Fairfield is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Solano County, California Solano County () is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 453,491. The county seat is Fairfield, California, Fairfield. Solano County comp ...

, United States, in the North Bay sub-region of the

San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a List of regions of California, region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, California, S ...

. The city has a diversified economy, with government, manufacturing, healthcare, retail, professional and commercial construction sectors. Fairfield was founded in 1856 by

clipper A clipper was a type of mid-19th-century merchant sailing vessel, designed for speed. The term was also retrospectively applied to the Baltimore clipper, which originated in the late 18th century. Clippers were generally narrow for their len ...

ship captain Robert H. Waterman, and named after his former hometown of

Fairfield, Connecticut Fairfield is a New England town, town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It borders the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Bridgeport and towns of Trumbull, Connecticut, Trumbull, Easton, Connecticut, Easton, Weston, Connecticut, W ...

. It is the location of

Travis Air Force Base Travis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base under the operational control of Air Mobility Command (AMC), located three miles (5 Kilometre, km) east of the central business district of the city of Fairfield, California, Fairfield, i ...

and the headquarters of Jelly Belly. The population was 119,881 at the 2020 census.

History

Native Americans such as the Suisun people inhabited the area. A clipper ship captain from

, named Robert H. Waterman, parceled out the town in 1856. He entered Fairfield in the race for Solano County seat in 1858, and won it from Benicia. As an inducement, he granted of land for the construction of county buildings. In 1903, Fairfield was incorporated as a city. In August 2020, parts of Fairfield were evacuated due to the LNU Lighting Complex Fires, which resulted in the burning of over in five counties, including in nearby Vacaville.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. The total area is 5.65% water. Located within the California Coastal Ranges, the city is centered directly north of the Suisun Bay and northeast of the

San Pablo Bay San Pablo Bay is a tidal estuary that forms the northern extension of the San Francisco Bay in the East Bay and North Bay regions of the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California. Most of the Bay is shallow; however, there is a deep wate ...

. Much of the Suisun Bay contains the

Suisun Marsh Located in northern California, the Suisun Marsh ( ) has been referred to as the largest brackish water marsh on west coast of the United States of America. The marsh land is part of a tidal estuary, and subject to tidal ebb and flood. The marsh ...

, the largest saltwater marsh on the west coast of the United States.

Climate

Fairfield has a

hot-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

Csa). Summers have hot afternoons with cool nights with a lengthy dry period, whereas winters see frequent rainfall with mild to cool temperatures.

Demographics

2020

According to the 2020 United States census, Fairfield had a population of 119,881. The population density was . During the period between 2017 and 2021, on average, 3.16 people lived in a household. The racial makeup of Fairfield is 42.2%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 15.9% Black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 17.7% Asian, 1.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and 12.9% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race was 29.3%. Non-Hispanic White was 29.0%. Approximately one-quarter of Fairfield's population is under the age of 18 (25.3%). People who were 65 years or older constituted 13.0% of the population.

2010

The 2010 United States census reported that Fairfield had a population of 105,322. The population density was . The racial makeup of Fairfield was 48,407 (46.0%)

, 16,586 (15.7%)

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 869 (0.8%) Native American, 15,700 (14.9%) Asian (9.1% Filipino, 1.8% Indian, 1.0% Chinese, 0.6% Vietnamese, 0.6% Japanese, 0.4% Korean, 0.3% Laotian, 0.2% Thai, 0.1% Pakistani), 1,149 (1.1%)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 13,301 (12.6%) from other races, and 9,309 (8.8%) from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 28,789 persons (27.3%); 21.2% of Fairfield was Mexican, 1.1% Puerto Rican, 1.0% Salvadoran, 0.5% Nicaraguan, 0.3% Guatemalan, 0.2% Cuban, and 0.2% Peruvian. The Census reported that 102,832 people (97.6% of the population) lived in households, 1,221 (1.2%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1,268 (1.2%) were institutionalized. There were 34,484 households, out of which 14,725 (42.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 18,461 (53.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 5,203 (15.1%) had a female householder with no husband present, 2,179 (6.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 2,052 (6.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 237 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 6,802 households (19.7%) were made up of individuals, and 2,500 (7.2%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98. There were 25,843

families Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...

