Fay-Penn Economic Development Council

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Why Fayette County

Fayette County offers many strategic advantages for businesses. These include pad-ready sites, speculative buildings, and thriving business parks designed for growth. Furthermore, the county is surrounded by the Laurel Highlands for outdoor recreation.

You can enjoy hiking, bird watching, and state parks here. Experience Class I–IV whitewater rafting at Ohiopyle State Park, or explore the beauty of Laurel Caverns. In addition, a strong educational network supports workforce development. Local public schools and career training centers prepare future talent. Nearby universities expand this access to quality training.

Consequently, Fayette County is poised to support your business success with its unique resources and talent. Healthcare access is also outstanding. The area features esteemed institutions like WVU Medicine—Uniontown Hospital and Penn Highlands Hospital. Moreover, residents benefit from a wide array of specialty and urgent care providers. They also enjoy seamless access to Pittsburgh and Morgantown healthcare networks.

 

 

 

 

Fayette County Targeted Industries

Agriculture

According to the USDA Census of Agriculture, the county boasts nearly 109,000 acres of land in farms spread across nearly 800 individual operations.

  • Key corridors like Route 119, Route 40, and the nearby PA Turnpike (I-76) allow food processors and distributors to transport perishable items or bulk agricultural components quickly to the major population hubs of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
  • There is a natural bridge between Fayette's robust historical manufacturing sector and industrial food production. Attracting value-added processors—firms that take raw milk, beef, crops, or timber and turn them into consumer-packaged goods—captures a larger share of the economic value chain right within the county.
  • Support through organizations like the Penn State Extension office in Uniontown provides companies with ready access to workforce training, continuous agricultural education, and technical certifications.

Energy

Fayette County sits directly within the southwestern Pennsylvania energy basin, a global powerhouse for natural gas extraction and processing.

  • Because high-voltage transmission lines, substations, and interstate pipelines (such as the Texas Eastern system) already cross the county, incoming energy operators face drastically lower interconnect and site-readiness costs compared to less-developed regions.
  • State initiatives are actively working to establish a centralized energy siting board to fast-track project approvals, giving Pennsylvania communities a distinct advantage in timing.
  • Local workers possess specialized, highly technical skills in heavy rigging, mechanical engineering, pipeline management, high-voltage electrical tracking, and safety compliance.

Health Care

An aging demographic naturally creates a soaring, non-negotiable demand for specialized clinical care, chronic disease management, and senior living innovations.

  • Private medical practices, outpatient surgical centers, diagnostic labs, and specialized senior care developers don't have to worry about market viability—the patient volume and baseline demand are already locked in by the local demographic reality.
  • The county features highly successful, established anchors like WVU Medicine - Uniontown Hospital and Penn Highlands Hospital.
  • Attracting ancillary healthcare businesses—such as specialized rehabilitation groups, medical equipment suppliers, independent testing laboratories, and telehealth support centers—strengthens this existing ecosystem.

Tourism

Fayette County is a core driver of a regional visitor economy that generates $2.2 billion in annual spending and supports over 23,000 local jobs.

  • Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob along with the Great Allegheny Passage draw international travelers year-round. Ohiopyle State Park, famous for Class I-IV whitewater rafting, hiking, and biking along the Great Allegheny Passage.
  • Resorts like Nemacolin and Seven Springs elevate the county's profile, drawing high-net-worth travelers and proving that upscale hospitality models can thrive here.
  • Prioritizing attraction in this space—such as boutique hotels, craft breweries, specialized outfitters, and unique eateries—creates a vibrant downtown atmosphere.

Manufacturing

Fayette County capitalizes on its absolute highest-leverage assets: its ready industrial land, its strategic transportation access, and a gritty, highly skilled workforce.

  • The county features well-established business parks equipped with robust, high-capacity infrastructure. These sites are outfitted with three-phase power, high-volume water and sewer lines, and high-pressure natural gas grids that can immediately accommodate resource-intensive production facilities.
  • Fay-Penn and other economic drivers maintain a steady inventory of available industrial properties, vacant manufacturing buildings, and pad-ready spec sites. This reduces upfront capital expenditure and dramatically shortens construction timelines for incoming companies.
  • Companies looking to locate in Fayette County can tap into an aggressive, streamlined suite of state-backed financial incentives. This includes dedicated funding for site development, customized job-training grants, and specialized low-interest infrastructure loans.