Fairfield is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Iowa, United States. It has a population of 9,416 people, according to the 2020 census. Fairfield is an international center for Transcendental Meditation, the home of Maharishi International University.

It became the county seat in 1839 with 110 residents and grew to 650 by 1847. Its library was established in 1853, and it held its first fair in 1854. Early architecture in Fairfield includes work by George Franklin Barber and Barry Byrne.

History The area known as Jefferson County was first settled in 1836 and became Jefferson County in 1839, with the new community of Fairfield as the county seat. The name was suggested by Nancy Bonnifield, one of the settlers, because it aptly described the fair fields of the area. But author Susan Welty suggests it was also a play of words on the woman's own name (bonny field). By 1840, Fairfield had a population of 110 and grew to 650 in 1847. The city was the site of the first and second Iowa State Fairs.

The first fair was held October 25–27, 1854, on of land surrounded by a fence. The total cost to hold the fair was around $320, and public admission was 25 cents per person. It is estimated that between 7,000 and 10,000 fair goers attended this historical event. During the time leading up to the American Civil War, Fairfield was a stopping point for the Underground Railroad. Ultimately, over 1,600 residents of Jefferson County served in the Union Army. Parsons College was founded in 1875. In 1893, the first Carnegie Library west of the Mississippi was completed.

Early architecture in Fairfield includes Victorian houses designed by George Franklin Barber, as well as a 1915 house designed by Barry Byrne, who trained under Frank Lloyd Wright. A 1930s bank building was designed in the Streamline Moderne style. Commercial and institutional architecture were influenced by the Louden Industries, including the Louden Foundry.

Fairfield is the site of the prototype Carnegie library. In 1892, Senator "Jefferson Jim" Wilson met with Andrew Carnegie and secured a grant to build the first community-based library in the U.S. This served as the model for 2,700 libraries worldwide. The Richardsonian Romanesque work is operated by Indian Hills Community College as a satellite campus building, since a new library was built in 1996.

Parsons College later received a grant to build another Carnegie Library. Fairfield became one of the few cities that had two Carnegie Libraries.

Geography Fairfield's geography is typical of the American Midwest: around the city is rolling farmland specializing in corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs. Running west–east through the city is U.S. Route 34; the city of Burlington is to the east and Ottumwa to the west. Iowa Highway 1 runs from north to south through Fairfield, leading north to Iowa City and south to the Missouri state border.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which are land and are water.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, Fairfield had a population of 9,416, including 4,275 households and 2,119 families. The population density was 1,423.7 inhabitants per square mile (549.7/km2). There were 4,811 housing units at an average density of 727.4 per square mile (280.9/km2). The median age was 44.3 years. 17.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 28.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. 18.9% of residents were under the age of 20; 4.8% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 27.0% were from 25 to 44; and 20.9% were from 45 to 64. The gender makeup of the city was 50.9% male and 49.1% female.

97.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 2.8% lived in rural areas.

There were 4,275 households, of which 20.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 35.5% were married-couple households, 6.1% were cohabiting-couple households, 26.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 50.4% of households were non-families, 43.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Of the city's housing units, 11.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.6%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 7,655 81.3% Black or African American 387 4.1% American Indian and Alaska Native 44 0.5% Asian 470 5.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 5 0.1% Some other race 254 2.7% Two or more races 601 6.4% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 513 5.4%

2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 9,464 people, 4,201 households, and 2,218 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 4,650 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 90.3% White, 2.0% African American, 0.2% Native American, 3.9% Asian, 1.4% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.6% of the population.

There were 4,201 households, of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.2% were non-families. 39.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.76.

The median age in the city was 46 years. 18.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.9% were from 25 to 44; 35.3% were from 45 to 64; and 15.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.7% male and 50.3% female.

2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 9,509 people, 4,063 households, and 2,372 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 4,463 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.35% White, 0.99% African American, 0.16% Native American, 2.53% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.64% of the population.

There were 4,063 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.2% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.6% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.7% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,202, and the median income for a family was $46,138. Males had a median income of $34,750 versus $24,830 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,673. About 10.1% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.7% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

There are 4,437 total housing units in Fairfield, 33.3% were built before 1939, 20.4% between 1940 and 1959, 12.7 between 1960 and 1969, 9.2 between 1970 and 1979, 15.5 between 1980 and 1989, 4.6 between 1990 and 1994, 2.5 between 1995 and 1998, and 1.8 between 1998 and 1999. The median home value in Fairfield is $73,200. Economy According to an article in The New York Times, the city "thrives largely on its abundance of start-up companies". Members of the community have established over 400 businesses in areas such as software, manufacturing, and trading. The Agri-Industrial Products company was founded in 1978 and became one of the nation's largest manufacturers of construction warning barrels and other products made of plastic. The New York Times, Hot Spots, Silicorn Valley, Meditating for Fun and Profit, Andrew Bluth, September 23, 1998 The city is also home to Creative Edge, a ceramic tile manufacturer.Heartland Connection, Ceramic tiles commemorate Iowa quilters, Matt Burhman, July 15, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2011

In 1990, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad called the city "one of the state's economic superstars".Los Angeles Times, Flying University Draws Meditating Entrepreneurs, April 8, 1990, A 1997 report said the city had a significant number of entrepreneur businesses including a tofu company, several software firms, a chimney supplies wholesaler, wholefoods grocery store, an oil brokerage, and a telecommunications company. These new companies were reported in 1999 to have "created up to 1,500 jobs in high tech businesses ranging from telecommunications companies to Internet providers to PC-oriented magazines". Later, the city was dubbed "Silicorn Valley" because of the preponderance of new businesses that were Internet and information based, founded by practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation technique.

In the 1990s, Fairfield had an average of $10 million in new construction each year. Some of the construction was in the Maharishi Sthapatya Veda style of architecture and included entrances that face either due east or due north, causing some businesses and homeowners to close their south and west facing entrances.Kraus, Daniel, "Roo the day", Salon (August 25, 2000) Eco friendly subdivisions that border Fairfield and also use the architectural principles of Maharishi Sthapatya Veda include Cypress Villages, a development north of the city, and Abundance Ecovillage, an off-the-grid community of 14 homes built in three clusters"Harmonious Living With Nature" by Mindy Kralicek, Iowa Outdoors, March/April 2012 p 52. north of Fairfield. The first LEED Platinum home in the state of Iowa was built nearby in the Cypress Villages Subdivision. Cypress Villages applied to the state for incorporation as it could not be annexed into either Fairfield or Maharishi Vedic City. That request was denied until such time as more services could be offered by the community.Dalbey, Beth, "Fairfield blazing a trail for other Iowa cities eyeing sustainability", Iowa Independent (January 4, 2010) Jacobs, Lacey "Supervisors want Cypress Villages' request dismissed" Fairfield Daily Ledger (July 8, 2008)Jacobs, Lacey, "Cypress Villages to withdraw city incorporation request" Fairfield Daily Ledger (July 11, 2008)Jacobs, Lacey, "Annexing airport remains option for City Council", Fairfield Daily Ledger (September 9, 2008)Jacobs, Lacey, "Cypress Villages now clear to seek incorporation", Fairfield Daily Ledger, July 30, 2009 In addition, nearby Maharishi Vedic City, located two miles (3 km) north of Fairfield, began as a subdivision and incorporated as a city in 2001.Resolution No. 5 – "To Approve Agreement for Fire Protection between the City of Fairfield and the City of Vedic City" December 14, 2001, MVS web site The city sponsors an annual Eco-Fair and has more solar energy homes and green building than any other city in Iowa.