Located in northwestern Alabama, Fayette County is home to large portions of the Sipsey River, one of the longest free-flowing swamp and stream systems in the state. The county is governed by an elected six-member commission and includes four incorporated communities.
- Founding Date: December 20, 1824
- Area: 630 square miles
- Population: 16,783 (2016 Census estimate)
- Major Waterways: Sipsey River
- Major Highways: U.S. 43
- County Seat: Fayette
- Largest City: Fayette
History

On April 27, 2011, a massive storm, causing numerous powerful tornadoes, struck the southeastern United States. More than 250 people were killed in Alabama, including four people in the community of Berry in Fayette County.
Major Cities and Demographics
According to 2016 Census estimates, the population of Fayette County was 16,783. Of that total, 85.6 percent of respondents identified themselves as white, 12.5 percent as African American, 1.6 percent as two or more races, 0.9 percent as Hispanic, and 0.3 percent as Asian. The county seat, Fayette, had a population of 4,491. Other population centers in the county include Berry, Glen Allen, and Belk. The median household income was $36,205, compared with $44,758 for the state as a whole, and the per capita income was $20,201, compared with $24,736 for the state as a whole.
Economy

Employment
According to 2016 Census estimates, the workforce in Fayette County was divided among the following industrial categories:
- Manufacturing (24.6 percent)
- Educational services, and health care and social assistance (23.7 percent)
- Retail trade (10.1 percent)
- Transportation and warehousing, and utilities (8.3 percent)
- Arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services (6.4 percent)
- Construction (5.4 percent)
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and extractive (5.3 percent)
- Finance and insurance, and real estate, rental, and leasing (3.7 percent)
- Public administration (3.4 percent)
- Professional, scientific, management, and administrative and waste management services (3.3 percent)
- Other services, except public administration (3.2 percent)
- Wholesale trade (1.7 percent)
- Information (1.2 percent)
Education
The Fayette County School System oversees six schools.
Geography

The Sipsey River, a tributary of the Tombigbee River flows through the center of the county, while the North River, a tributary of the Upper Black Warrior River, flows through the eastern half. Luxapalila Creek, a tributary of the Upper Tombigbee River, flows south to north through the western half of the county. U.S. 43 runs south to north through the north-central and eastern portions of the county.
Events and Places of Interest

Additional Resources
Heritage of Fayette County, Alabama. Clanton, Ala.: Heritage Publishing Consultants, Inc., 1999.