Fairfield, Palo Alto County, Iowa Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Fairfield, Iowa, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Fairfield, Iowa. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Fairfield, Iowa. The estimated population of Fairfield, Iowa is 227 people, with a median age of 31.8.

We can look at the total population in Fairfield over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
227
-12.69% +14.65%
2020
260
+20.37%
-
2019
216
+4.85%
-
2018
206
+4.04%
-
2017
198
- -

Population of Fairfield, Iowa by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
88.1%
100%
-11.90%
Black/African American
0%
0%
0.00%
Native
0%
0%
0.00%
Hispanic
0%
0%
0.00%
Asian
0%
0%
0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
0.00%
Two Or More Races
11.9%
0%
0.00%
Other
0%
0%
0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Fairfield, Iowa by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 31.8 -2.15% 26.9 -4.27% 39.5 +1.54%
2020 32.5 -17.72% 28.1 -14.59% 38.9 -28.36%
2019 39.5 0% 32.9 +0.3% 54.3 -3.55%
2018 39.5 -5.73% 32.8 -16.96% 56.3 +14.2%
2017 41.9 - 39.5 - 49.3 -

The median age of Fairfield, Iowa gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 13 +81.44% 1 0% 25 0
10 to 19 14 +123.39% 15 +215.6% 28 27
20 to 29 20 +29.4% 8 -125% 23 2
30 to 39 13 +66.3% 6 +180.84% 22 23
40 to 49 11 -14.77% 11 -166.22% 8 1
50 to 59 17 -51.55% 7 +221.74% 9 23
60 to 69 17 +32.16% 12 1.67% 18 8
70+ 15 -107.42% 18 -80.48% 3 7

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Fairfield, Iowa is $89,375.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Fairfield.

  • Under 25
    $0.00
  • 25 to 44
    $0.00
  • 45 to 64
    $77,125.00
  • 65 and over
    $45,417.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Fairfield, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Fairfield, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Fairfield, Iowa is currently $127,715.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

16.09% of households in Fairfield are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Fairfield against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    9.20%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    11.49%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    16.09%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    13.79%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    32.18%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    1.15%
  • $200,000 or more
    16.09%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Fairfield is $41,959.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Fairfield by the total population of Fairfield.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Fairfield, Iowa, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Fairfield to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    0.00%
  • Bachelor's degree
    44.87%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    25.64%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    29.49%
  • Less than high school diploma
    0.00%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Fairfield that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Fairfield over the age of 16 is 174.

Of those people, a total of 81.00% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Fairfield is 69.50%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 27 51.90% 85.70%
20 to 24 years 8 100.00% 0.00%
25 to 29 years 17 100.00% 47.10%
30 to 34 years 23 100.00% 0.00%
35 to 44 years 26 100.00% 0.00%
45 to 54 years 11 100.00% 0.00%
55 to 59 years 26 100.00% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 21 47.60% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 5 60.00% 0.00%
75 years and over 10 30.00% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Fairfield. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 156 85.90% 14.90%
Black or African American 0 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 0 0.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 0 0.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 18 38.90% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 0 0.00% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 156 85.90% 14.90%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Fairfield as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Fairfield is 121, with median earnings of $44,464.00.

Women in Fairfield, Iowa earning approximately 40.00% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 121 $44,464.00
Male 65 $53,594.00
Female 56 $21,458.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 12 $56,000.00
Business and Financial 0 $0.00
Computer and Mathematical 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 4 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 4 $0.00
Community and Social Service 0 $0.00
Legal 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 3 $0.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 0 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 22 $131,250.00
Healthcare Support 14 $0.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 13 $0.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 1 $0.00
Personal Care and Service 3 $0.00
Sales 1 $0.00
Office and Administrative Support 12 $25,833.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 3 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 9 $24,375.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 1 $0.00
Production 6 $0.00
Transportation and Material Moving 8 $0.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 10 $55,500.00 2 $0.00
Business and Financial 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Computer and Mathematical 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 4 $0.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00 4 $0.00
Community and Social Service 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Legal 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 0 $0.00 3 $0.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 16 $250,001.00 6 $0.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 14 $0.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 0 $0.00 13 $0.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 1 $0.00 0 $0.00
Personal Care and Service 0 $0.00 3 $0.00
Sales 1 $0.00 0 $0.00
Office and Administrative Support 1 $0.00 11 $25,417.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 3 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 9 $24,375.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 1 $0.00 0 $0.00
Production 6 $0.00 0 $0.00
Transportation and Material Moving 8 $0.00 0 $0.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 87 households in Fairfield, with an average household size of 2.61 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 60 families in Fairfield with an average family size of 3.33 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 56 4 0 27
Average Household Size 3.3 3.75 0 0
Total Families 56 4 0 0
Average Household Size 3.3 3.75 0 0

Poverty

Of the 60 families in Fairfield, 0.00% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Fairfield:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 126 housing units in Fairfield, Iowa.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 87 69.05%
Vacant 39 30.95%

18.25% of the total 126 housing units in Fairfield are rental units. This is approximately 23 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 59 are occupied by the owner - or 46.83% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Fairfield is $575.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Fairfield that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    5
  • Less than $500
    8
  • $500 to $999
    15
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    0
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Fairfield is $117,500.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Fairfield that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    5
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    14
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    18
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    0
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    8
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    14
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    0
  • $1,000,000 or more
    0

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Fairfield. The chart below shows the number of properties in Fairfield that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    77
  • 1940 to 1949
    8
  • 1950 to 1959
    2
  • 1960 to 1969
    1
  • 1970 to 1979
    22
  • 1980 to 1989
    1
  • 1990 to 1999
    0
  • 2000 to 2009
    14
  • 2010 to 2013
    1
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Fairfield that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    0
  • 1 vehicle available
    24
  • 2 vehicles available
    43
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    20

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Fairfield get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Fairfield that commute to work in a particular way.

14.1 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Fairfield.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    9
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    15
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    32
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    33
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    20
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    0
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    0
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    2
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    0
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    6
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    0
  • 90 or more minutes
    0

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Fairfield, Iowa in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.