgia|National Register of Historic Places listings in Fayette County, GA]]
*[[List of counties in Georgia]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Other reading==
* Charles S. Bullock III and Ronald Keith Gaddie, ''The Triumph of Voting Rights in the South'' (University of Oklahoma Press, 2009/2014)
* Carolyn C. Cary, ed., ''The History of Fayette County, 1821-1971'' (Fayetteville, Ga.: Fayette County Historical Society, 1977).
* Fayette County Historical Society, ''The Fayette County Georgia Heritage Book'' (Waynesville, N.C.: Walsworth, 2003).

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050411204155/http://www.filmthreat.com/Reviews.asp?Id=6784 Fayette County Board of Commissioners]
* [http://www.fcboe.org Fayette County Board of Education]
* [http://www.fayettega.org Fayette County Development Authority] (updated demographic information)
* [http://www.ypfayette.com Young Professionals of Fayette County]
* [http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/fayette/fayette-county Fayette County] historical marker
* [http://www.naacpldf.org/case-issue/georgia-state-conference-naacp-et-al-v-fayette-county-board-commissioners-et-al ''Georgia State Conference NAACP, et al. v. Fayette County Board of Commissioners, et al.''] (2016), NAACP Legal Defense Fund

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Fayette County, Georgia
|North     = [[Fulton County, Georgia|Fulton County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Clayton County, Georgia|Clayton County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Spalding County, Georgia|Spalding County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Coweta County, Georgia|Coweta County]]
|Northwest =
}}
{{Fayette County, Georgia}}
{{Atlanta Metro}}
{{Georgia (U.S. state)}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|33.41|-84.49|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-GA_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Fayette County, Georgia| ]]
[[Category:1821 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1821]]
[[Category:History of voting rights in the United States]]
[[Category:Georgia (U.S. state) counties]]
[[Category:Counties in the Atlanta metropolitan area|Fayette]]