City · Iowa
Fairfield, Iowa
Fairfield, city, in Jefferson County, Iowa. Fairfield had 9,220 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 9,416 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 9,456 (±18). GEOID 1926445.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
9,220
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 9,416 · ACS 2020-2024: 9,456 ±18
Median household income
$51,311
±$10,729 (90% margin)
Iowa: $75,059
Median home value
$156,000
±$10,693 (90% margin)
Iowa: $208,000
Median gross rent
$870
±$69 (90% margin)
Iowa: $972
Where is Fairfield and what county is it in?
Fairfield is a city in Jefferson County, Iowa. It covers 6.6 square miles of land, 1,424 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Fairfield, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 9,220 people lived in Fairfield on July 1, 2025, down 2.2% since 2020, while Iowa grew 1.5%. The 2020 Census counted 9,416 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 9,456 (±18).
| Measure | Fairfield | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 9,456 ±18 | 15,705 | −834 |
| Households | 4,115 ±239 | 6,952 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.05 ±0.12 | 2.11 | −0.43 |
| Housing units | 4,631 ±165 | 7,706 | +285 |
Fairfield's population since 2000
From 9,509 in 2000 to 9,220 in 2025: down 3.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Fairfield 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 Fairfield?
The median resident of Fairfield is 40.0 years old; 15.2% are under 18 and 26.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 76.0%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 11.7%. 20.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Fairfield | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 ±2.3 | 43.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 15.2% ±2.7 pts | 17.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.6% ±2.1 pts | 26.7% | – |
| Male | 53.0% ±2.1 pts | 51.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.7% ±1.2 pts | 4.1% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 76.0% ±2.5 pts | 82.4% | +5.5 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 3.9% ±0.5 pts | 2.4% | −8.0 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 11.7% ±2.3 pts | 8.2% | +5.6 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.2% ±1.2 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 20.4% ±2.7 pts | 14.1% | +7.8 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 22.4% ±3.2 pts | 15.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.5% ±2.3 pts | 7.7% | – |
| With a disability | 11.9% ±2.5 pts | 13.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.2% ±3.5 pts | 6.7% | +4.7 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.2% ±1.6 pts | 95.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 52.9% ±5.0 pts | 43.2% | +12.9 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 22.8% ±4.0 pts | 18.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 76.7% ±4.6 pts | 83.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.2% ±2.0 pts | 4.2% | – |
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 Fairfield earn?
Half of Fairfield's 4,115 households earn less than $51,311 a year (±$10,729), against $61,620 in Jefferson County and $75,059 in Iowa. In 2015-2019 it was $50,360 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 20.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fairfield | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,311 ±$10,729 | $61,620 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $81,231 ±$15,732 | $82,383 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,189 ±$6,866 | $36,823 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 20.7% ±4.9 pts | 15.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 14.6% ±8.2 pts | 12.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.5% ±4.3 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.2% ±2.2 pts | 96.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.4% ±5.0 pts | 88.4% | – |
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 Fairfield?
Owners occupy 60.0% of Fairfield's occupied homes and renters 40.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $156,000 by its owner (±$10,693). The median renter pays $870 a month including utilities, and 51.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Fairfield | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $156,000 ±$10,693 | $163,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $870 ±$69 | $883 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 51.2% ±10.5 pts | 45.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,385 ±$210 | $1,380 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 60.0% ±5.4 pts | 67.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 40.0% ±5.4 pts | 32.3% | – |
| Housing units | 4,631 ±165 | 7,706 | +285 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.5% ±0.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.1% ±4.8 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 66.5% ±5.6 pts | 73.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.0% ±3.3 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±0.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.2% ±2.5 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 30.4% ±5.3 pts | 32.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 10.9% ±5.2 pts | 7.5% | – |
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 Fairfield building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Fairfield in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 0.2 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 Fairfield work and get to work?
60.1% of Fairfield's workers drive alone and 25.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 13.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 11.8%.
| Measure | Fairfield | Jefferson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 55.6% ±4.5 pts | 59.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 11.8% ±6.1 pts | 8.0% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 60.1% ±6.8 pts | 69.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.8% ±2.5 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 6.0% ±2.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 25.0% ±6.5 pts | 18.2% | +14.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 13.2 min ±3.1 | 15.9 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 Fairfield?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Fairfield, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $50,896 (Tract 903.02) to $57,237 (Tract 904).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 904Jefferson County | 5,248 | $57,237 |
| Tract 903.02Jefferson County | 2,498 | $50,896 |
| Tract 903.01Jefferson County | 2,084 | $51,667 |
| Tract 902Jefferson County | 3,127 | $63,438 |
| Tract 901Jefferson County | 2,748 | $92,083 |
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 Fairfield) · Census block assignment files
How does Fairfield compare with other places in Iowa?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Fairfield is the 3,403rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 46th-most populous of 939 in Iowa.
Fairfield ranks 261st 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 | 46th | 939 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 196th | 275 |
| Residents per square mile | 63rd | 279 |
| Median household income | 261st | 279 |
| Per capita income | 159th | 279 |
| Median home value | 163rd | 279 |
| Median gross rent | 117th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 16th | 232 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15th | 279 |
| Median age | 135th | 279 |
| Owner-occupied share | 265th | 279 |
| Work from home | 2nd | 221 |
| Travel time to work | 262nd | 279 |
Fairfield's figures with every place in Iowa (CSV)
Every place in Iowa, sortable · Compare Fairfield 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 Fairfield?
8 of the 57 figures for Fairfield 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 Fairfield 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 Fairfield.