The Town FilesFayette, Missouri
City in Howard County · population 2,803 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $146,700
- Household income
- $57,679
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 22.8
Fayette is a city of 2,803 people in Howard County, Missouri. The median home is worth $146,700, close to the typical Missouri town ($153,900). It ranks more of a college town than 100% of Missouri towns, better for first-time buyers than 99% of Missouri towns, better for young professionals than 95% of Missouri towns.
How Fayette ranks
Percentile among Missouri towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Missouri towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fayette is worth $146,700, close to the typical Missouri town ($153,900). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $57,679, which is more affordable than 63% of Missouri towns. Median rent is $947 a month. 57.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fayette | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $146,700 | $153,900 |
| Median rent | $947 | $855 |
| Median household income | $57,679 | $56,368 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 57.7% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1972 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Fayette
| People | Fayette | Typical Missouri town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 22.8 | 38.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.6% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.3% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.9% | 14.6% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.0% | — |
| Work from home | 10.8% | 7.9% |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 23.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 88.7% |
Weather in Fayette
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 18.3°F. About 41.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.3 inches of snow (typical Missouri town: 11.1 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 113 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fayette since 1950, compared with 23 for the typical Missouri town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 12, 2006 about 6.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 22, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on March 31, 2023.
Severe weather in Howard County since 1996
Howard County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4924: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 1, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4612: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4490: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3482: Covid-19 |
| July 9, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4451: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Howard County
Howard County had 2,438 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,039 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Fayette itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Fayette
3 public schools with 671 students, about 12.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAURENCE J. DALY ELEM. | PK-5 | 320 | 11.9 |
| FAYETTE HIGH | 9-12 | 201 | 11.2 |
| WM. N. CLARK MIDDLE | 6-8 | 150 | 15.0 |
Towns near Fayette
- Boonville, MO13.2 mi · 7,964 people · home $187,900
- Moberly, MO23.0 mi · 13,783 people · home $153,100
- Columbia, MO23.7 mi · 126,254 people · home $284,600
- Marshall, MO27.8 mi · 13,806 people · home $147,900
- Centralia, MO29.9 mi · 4,541 people · home $174,300
Fayette questions
Is Fayette, Missouri a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fayette scores better for retirees than 85% of Missouri towns and quieter than 28%. 12.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 22.8).
How much does a house cost in Fayette?
The median owner-occupied home in Fayette is valued at $146,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,679, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $947 a month.
What is the weather like in Fayette?
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 18.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.5 inches of precipitation a year and 12.3 inches of snow.
Does Fayette get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fayette since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 12, 2006. The typical Missouri town has had 23.
- 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)