Population 968,227 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fairfield County
Household size in Fairfield County
| Period | Fairfield County | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.71 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.80 | 2.61 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.75 | 2.55 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.02 | −0.03 |
Households in Fairfield County average 2.75 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Household size has crept up from 2.71 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Fairfield County
| Period | Fairfield County | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.4 | 40.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.3 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.5 | 42.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.6 | 42.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Fairfield County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 41.6, against 40.1 nationally. Connecticut as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.4, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Fairfield County
| Period | Fairfield County | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 11.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Fairfield County (10.3%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Fairfield County
Renters in Fairfield County
| Period | Fairfield County | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.3% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.5% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.9% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.0% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +2.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Fairfield County rent their homes (34.0%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 35.0% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the center. The renter share has risen 4.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Fairfield County
| Period | Fairfield County | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 8.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Fairfield County than nationally: 7.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of Connecticut. Vacancy has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Fairfield County
| Period | Fairfield County | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1962 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1964 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Fairfield County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1967, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1961 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the east.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Fairfield County
| Period | Fairfield County | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,394 | $1,127 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,488 | $1,218 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,784 | $1,380 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,167 | $1,702 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$773 | +$575 | +$606 |
The median renter in Fairfield County pays $2,167 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $773 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 34.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Fairfield County
Bachelor's degrees in Fairfield County
| Period | Fairfield County | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.2% | 35.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 45.5% | 37.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.9% | 39.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 50.4% | 42.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.2 pts | +6.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Fairfield County: 50.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 7.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Fairfield County
| Period | Fairfield County | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.7% | 88.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.8% | 89.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.8% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.7% | 91.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +3.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Fairfield County is close to the national rate: 89.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.0 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Fairfield County
| Period | Fairfield County | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.5% | 6.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.8%, unemployment in Fairfield County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.9 points, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Fairfield County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield County | 2.75 | 41.6 | 10.3% | 34.0% | 7.0% | 1967 | $2,167 | 50.4% | 89.7% | 5.8% |
| New Haven County | 2.53 | 41.7 | 13.5% | 37.6% | 8.0% | 1964 | $1,584 | 38.5% | 90.6% | 6.4% |
| Rockland County | 3.51 | 35.9 | 9.1% | 32.1% | 5.9% | 1975 | $2,035 | 39.1% | 85.8% | 5.5% |
| Pike County | 2.54 | 48.4 | 8.7% | 13.0% | 31.0% | 1984 | $1,426 | 30.0% | 92.9% | 7.6% |
| Luzerne County | 2.40 | 42.3 | 13.2% | 32.2% | 11.4% | 1960 | $1,078 | 24.5% | 89.3% | 5.9% |
| Nantucket County | 2.71 | 43.4 | 14.6% | 28.2% | 43.9% | 1986 | $2,138 | 56.4% | 93.1% | 2.3% |
| Lycoming County | 2.35 | 42.3 | 11.0% | 30.9% | 10.7% | 1963 | $958 | 24.9% | 91.0% | 5.3% |
| Clinton County | 2.38 | 41.6 | 11.1% | 27.7% | 14.6% | 1967 | $899 | 21.4% | 90.4% | 5.3% |
| Clarion County | 2.39 | 43.0 | 8.2% | 27.5% | 17.1% | 1964 | $793 | 24.2% | 91.3% | 4.7% |
| Mercer County | 2.26 | 45.4 | 8.9% | 27.6% | 9.1% | 1965 | $896 | 26.3% | 91.9% | 5.3% |
| Trumbull County | 2.38 | 43.6 | 11.5% | 28.7% | 9.4% | 1965 | $830 | 21.2% | 89.3% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Palm Beach County, FL · Wake County, NC · Nassau County, NY · Santa Clara County, CA · Sacramento County, CA · Suffolk County, NY · Orange County, FL · Cuyahoga County, OH · Hillsborough County, FL · Duval County, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Fairfield County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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