Population 889 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fairfield
Household size in Fairfield
| Period | Fairfield | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.19 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.40 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.25 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.57 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.62 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Fairfield is a place of small households, averaging 1.57 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.19 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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
| Period | Fairfield | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.6 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.2 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.9 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 53.4 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +11.7 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 53.4, Fairfield is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
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
| Period | Fairfield | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.5% of households in Fairfield, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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
Renters in Fairfield
| Period | Fairfield | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.7% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.2% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.6% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +11.0 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 21.6% of households in Fairfield rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Just over half of owners (51.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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
| Period | Fairfield | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.0% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 35.2% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.5% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Fairfield: 28.5% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
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
| Period | Fairfield | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1986 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +13 | +7 | +6 |
The housing in Fairfield is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1986, against 1980 nationally. That is in line with the rest of North Carolina.
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
| Period | Fairfield | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $576 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $766 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,128 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,206 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$629 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Fairfield pays $1,206 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 30.0% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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
Bachelor's degrees in Fairfield
| Period | Fairfield | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.8% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Fairfield: 10.8% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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
| Period | Fairfield | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 74.7% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 76.1% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.5% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.7% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +13.0 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Fairfield never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S.
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
| Period | Fairfield | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Fairfield: 8.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. 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 compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield | 1.57 | 53.4 | 3.5% | 21.6% | 28.5% | 1986 | $1,206 | 10.8% | 87.7% | 8.3% |
| Rose Bay | 2.03 | 47.3 | 1.9% | 22.6% | 26.2% | 1977 | $1,349 | 9.3% | 91.4% | 4.7% |
| Swanquarter | 2.44 | 42.1 | 5.2% | 25.3% | 26.5% | 1971 | $1,325 | 8.9% | 94.3% | 0.8% |
| Gulrock | 2.04 | 46.0 | 23.7% | 18.2% | 23.3% | 1990 | $934 | 10.8% | 89.0% | 5.1% |
| Scranton | 1.63 | 50.2 | 3.7% | 26.9% | 25.8% | 1986 | $1,267 | 10.8% | 85.5% | 7.5% |
| Nebraska | 2.04 | 46.1 | 23.6% | 19.5% | 24.1% | 1990 | $929 | 10.8% | 88.8% | 4.9% |
| Middletown | 2.01 | 46.7 | 22.1% | 29.5% | 30.8% | 1989 | $892 | 11.0% | 87.4% | 3.8% |
| Ponzer | 2.01 | 36.8 | 10.1% | 49.5% | 22.8% | 1983 | $1,180 | 13.6% | 77.6% | 0.0% |
| Engelhard | 2.01 | 46.7 | 22.1% | 29.4% | 30.7% | 1989 | $892 | 11.0% | 87.5% | 3.8% |
| Leechville | 2.38 | 50.3 | 11.4% | 47.0% | 18.4% | 1991 | $625 | 17.1% | 82.9% | 1.8% |
| Belhaven | 2.16 | 48.1 | 15.0% | 38.2% | 26.6% | 1970 | $1,118 | 16.2% | 85.5% | 11.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Genola, MN · West Cornwall, CT · West Elkton, OH · White Lake, NC · White Oak, WV · Whitecone, AZ · Haviland, NY · Harsens Island, MI · Harrisville, NH · Hardin, IL
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. 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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