(74.9% of all households); the average family size was 3.42. The population was spread out, with 28,499 people (27.1%) under the age of 18, 11,246 people (10.7%) aged 18 to 24, 28,917 people (27.5%) aged 25 to 44, 25,884 people (24.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 10,775 people (10.2%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males. There were 37,184 housing units at an average density of , of which 20,835 (60.4%) were owner-occupied, and 13,649 (39.6%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.1%. 61,652 people (58.5% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 41,180 people (39.1%) lived in rental housing units.

2000

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 96,178 people, 30,870 households, and 24,016 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 31,792 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 56.21%

, 15.02%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

, 0.77% Native American, 10.89% Asian, 0.93%

, 8.77% from other races, and 7.41% from two or more races. 18.77% of the population were

or Latino of any race. There were 30,870 households, out of which 43.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.2% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.33. In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.8% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males. The median income for a household in the city was $51,151, and the median income for a family was $55,503. Males had a median income of $38,544 versus $30,616 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $20,617. 9.3% of the population and 7.1% of families were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

. Out of the total population, 12.1% of those under the age of 18 and 5.2% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Economy

Fairfield has a diversified economy, with government, manufacturing, healthcare, retail, professional and commercial construction sectors.

Anheuser-Busch Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC ( ) is an American brewing company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Since 2008, it has been wholly owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (AB InBev), now the world's largest brewing company, which owns multiple ...

operates a large regional

Budweiser Budweiser () is an American-style pale lager, a brand of Belgian company AB InBev. Introduced in 1876 by Carl Conrad & Co. of St. Louis, Missouri, Budweiser has become a large selling beer company in the United States. Budweiser is a filte ...

brewery A brewery or brewing company is a business that makes and sells beer. The place at which beer is commercially made is either called a brewery or a beerhouse, where distinct sets of brewing equipment are called plant. The commercial brewing of b ...

Clorox The Clorox Company (formerly Clorox Chemical Company) is an American multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products. As of 2024, the Oakland, California-based company had approximately 8,000 employees worldwide. N ...

produces

bleach Bleach is the generic name for any chemical product that is used industrially or domestically to remove color from (i.e. to whiten) fabric or fiber (in a process called bleaching) or to disinfect after cleaning. It often refers specifically t ...

products, and the Jelly Belly Candy Company manufactures its jelly beans in Fairfield. Partnership HealthPlan of California, an insurer, is based in Fairfield.

Top employers

According to the city's 2021-2022 Popular Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Arts and culture

The city's libraries are operated by Solano County Library, and include Fairfield Civic Center Library, and Fairfield Cordelia Library. Annual festivals include a Tomato and Vine Festival,

4th of July Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'', a 1972 Soviet drama ...

, and Día de los Muertos. The City Council appoints a Poet Laureate every two years. The Poet Laureate's role is to advocate for poetry and the advancement of literary arts in the community.

Parks and recreation

Recreation facilities and parks include Community Center, Adult Recreation Center, the Allan Witt Aquatics and Sports Complex, Dunnell Nature Park and Education Center, Laurel Creek Neighborhood Center, and Mankas Neighborhood Center. In 2018, a plan was adopted to renovate the Allan Witt park. A 6 mile section of the old Sacramento Northern Railway right of way has been developed into the Fairfield Linear Park, with a bicycle trail, plazas, and park features.

Golf courses

Public golf courses include Paradise Valley, and Rancho Solano.

Government

Prior to 2020, there were five city councilmembers, which include the Vice-Mayor and Mayor. Councilmembers are elected at large for four-year, staggered terms. Elections are held in November of even-numbered years. Beginning in November 2020, city council elections in Fairfield were conducted by district, with six district seats and an at-large mayoral seat for a total of seven council seats. As of September 2022, there were 63,897 registered voters in Fairfield; of these, 32,104 (50.2%) are Democrats, 12,810 (20.0%) are Republicans, and 14,808 (23.2%) stated no party preference.

