Fairfax Iowa Legion Hall, 2016
Fairfax’s story
163 years in pictures
Census counts: 262 in 1940, 2,828 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2016 and 4 maps from 1888 on.
- 1863Fairfax is settled
FairfaxIA
A town of 2,925, settled in 1863.
Population
2,925
2025 Census estimate · +3.1% since 2020
Typical home
$309K
+3.7% in a year
Household income
$114K
median
Median age
38.5
years
Jobs based here
442
A commuter town
TownGrade
B−
#82 of 140 in IA
Is Fairfax a good place to live?
Fairfax grades B− overall, 82nd among Iowa's 140 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. The median household earns $114K and CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 78% of the country. Its lowest everyday mark is in schools: its schools rank behind 66% of the state's. A typical home there costs about $309K, 4 years of the Cedar Rapids metro’s $78K median household income. Only 13 of Iowa’s 276 towns score lower on walkability. Fairfax's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 91% of U.S. towns. Only 24 of Iowa’s 276 towns score lower on cost of living.
A growing town
Fairfax has grown 37% since 2010
2,123 counted in 2010 and 2,828 in 2020; an estimated 2,925 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Fairfax grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Fairfax is from typical.
Jobs & incomeAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.8 of 20; 2.9% of households have no car; 0.6% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →HealthMercy Medical Center - Cedar Rapids 7.3 miles awayA−Open →SchoolsCOpen →Cost of livingC+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 43% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1% conserved landC+Open →History1 notable person born hereC−Open →Civic life5.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Fairfax: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Fairfax, and how to reach them.
PowerInterstate Power and Light17.8¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterFairfax Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Fairfax’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa 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 hereLinn County AuditorLinn County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP code5222852228 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 Fairfax.
Fairfax has less tooth loss than most of Iowa, has household incomes well above the Iowa norm and has an unusually large share working from home.
HealthA−
Fairfax earns an A− for health
Its widest gap with Iowa is tooth loss: 7.3% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 11.6% statewide. Against the 6,535 U.S. towns with household incomes like Fairfax’s, it is healthier than 56%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
21% of adults binge drink in Fairfax, against 20% in Iowa’s towns and 16% across U.S. towns. 30% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Fairfax. Fairfax beats the Iowa average on 12 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
78%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Fairfax | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 32% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 35% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 26% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
12 better20 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Fairfax | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.3% | 11.6% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.3% | 7.3% |
Mercy Medical Center - Cedar Rapids
7.3 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
78th
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
A smaller share of working residents in Fairfax work locally than in the typical Iowa or U.S. town
21.1% of workers work from home, against 11.3% across Iowa.
1.3% of working residents work locally in Fairfax, below both the Iowa town median (31%) and the median of U.S. towns (8%). Jobs based in Fairfax grew to 442 in 2023, 163 more than in 2013. 21% of Fairfax workers work from home.
1%work in town
| Fairfax | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.3% | 31% | 8% |
| Work from home | 21% | 8.5% | 11% |
| Median household income | $114,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.2% | 11% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Fairfax1%
Cedar Rapids55%
Iowa City4%
Marion3%
Hiawatha3%
8 mi
median commute distance
442
jobs based in Fairfax
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 22% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade C+
Compared with most of Iowa and the rest of the country, more of Fairfax’s households own their home
Only 2 of the 140 Iowa towns we compare have a higher share of households owning their home than Fairfax. Fairfax’s median rent is $1,366 a month. The typical Fairfax home is worth about $309,000, up 3.7% in a year, 31% above the Iowa typical home.
$309KZillow home value
| Fairfax | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 92% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,366 a month | $909 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Fairfax$309K
Iowa$237K
Market temperature
17
days on market
100.2%
sale-to-list price
+3.7%
value change, 1 year
5
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Fairfax has four seasons and pleasant summers
Fairfax has cold winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 11° and about 27 inches of snow falls in a winter.
27″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–32°
Spring38–60°
Summer61–82°
Fall40–61°
Oct 11
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More children than Iowa overall
The median household earns $114,375, against $75,059 across Iowa, one input to its A for jobs and income.
Children under 18 are 28% of residents (23% statewide); people 65 and older are 14% of residents (18% statewide). Fairfax has grown 3.1% since 2020, to 2,925 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 35% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa.
38.5median age · IA 38.6
| Fairfax | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 28% | 23% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 14% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 35% | 25% | 29% |
| Median age | 38.5 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
FairfaxIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school26%
Some college22%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s25%
Graduate10%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.4 points. Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Fairfax | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 16.4% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.4% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.2% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.1% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.4% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.8% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.7% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.1% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.8% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.1% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.9% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 24.9% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.2% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,900, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Fairfax
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities. Since 1982, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Fairfax.
43risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
5
paid flood claims since 1982
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsC+
Conserved land covers 1.4% of Fairfax
0.3 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. The trail density in Fairfax is 0.1 miles per square mile.
1.4%conserved
| Fairfax | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.4% | 3.1% | 4.3% |
1.4%
conserved · 33 of 2,330 acres
0.3 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hawks Ridge Park | 0.3 mi | 4 |
| 2. Fairfax City Park | — | 5 |
| 3. Prairie Creek Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 19 attractions →Kinnick Stadium and 12 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Fairfax. Close and well known come first.
22 mi Stadium & arenaKinnick Stadium
28 mi MuseumHerbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum
7 mi MuseumNational Czech & Slovak Museum & Library
21 mi Stadium & arenaCarver–Hawkeye Arena
28 mi National Historic SiteHerbert Hoover National Historic Site107K visitors a year
7 mi MuseumMuseum of Art Cedar RapidsSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Kinnick Stadium: Count_de_Des_Moines (talk) (Uploads), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum: Shadow2700, Public domain · National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library: ArtisticAbode, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Carver–Hawkeye Arena: Asolsma1988, CC0 · Herbert Hoover National Historic Site: Billwhittaker, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Museum of Art Cedar Rapids: ericjames, CC BY 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Fairfax
19pages on Fairfax
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Fairfax
Kirkwood Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Cedar Rapids6.6 mi$6,176 in-state tuitionCoe CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Cedar Rapids7.5 mi$54,666 tuitionMount Mercy UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Cedar Rapids8.4 mi$40,878 tuition
About 3 of every 100 Fairfax residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Fairfax for work
Where Fairfax’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
442jobs based in Fairfax
1%of working residents work in town
8 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Fairfax
City in Iowa, United States
Fairfax is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,828 at the time of the 2020 census. It is part of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 774 ft
- ZIP code
- 52228
Fairfax’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Fairfax.
Cedar RapidsFairfax
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfax | #82 | B− | C+ | — | C | A− |
| Cedar Rapids | #104 | C | B | C− | D | B |
Fairfax reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Fairfax with a neighbor →
Questions about Fairfax
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Fairfax, IA a good place to live?
Fairfax grades B− overall, better than 54% of U.S. towns and #82 of 140 in Iowa. It grades A− for health and C for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Fairfax, IA expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.