City · Iowa
Fairbank, Iowa
Fairbank, city, mostly in Buchanan County (67.5% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Fayette County, Iowa. Fairbank had 1,145 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,111 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,275 (±286). GEOID 1926355.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,145
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,111 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,275 ±286
Median household income
$89,712
±$28,185 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$186,900
±$20,042 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$686
±$118 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Fairbank and what county is it in?
Fairbank is a city mostly in Buchanan County (67.5% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Fayette County, Iowa. It covers 0.7 square miles of land, 1,499 residents per square mile in 2020.
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Buchanan County | 750 | 67.5% |
| Fayette County | 361 | 32.5% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Fairbank, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,145 people lived in Fairbank on July 1, 2025, up 3.2% since 2020, faster than Iowa (+1.5%). The 2020 Census counted 1,111 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,275 (±286).
| Measure | Fairbank | Buchanan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,275 ±286 | 20,694 | no clear change |
| Households | 507 ±97 | 8,252 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.51 ±0.27 | 2.49 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 533 ±92 | 8,945 | no clear change |
Fairbank's population since 2000
From 1,041 in 2000 to 1,145 in 2025: up 10.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Fairbank as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Fairbank?
The median resident of Fairbank is 42.1 years old; 25.6% are under 18 and 16.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 90.0%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 9.3%.
| Measure | Fairbank | Buchanan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1 ±8.2 | 40.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.6% ±6.0 pts | 25.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.7% ±5.7 pts | 18.6% | – |
| Male | 53.5% ±4.5 pts | 50.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 1.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 90.0% ±9.7 pts | 95.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.3% ±9.7 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.7% ±2.4 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.6% ±3.0 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.5% ±3.9 pts | 6.9% | – |
| With a disability | 11.6% ±4.2 pts | 12.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.3% ±7.4 pts | 6.7% | +8.0 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.6% ±5.1 pts | 94.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.5% ±6.8 pts | 22.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.1% ±2.5 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.3% ±9.8 pts | 89.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.5% ±0.8 pts | 1.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Fairbank earn?
Half of Fairbank's 507 households earn less than $89,712 a year (±$28,185), against $78,236 in Buchanan County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $81,533 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 4.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fairbank | Buchanan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $89,712 ±$28,185 | $78,236 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $102,101 ±$12,234 | $89,957 | – |
| Per capita income | $40,260 ±$5,727 | $36,527 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 4.1% ±2.1 pts | 8.6% | −5.7 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.9% ±1.3 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.7% ±4.2 pts | 91.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.9% ±4.5 pts | 87.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Fairbank?
Owners occupy 80.3% of Fairbank's occupied homes and renters 19.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $186,900 by its owner (±$20,042). The median renter pays $686 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Fairbank | Buchanan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $186,900 ±$20,042 | $176,000 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $686 ±$118 | $848 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 22.7% ±16.6 pts | 30.9% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,470 ±$122 | $1,376 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 80.3% ±8.5 pts | 82.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 19.7% ±8.5 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Housing units | 533 ±92 | 8,945 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±6.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±21.9 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 81.6% ±9.1 pts | 83.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.6% ±3.0 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.3% ±1.4 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.8% ±3.6 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 19.3% ±7.4 pts | 24.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.7% ±4.2 pts | 6.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Fairbank building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Fairbank in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 1.7 per 1,000 residents against 4.2 across Iowa.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Fairbank work and get to work?
82.1% of Fairbank's workers drive alone and 9.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.5 minutes.
| Measure | Fairbank | Buchanan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 66.0% ±9.7 pts | 67.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.4% ±2.2 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 82.1% ±6.3 pts | 77.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.4% ±3.0 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.6% ±0.8 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.7% ±5.5 pts | 8.4% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.5 min ±4.4 | 23.5 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Fairbank?
No census tract lies mostly in Fairbank; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9502Buchanan County | 3,763 | $73,361 |
| Tract 803Fayette County | 2,303 | $86,333 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Fairbank) · Census block assignment files
How does Fairbank compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Fairbank is the 9,753rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 248th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Fairbank ranks 63rd of 279 places in Iowa with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 248th | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 60th | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 51st | 279 |
| Median household income | 63rd | 279 |
| Per capita income | 94th | 279 |
| Median home value | 105th | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 240th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 221st | 232 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 211th | 279 |
| Median age | 88th | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 68th | 279 |
| Work from home | 103rd | 221 |
| Travel time to work | 40th | 279 |
Fairbank's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Fairbank with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Fairbank?
23 of the 57 figures for Fairbank on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Fairbank are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Fairbank.