Fayette, IA

Fayette is a Fayette County city in northeastern Iowa on the Volga River. The 2020 census counted 1,256 residents, and the city was named for Marquis de Lafayette. Upper Iowa University opened its doors here in 1857; its residential campus, athletics, student events, and archives give Fayette a college-town dimension that sits alongside its small-city streets.

The river and surrounding bluffs bring a different scale. Volga River State Recreation Area lies a few miles north and east, covering nearly 5,800 acres with campgrounds, 22 miles of multi-use trails, a lake, paddling, fishing, horseback riding, and wildlife habitat. Fayette also has access to the Volga River and nearby campsites at Volga Lake and Klock's Island. Upper Iowa's campus also supplies housing, sports, and student activity that change the rhythm of the town across the academic year. The city is part of North Fayette Valley Community School District. Fayette is a northeastern Iowa town where a university campus, a river, and a large recreation area keep the local map busy year-round.