Get to Know Fairfield, CT
Fairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It borders the towns of Westport, Trumbull, Easton, Weston, and Bridgeport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. Fairfield is home to two post-secondary institutions, Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University.
Money Magazine selected Fairfield as the 44th “Best Place to Live” in its 2014 edition. Here’s why:
“About a third of Fairfield residents brave the 75-minute commute to New York City via express train during the week. The payoff: weekends in a city with a thriving downtown, lively restaurant scene and five miles of beaches on the Long Island Sound coastline. The schools are among the state’s best (the town’s two high schools are in the top 25 in the state), and Lake Mohegan is a popular hiking and fresh-water swimming spot. And though home prices have steadily climbed since the recession ended, Fairfield is more affordable relative to neighboring towns in the county.”
In 2016, Fairfield was ranked #7 in Niche’s Report on the Healthiest Places to Live in Connecticut.
According to Money Magazine’s 2016 Best Places to Live Report, Fairfield, CT has the following stats:
| FAIRFIELD, CT | |
|---|---|
| POPULATION | 59,796 |
| PERCENT OF RESIDENTS WITH AT LEAST A BACHELOR’S DEGREE | 61.7% |
| AVERAGE COMMUTE TIME IN MINUTES | 30 |
| MEDIAN FAMILY INCOME | $145,460 |
| PROJECTED 5-YEAR JOB GROWTH | 5% |
| UNEMPLOYMENT RATE | 5.5% |
| MEDIAN HOME PRICE | $535,000 |
| AVERAGE PROPERTY TAX | $11,033 |
Train Stations
- Fairfield Train Station: 165 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT 06430-5017 (50.5 miles to Grand Central Terminal)
- Fairfield Metro Train Station: 61 Constant Comment Way, Fairfield, CT 06824 (53 miles to Grand Central Terminal)
- Southport Train Station: 400 Center Street, Fairfield, CT 06490-1432 (48.9 miles to Grand Central Terminal)
Schools
Fairfield has three public high schools, three public middle schools, and eleven public elementary schools:
- Fairfield Warde High School – ranked 18th within Connecticut according to U.S News & World Report for the Best High School.
- Fairfield Ludlowe High School – ranked 16th within Connecticut according to U.S News & World Report for the Best High School.
- Walter Fitzgerald High School
- Roger Ludlowe Middle School
- Tomlinson Middle School
- Fairfield Woods Middle School
- Burr Elementary School
- Holland Hill Elementary School
- McKinley Elementary School
- North Stratfield Elementary School
- Riverfield Elementary School
- Stratfield Elementary School
- Dwight Elementary School
- Jennings Elementary School
- Mill Hill Elementary School
- Osborn Hill Elementary School
- Sherman Elementary School
Fairfield has several Catholic schools, including two high schools, Fairfield Prep and Notre Dame, and two primary schools, St. Thomas Aquinas and Our Lady of the Assumption.
Non-religious private schools include Fairfield Country Day School and the Unquowa School.
Neighborhoods
Fairfield consists of many neighborhoods. The best known are Southport with its beautiful beach, and Greenfield Hill, with its large areas, famous dogwood trees
- Fairfield Center/Downtown Fairfield
- Fairfield Beach area
- Grasmere
- Greenfield Hill
- Sasco Hill and Beach
- Southport
- Stratfield Village
- Tunxis Hill
Parks and Recreation
Fairfield residents enjoy a wealth of recreational opportunities, many of which stem from Fairfield’s enviable location on the Long Island Sound. The “SportsPlex” is located in downtown Fairfield and offers athletic activities such as; ice skating, indoor climbing, indoor soccer and gymnastics.
Playgrounds & Skate Park
- Jennings Beach Skate Park
- Dover Park: Playground
- Gould Manor Park: Playground, Picnic Area, Sledding Hills & Skating Pond
- Grasmere Eldercare Center: Softball Field & Playground
- Henry Rowland Park “The Sand Castle”: Playground
- Highwood Park: Playground
- Lincoln Park: Playground
- Melville Park: Playground
- Oldfield Senior Center: Playground
- Owen Fish Park: Baseball Field, Picnic Area & Skating Pond
- Pine Creek Avenue Park: Playground
- Rugby Park: Playground
- Sgt. Murphy Park: Playground
- Sturges Park: Playground & Sledding Hills
- Tunxis Hill Park: Baseball Field, Playground & Sledding Hills
- Veres Street Park: Softball Field, Playground
- Veterans Park: Softball Field, Playground, Picnic Area & Bocce Courts
Golf & Tennis
- H. Smith Richardson Golf Course: A premier public golf course in Fairfield on 6600+ yards of beautifully maintained fairways and greens.
- Carl Dickman Par 3 Golf Course: 9 holes at par 27 and 1240 yards long.
- Fairchild Wheeler Golf Course: Offers two challenging 18 hole golf courses.
- Fairfield Tennis Club: Six har-tru courts for day and evening play.
Private Country Clubs
- Country Club of Fairfield:
- Brooklawn Country Club: Offers a magnificent clubhouse, excellent dining and social programs, as well as traditional country club sports such as tennis, paddle, pool and bowling.
- Fairfield Beach Club: A private club that offers tennis, pool and beach.
- The Patterson Club: A private year-round country club with dining, social and sports activities for the entire family.
- Pequot Yacht Club: For Sailors.
Beaches
The town’s 5 miles of Long Island Sound coastline include five town beaches which are staffed by lifeguards during the summer and miles of privately owned beach which are open to the public below the high tide mark.
- Jennings Beach
- Lake Mohegan – includes waterfalls called The Cascades, is a popular destination for hiking, as are the Fairfield Audubon Society and the Bird Sanctuary.
- Penfield Beach
- South Pine Creek Beach
- Southport Beach
- Sasco Beach
Marinas
Fairfielders are fortunate to have two public marinas in Town:
- South Benson Marina, located at 471 Turney Road in Fairfield, is a town-owned facility providing 600 boat slips which residents can rent for the summer.
- Ye Yacht Yard, located at 985 Harbor Road, Southport, on picturesque Southport Harbor, accommodates 60 small boats to a maximum 14” and no wider than 5’. It also provides boat launch services to residents and access to moorings in Southport Harbor. Additionally, 25 Kayak racks are available. Ye Yacht Yard is also the location of Community Sailing of Fairfield, whose members share use of two 18-foot sailboats.