Fairfax is a small town of 2,814 in Iowa, with a median household income of $118,750
and a 2.9% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is
10% below the national average.
Strengths:
Fairfax stands out for an affordable cost of living, a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Fairfax is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Fairfax city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 90.0
Fairfax's overall cost of living index is 90.0,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Fairfax costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.
Metric
Fairfax, IA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$267,900
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,461
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
91.3%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$118,750
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Fairfax's violent crime rate is 206.4 per 100,000 residents
— 46% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
206.4 /100k
Property Crime
1812.9 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Fairfax, IA
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
37.5%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
98.9%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Fairfax sees average highs of 27.9°F in January
and 82.8°F in July,
with 35.9 inches of annual precipitation
and 27.2 inches of snow per year.
Fairfax's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Fairfax roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $267,900 and median rent is $1,461/month.
Fairfax's violent crime rate is 206.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1812.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Fairfax, IA has a population of 2,814, a median household income of $118,750, and an unemployment rate of 2.9%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Fairfax averages 27.9°F in January and 82.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 35.9 inches
with about 27.2 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Fairfax, IA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 52228.
The population of Fairfax, Iowa is 2,814 with a median age of 38.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Fairfax: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $267,900, median household income $118,750, crime index 67 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Fairfax side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
