City · Minnesota
Fairfax, Minnesota
Fairfax, city, in Renville County, Minnesota. Fairfax had 1,203 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,250 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,088 (±176). GEOID 2720222.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,203
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,250 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,088 ±176
Median household income
$60,172
±$6,567 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
$116,300
±$11,616 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$432
±$139 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Fairfax and what county is it in?
Fairfax is a city in Renville County, Minnesota. It covers 1.3 square miles of land, 954 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 Fairfax, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,203 people lived in Fairfax on July 1, 2025, down 3.8% since 2020, while Minnesota grew 2.2%. The 2020 Census counted 1,250 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,088 (±176).
| Measure | Fairfax | Renville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,088 ±176 | 14,558 | no clear change |
| Households | 408 ±58 | 6,056 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.47 ±0.29 | 2.34 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 453 ±64 | 6,916 | no clear change |
Fairfax's population since 2000
From 1,295 in 2000 to 1,203 in 2025: down 7.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Fairfax 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 Fairfax?
The median resident of Fairfax is 40.9 years old; 24.5% are under 18 and 24.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 78.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 16.8%.
| Measure | Fairfax | Renville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9 ±5.6 | 42.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 24.5% ±6.3 pts | 23.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.3% ±6.1 pts | 22.2% | – |
| Male | 41.1% ±5.2 pts | 50.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 16.8% ±7.4 pts | 10.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 78.5% ±8.7 pts | 84.9% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.3% ±4.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.4% ±1.5 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 9.5% ±6.8 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 17.1% ±8.8 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.0% ±1.8 pts | 6.8% | – |
| With a disability | 13.8% ±4.6 pts | 13.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.1% ±7.5 pts | 4.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 82.3% ±7.7 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 9.2% ±4.0 pts | 18.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 0.8% ±0.6 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.6% ±4.9 pts | 91.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.3% ±1.5 pts | 1.2% | – |
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 Fairfax earn?
Half of Fairfax's 408 households earn less than $60,172 a year (±$6,567), against $70,625 in Renville County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $70,799 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 19.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fairfax | Renville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,172 ±$6,567 | $70,625 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $68,200 ±$10,643 | $89,051 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,503 ±$4,422 | $37,576 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 19.6% ±8.2 pts | 11.0% | +11.5 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 32.6% ±18.1 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.3% ±4.7 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 83.8% ±5.7 pts | 91.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.8% ±5.5 pts | 85.8% | – |
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 Fairfax?
Owners occupy 79.7% of Fairfax's occupied homes and renters 20.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $116,300 by its owner (±$11,616). The median renter pays $432 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Fairfax | Renville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $116,300 ±$11,616 | $163,200 | +$19,814 |
| Median gross rent | $432 ±$139 | $790 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 32.8% ±23.0 pts | 38.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,207 ±$230 | $1,448 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 79.7% ±8.3 pts | 80.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 20.3% ±8.3 pts | 19.8% | – |
| Housing units | 453 ±64 | 6,916 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.7% ±4.8 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±23.4 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 91.8% ±4.5 pts | 84.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.3% ±2.1 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±4.8 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 37.7% ±8.4 pts | 30.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.4% ±3.5 pts | 5.7% | – |
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 Fairfax building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Fairfax in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across Minnesota.
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 Fairfax work and get to work?
68.8% of Fairfax's workers drive alone and 4.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.2 minutes.
| Measure | Fairfax | Renville County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.3% ±6.9 pts | 63.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.9% ±1.8 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 68.8% ±13.5 pts | 78.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 19.4% ±12.5 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 6.0% ±4.4 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.5% ±2.2 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.2 min ±5.1 | 20.9 min | +6.9 min |
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 Fairfax?
No census tract lies mostly in Fairfax; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 7906Renville County | 2,648 | $61,034 |
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 Fairfax) · Census block assignment files
How does Fairfax compare with other places in Minnesota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Fairfax is the 9,583rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 333rd-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.
Fairfax ranks 494th of 558 places in Minnesota with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 333rd | 855 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 527th | 556 |
| Residents per square mile | 227th | 562 |
| Median household income | 494th | 558 |
| Per capita income | 541st | 562 |
| Median home value | 541st | 559 |
| Median gross rent | 464th | 465 |
| Poverty rate | 26th | 461 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 558th | 559 |
| Median age | 297th | 561 |
| Owner-occupied share | 326th | 561 |
| Work from home | 505th | 525 |
| Travel time to work | 220th | 562 |
Fairfax's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Fairfax 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 Fairfax?
19 of the 57 figures for Fairfax 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 Fairfax 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 Fairfax.