Population 7,684 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fairfield
Household size in Fairfield
| Period | Fairfield | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.93 | 2.79 | 2.77 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.95 | 2.85 | 2.82 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.93 | 2.82 | 2.78 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.69 | 2.79 | 2.76 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.24 | −0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
At 2.69 people per household, Fairfield sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in the wider New York area, where it has 2.79 people. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.93, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.0 | 38.0 | 39.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.9 | 38.7 | 40.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.8 | 39.8 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.4 | 40.4 | 40.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +2.4 | +1.8 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 48.4, Fairfield is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. The median age has climbed from 45.0 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people, only 38 are older.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.8% | 13.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 12.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 11.4% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 11.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | −1.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.4% of households in Fairfield, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 1.5 points from 2006–10, even as 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
Renters in Fairfield
| Period | Fairfield | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 47.1% | 33.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 48.7% | 35.0% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 48.8% | 36.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.5% | 48.6% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +9.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Fairfield is largely a place of homeowners: only 21.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Just over three in ten owners (31.0%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 9.9 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
| Period | Fairfield | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.0% | 9.1% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 9.0% | 9.3% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 7.9% | 6.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Fairfield: just 4.3% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 6.7 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1957 | 1965 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1958 | 1966 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1969 | 1959 | 1967 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1962 | 1969 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Fairfield run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1974 against 1980. Still, homes here are newer than in the New York area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1962. The median year built has moved up from 1969 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the southwest.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,412 | $1,268 | $1,246 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,702 | $1,377 | $1,324 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,895 | $1,645 | $1,522 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,652 | $2,060 | $1,896 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,239 | +$792 | +$651 | +$606 |
The median renter in Fairfield pays $2,652 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,239 a month from 2006–10, an 88% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 45.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people, only 35 have higher rents.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.3% | 35.0% | 34.7% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.9% | 36.7% | 36.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.6% | 39.9% | 39.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 50.9% | 43.6% | 43.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +8.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Fairfield: 50.9% 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 12.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.9% | 83.7% | 87.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.1% | 84.6% | 88.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.5% | 86.2% | 89.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.1% | 86.9% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Fairfield: 97.1% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Fairfield has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five New Jersey cities.
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 | New York area | New Jersey | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.0% | 5.7% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 6.9% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Fairfield runs well above the national rate: 11.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Only 11 of the 415 New Jersey cities with 5,000+ people have higher unemployment. Unemployment is up 5.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 | 2.69 | 48.4 | 8.4% | 21.5% | 4.3% | 1974 | $2,652 | 50.9% | 97.1% | 11.6% |
| North Caldwell | 3.08 | 43.7 | 3.7% | 2.1% | 4.7% | 1968 | $3,300 | 80.5% | 96.6% | 6.0% |
| Caldwell | 2.45 | 41.2 | 5.6% | 35.8% | 3.9% | 1959 | $2,033 | 59.4% | 93.9% | 4.4% |
| Pine Brook | 2.62 | 39.7 | 4.9% | 39.4% | 2.6% | 1974 | $2,326 | 61.3% | 97.4% | 4.6% |
| Lincoln Park | 2.59 | 48.1 | 4.5% | 22.0% | 2.8% | 1974 | $2,014 | 44.4% | 91.7% | 10.2% |
| Essex Fells | 3.13 | 44.0 | 4.0% | 3.6% | 8.5% | 1953 | $3,497 | 82.0% | 97.9% | 5.0% |
| Little Falls | 2.29 | 37.7 | 7.0% | 28.7% | 5.7% | 1960 | $2,026 | 54.8% | 96.7% | 7.9% |
| Towaco | 2.76 | 49.7 | 2.6% | 5.9% | 4.3% | 1973 | $2,537 | 71.4% | 97.3% | 3.1% |
| Cedar Grove | 2.59 | 44.7 | 3.4% | 16.3% | 5.0% | 1962 | $2,010 | 61.8% | 95.4% | 7.6% |
| Montville | 2.69 | 48.0 | 3.9% | 5.8% | 3.9% | 1983 | $2,690 | 71.1% | 97.6% | 4.7% |
| Verona | 2.58 | 46.8 | 5.2% | 20.5% | 4.7% | 1953 | $2,115 | 70.0% | 98.7% | 4.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: August, CA · Tecumseh, OK · Baldwin Harbor, NY · Anaconda, MT · Spicewood, TX · Alto, GA · Thermal, CA · Barbourville, KY · Southwick, MA · Wynantskill, NY
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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