West Virginia

Fayette

40,488
2020 population
1840
first census record
19
census records

About Fayette

Fayette, West Virginia, first appears in the United States federal census in 1840, when it recorded a population of 3,924. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 40,488.

Its recorded population peaked at 82,443 in 1950, and has since declined by roughly 51 percent.

On the ground today, 21 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them New River Bridge Skirmish (Gauley Bridge), Battle of Sewell Mountain, Battle of Carnifex Ferry, and 28 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202040,488
201046,039
200047,579
199047,952
198057,863
197049,332
196061,731
195082,443
194080,628
193072,050
192060,377
191051,903
190031,987
189020,542
188011,560
18706,647
18605,997
18503,955
18403,924
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Fayette

Military engagements that took place in Fayette, West Virginia.

New River Bridge Skirmish (Gauley Bridge)
1861
Battle of Sewell Mountain
1861
Battle of Carnifex Ferry
1861
Skirmish at Loop Creek
1861
Battle of Cotton Hill
1861
Skirmish at Tyree's Farm (Sewell Mountain)
1861
Battle of Fayetteville (September 1862)
1862
Skirmish at Hughes Ferry
1862
First Skirmish at Fayetteville
1862
Engagement at Gauley Bridge (1862)
1862
Engagement at Fayetteville (WV)
1862
Skirmish at Gauley Bridge Approaches (1862)
1862
Skirmish at Little Sewell Mountain
1862
Action at Loop Creek (Fayette Co.)
1862
Second Gauley Bridge Engagement
1862
Engagement at Gauley Mount
1862
Skirmish at Ansted (Fayette Co.)
1862
Skirmish at Miller's Ferry (New River)
1862
Skirmish at Fayetteville (1863)
1863
McCausland's Raid - Fayetteville (1864)
1864
Skirmish at Gauley Bridge (1864)
1864

Historic places in Fayette

National Register of Historic Places listings in Fayette, West Virginia.

Contentment
Ansted
Fayetteville Historic District
Fayetteville
Halfway House
Ansted
Hawkins, E. B., House
Fayetteville
Mount Hope Historic District
Mount Hope
New Deal Resources in Hawk's Nest State Park Historic District
Anstead
Gauley Bridge Railroad Station
Gauley Bridge
Page-Vawter House
Ansted
Nuttallburg Coal Mining Complex and Town Historic District
Edmonds
New River Gorge Bridge
Fayetteville
Camp Washington-Carver Complex
Clifftop
Bank of Glen Jean
Glen Jean
Prince Brothers General Store-Berry Store
Prince
Glen Ferris Inn
Glen Ferris
Kay Moor
Fayetteville
Whipple Company Store
Whipple
Oak Hill Railroad Depot
Oak Hill
Fayette County Courthouse
Fayetteville
Browse all West Virginiahistoric sites ›

Other counties in West Virginia

Explore census history and historic records for more West Virginia counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Fayette County, West Virginia

This page charts the census history of Fayette County, West Virginia. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about Fayette

When does Fayette first appear in the US census?
Fayette, West Virginia first appears in the federal census in 1840, with a recorded population of 3,924.
What is the population of Fayette?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Fayette had a recorded population of 40,488.
When did Fayette's population peak?
Fayette's recorded population peaked at 82,443 in 1950.
Were any battles fought in Fayette?
21 documented military engagements took place in Fayette, including New River Bridge Skirmish (Gauley Bridge), Battle of Sewell Mountain, Battle of Carnifex Ferry.
How many historic places are in Fayette?
28 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Fayette, West Virginia.
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