The Town FilesFayette, Mississippi
City in Jefferson County · population 1,445 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $95,000
- Household income
- $28,567
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 33.7
Fayette is a city of 1,445 people in Jefferson County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $95,000, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 93% of Mississippi towns, better for young professionals than 93% of Mississippi towns, easier by car than 80% of Mississippi towns.
How Fayette ranks
Percentile among Mississippi towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Mississippi towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fayette is worth $95,000, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $28,567, which is more affordable than 25% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $425 a month. 59.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fayette | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $95,000 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $425 | $820 |
| Median household income | $28,567 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 59.2% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.5% | — |
Who lives in Fayette
| People | Fayette | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.7 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.2% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 33.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.3% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 38.0% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 1.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 18.7% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 16.1 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.7% | 83.3% |
Weather in Fayette
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 35.9°F. About 60.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.3 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 67 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 39 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fayette since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on January 23, 1969 about 2.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 28, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on January 23, 1969.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4899: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3640: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 12, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4727: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes. |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
| August 28, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3569: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 953 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,225 a year. Unemployment was 11.9% in 2023; in Fayette itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Public schools in Fayette
5 public schools with 1,045 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| JEFFERSON CO ELEM SCHOOL | PK-4 | 423 | 12.8 |
| JEFFERSON CO HIGH | 9-12 | 314 | 15.7 |
| JEFFERSON COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL | 5-8 | 308 | 12.8 |
| FAYETTE VOC CENTER | 7-12 | — | — |
| JEFFERSON COUNTY ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL | 1-12 | — | — |
Towns near Fayette
- Alcorn State University, MS12.4 mi · 1,120 people · home —
- Port Gibson, MS17.5 mi · 1,269 people · home $113,500
- St. Joseph, LA17.8 mi · 831 people · home $59,100
- Morgantown, MS19.5 mi · 1,334 people · home $95,100
- Waterproof, LA20.1 mi · 541 people · home $47,300
- Bude, MS21.2 mi · 780 people · home $81,900
- Hermanville, MS21.4 mi · 692 people · home $18,800
- Natchez, MS22.4 mi · 14,520 people · home $119,400
Fayette questions
Is Fayette, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fayette scores better for retirees than 69% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 39%. 12.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.7).
How much does a house cost in Fayette?
The median owner-occupied home in Fayette is valued at $95,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $28,567, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $425 a month.
What is the weather like in Fayette?
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 35.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 60.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.3 inches of snow.
Does Fayette get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fayette since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on January 23, 1969. The typical Mississippi town has had 31.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)