IMGP9332.JPG CA99 NB at, 2016
Fairmead’s story
113 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2016.
- 1913Fairmead is settled
FairmeadCA
A town of 1,229, settled in 1913.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: David Prasad from Welches, OR., United States · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,229
Census survey, 2020–24
Household income
$47K
median
Median age
28.8
years
Jobs based here
188
Balanced
Is Fairmead a good place to live?
Fairmead’s weakest subject grade is a D− for health. 32% of residents live below the poverty line in Fairmead, above both California’s towns (10%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 20 of California’s 1,064 towns score lower on health. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 91% of U.S. towns. Fairmead’s trail network density is 1.4 miles per square mile, above both the California town median (1.0) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Only 94 of California’s 1,064 towns score lower on the outdoors. Fairmead has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
A shrinking town
Fairmead has shrunk 15% from 2010 to 2020
1,447 counted in 2010 and 1,235 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Fairmead grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Fairmead is from typical.
HealthLess healthy than 97% of U.S. towns; Madera Community Hospital 12.3 miles awayD−Open →Jobs & incomeDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.3 of 20; 4.3% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →SchoolsC−Open →Hazard riskdrought tops the listCOpen →Cost of livingHome prices against what area households earnB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Fairmead: who provides what
Fairmead is unincorporated, so Madera County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMd 33 Fairmead water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesMadera CountyMadera County provides services here
SchoolsChowchilla Elementary School DistrictChowchilla Union High School District2 districts serve Fairmead; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMadera County Elections DivisionMadera County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2025
ZIP code9361093610 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Fairmead.
HealthD−
A larger share of adults in Fairmead report frequent physical distress than in the typical California or U.S. town
For adults in Fairmead, the share who say their health is fair or poor is 40%. CDC measures, 32 in all: Fairmead beats California on 1 and trails on 22.
3%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Fairmead | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 22% | 19% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. California
1 better9 too close to call22 worse
| What stands out | Fairmead | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.3% | 6.4% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 18% | 7.3% |
Madera Community Hospital
12.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsC−
Public schools in Fairmead fall behind 79% of California districts
Its public schools are run by the Chowchilla Elementary school district. Fairmead’s only public school teaches 458 students.
21%of CA districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairmead ElementaryLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–6 | Grades 5–6 | 458 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers: that is Fairmead’s year
July afternoons reach 96°, January nights drop to 39° and snow is almost unheard of.
96°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter39–58°
Spring48–75°
Summer62–94°
Fall50–78°
Nov 30
typical first frost
Feb 12
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
96°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Fairmead stands out in California and nationally, with fewer of its working residents who work locally
The median commute is under 37 miles. Fairmead had 188 jobs in 2023, down 450 from 2013. In Fairmead, the typical household income is $47,000. The top destinations are Fresno (9%), Chowchilla (9%) and Merced (7%).
1%work in town
| Fairmead | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.5% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Fairmead1%
Fresno9%
Chowchilla9%
Merced7%
Madera7%
37 mi
median commute distance
188
jobs based in Fairmead
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 9% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Natural hazards: high risk in Fairmead, mostly drought
Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in just over three fifths of U.S. communities. Expected losses in Fairmead break down as 69% from drought and 11% from inland flooding.
61risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingEarthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 4,885 acres
10 mi
of trails · 1.4 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Fairmead
16pages on Fairmead
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Fairmead; the nearest are
Madera Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Madera15.1 mi$1,378 in-state tuitionUniversity of California-MercedUniversity or college · Public · Merced23.7 mi$15,623 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Fairmead residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Small town
1,229 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
ChowchillaFairmead
About Fairmead
Census-designated place in California, United States
Fairmead is a census-designated place in Madera County, California, United States. It is located 11 miles (18 km) northwest of Madera, at an elevation of 253 feet (77 m), and bordered to the northwest by Chowchilla. The population was 1,235 at the 2020 census. A post office operated at Fairmead from 1913 to 1940. The community is impacted by the California High-Speed Rail, as the planned route will dislocate residents.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 7.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 253 ft
- Area code
- 559