Population 5,541 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Fairlawn
Household size in Fairlawn
| Period | Fairlawn | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.15 | 2.73 | 2.19 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.16 | 2.82 | 2.29 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.51 | 2.86 | 2.38 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.17 | 2.77 | 2.09 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | +0.04 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Fairlawn is a place of small households, averaging 2.17 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the west.
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 Fairlawn
| Period | Fairlawn | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.3 | 37.0 | 36.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.1 | 37.6 | 35.6 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.3 | 38.5 | 35.4 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.1 | 39.2 | 36.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −7.1 | +2.2 | +0.2 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Fairlawn are younger than 39.1 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 46.3, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the southeast.
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 Fairlawn
| Period | Fairlawn | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 11.3% | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.9% | 11.3% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 10.4% | 12.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 26.0% | 10.4% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | +11.2 pts | −0.9 pts | −2.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Fairlawn: 26.0% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 11.2 points, even as the national share fell. Only one other Washington neighborhood has a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Fairlawn
Renters in Fairlawn
| Period | Fairlawn | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 54.7% | 34.0% | 56.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 51.3% | 36.6% | 58.4% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.1% | 36.8% | 58.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 61.6% | 36.3% | 58.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Fairlawn: 61.6% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Just over one in five owners (21.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the west and least common in the south. The renter share has risen 6.9 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 Fairlawn
| Period | Fairlawn | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 8.7% | 13.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.3% | 7.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 6.6% | 10.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.3% | 5.9% | 10.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | −2.8 pts | −3.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 19.3% of the housing in Fairlawn, 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. Vacancy is up 4.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Fairlawn
| Period | Fairlawn | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1952 | 1977 | 1952 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1949 | 1978 | 1954 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1950 | 1979 | 1957 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1954 | 1982 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +6 | +10 | +6 |
The housing in Fairlawn is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1954, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the west has the oldest housing.
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 Fairlawn
| Period | Fairlawn | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $879 | $1,470 | $1,166 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,007 | $1,583 | $1,368 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,088 | $1,907 | $1,677 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,355 | $2,236 | $2,078 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$477 | +$766 | +$912 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Fairlawn costs $1,355 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $477 a month since 2006–10, up 54%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.0% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the center.
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 Fairlawn
Bachelor's degrees in Fairlawn
| Period | Fairlawn | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 46.6% | 47.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.3% | 48.2% | 52.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.8% | 51.0% | 58.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.7% | 53.9% | 63.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +27.2 pts | +7.3 pts | +16.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Fairlawn (40.7%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. Locally, though, the share is lower than in the Washington area as a whole (53.9%). The share with a degree has risen 27.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few Washington neighborhoods have a lower share of college graduates: only three of 38.
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 Fairlawn
| Period | Fairlawn | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.4% | 89.4% | 86.0% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.6% | 90.2% | 88.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.9% | 90.8% | 91.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.1% | 91.2% | 92.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | +1.7 pts | +6.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in six adults in Fairlawn never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate rose. Fairlawn has the lowest share of high school graduates of any Washington neighborhood.
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 Fairlawn
| Period | Fairlawn | Washington area | District of Columbia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.3% | 5.9% | 10.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 17.9% | 6.9% | 11.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.3% | 4.7% | 7.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 4.8% | 7.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −12.6 pts | −1.1 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Fairlawn than nationally: unemployment was 6.7%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 12.6 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. 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).
Fairlawn compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairlawn | 2.17 | 39.1 | 26.0% | 61.6% | 19.3% | 1954 | $1,355 | 40.7% | 82.1% | 6.7% |
| Anacostia | 2.42 | 34.5 | 29.1% | 69.4% | 11.8% | 1966 | $1,391 | 24.9% | 87.0% | 13.9% |
| Hill East | 2.14 | 36.4 | 14.1% | 44.9% | 8.3% | 1963 | $2,608 | 62.8% | 90.9% | 12.8% |
| Lincoln Park | 1.99 | 39.0 | 5.8% | 39.9% | 8.1% | 1943 | $2,401 | 90.5% | 98.5% | 2.8% |
| Capitol Hill | 1.79 | 33.4 | 6.4% | 69.6% | 12.1% | 1982 | $2,593 | 78.5% | 96.1% | 5.1% |
| Stadium-Armory | 2.33 | 34.8 | 19.8% | 57.1% | 12.0% | 1946 | $1,887 | 54.7% | 89.3% | 11.7% |
| Stanton Park | 1.96 | 36.0 | 3.4% | 49.7% | 9.6% | 1943 | $2,378 | 89.3% | 98.7% | 2.2% |
| South West | 1.56 | 36.6 | 9.1% | 68.8% | 16.4% | 1991 | $2,228 | 74.3% | 96.7% | 6.1% |
| Congress Heights | 2.24 | 36.3 | 20.7% | 69.9% | 9.9% | 1967 | $1,555 | 25.3% | 83.1% | 17.3% |
| Hillside | 2.77 | 39.2 | 22.7% | 18.1% | 4.1% | 1968 | $1,593 | 20.7% | 84.6% | 9.2% |
| Deanwood | 2.28 | 35.2 | 24.2% | 59.3% | 9.7% | 1965 | $1,303 | 26.6% | 85.9% | 15.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Elmwood, New Orleans, LA · Croydon Park, Rockville, MD · Cutten, Eureka, CA · View Ridge, Seattle, WA · Delawanna, Clifton, NJ · Uptown, New Orleans, LA · University Park-Gainsville, Gainesville, FL · Downtown, St. Louis, MO · East Albany, Albany, OR · Abram-Perezville, Mission, TX
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 Fairlawn. 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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