Education

Public education is administered by Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District and Travis Unified School District. High schools in the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District include: * Angelo Rodriguez High School (Early College program) * Armijo High School (International Baccalaureate program) * Fairfield High School High school in the Travis Unified School District include Vanden High School.

Private schools

Holy Spirit School is a Catholic private school (K-8).

Infrastructure

Transportation

Highways include Interstate 80, Interstate 680, and State Route 12. The Fairfield-Vacaville Hannigan railroad station opened in November 2017. The station is served by ''

Capitol Corridor The ''Capitol Corridor'' is a passenger train route in Northern California operated by Amtrak between San Jose, California, San Jose, in the Bay Area, and Auburn, California, Auburn, in the Sacramento Valley. The route is named after the two ...

'' trains operated by

Amtrak California Amtrak California is a brand name used by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Division of Rail for three state-supported Amtrak regional rail routes in Californiathe ''Capitol Corridor'', the ''Pacific Surfliner'', and the ...

. Fairfield Transportation Center is a transportation hub. Fairfield and Suisun Transit provides local bus service.

Healthcare

NorthBay Medical Center is a 154-bed hospital with a level II Trauma Center.

Notable people

* Mercedes Moné, professional wrestler for AEW, formerly known as Sasha Banks in WWE * Brad Bergesen, starting pitcher for the MLB

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

* Desmond Bishop, Super Bowl Champion former starting middle linebacker for the NFL

Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...

, Graduated from Fairfield High School class of 2002 * Deone Bucannon, starting safety for the NFL

Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC West, West division. The ...

, Graduated from Vanden High School class of 2010 * Chris Daly, former San Francisco supervisor * Jacob Duran, professional Kickboxing, UFC and boxing cutman/Actor appeared in Rocky Balboa & Creed 1,2 * Huck Flener, MLB Pitcher, graduated from Armijo High School * Augie Galan, MLB All-Star outfielder, lived and died in Fairfield * Quinton Ganther, NFL free agent, graduated from Fairfield High School class of 2002 * Luis Grijalva, professional runner representing

Guatemala Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...

, Olympian, graduated from Armijo High School * Kathleen Hicks, 35th US Deputy Secretary of Defense, born in Fairfield * Susan Hutchison, Chair of the Washington State Republican Party, former television news journalist * James-Michael Johnson, NFL linebacker * Stevie Johnson, starting NFL wide receiver for the

San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...

* Lee Kohler, musician and leader of the band This World * Linda Mabalot, filmmaker and activist who founded the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival * Pat Morita, Oscar-nominated actor best known as Mr. Miyagi from ''Karate Kid'', longtime Fairfield resident, graduated from Armijo High School * CC Sabathia, MLB starting pitcher for the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

and a resident of the Fairfield area * Alan Sanchez, WBC Continental America's Welterweight Boxing Champion fighting out of Fairfield * Tony Sanchez (American football), former American College Football coach and player * Jesse Scholtens, MLB pitcher for the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

* Chester See, singer, songwriter, producer, prior host of Disney 365 with over one million subscribers on his

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

channel as of 2013 * Tracy K. Smith, U.S. Poet Laureate, Pulitzer prize winner * Anthony Swofford, former

U.S. Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

and author * Mychal Threets, American librarian and 2023 ALA Outstanding Public Service Award winner * Jason Verrett, NFL cornerback for the

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...

* Dominic Wynn Woods, aka Sage the Gemini, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer

Sister cities

* Nirasaki, Yamanashi, Japan City of Fairfield. Retrieved July 27, 2017.

References

External links

*
Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce
{{Portal, San Francisco Bay Area 1856 establishments in California 1903 establishments in California Cities in the San Francisco Bay Area Cities in Solano County, California County seats in California Incorporated cities and towns in California Populated places established in 1856 Populated places established in 1903