The Town FilesFairfield, Michigan
Township in Shiawassee County · population 652 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $192,900
- Household income
- $78,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 46.3
Fairfield is a township of 652 people in Shiawassee County, Michigan. The median home is worth $192,900, close to the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks easier by car than 95% of Michigan towns, more of a college town than 89% of Michigan towns, better for families than 87% of Michigan towns.
How Fairfield ranks
Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fairfield is worth $192,900, close to the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $78,750, which is more affordable than 80% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $921 a month. 86.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fairfield | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $192,900 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $921 | $955 |
| Median household income | $78,750 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 86.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.5% | — |
Who lives in Fairfield
| People | Fairfield | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.3 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.8% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.6% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.7% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 33.7 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.9% | 88.8% |
Weather in Fairfield
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 15.7°F. About 34.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.3 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 149 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairfield since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 28, 1986 about 4.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 30, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 12, 2021.
Severe weather in Shiawassee County since 1996
Shiawassee County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| June 30, 2004 | Severe Storm | DR-1527: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| January 10, 2001 | Snowstorm | EM-3160: Snow |
Jobs and pay in Shiawassee County
Shiawassee County had 15,541 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,381 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Fairfield itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Towns near Fairfield
- Elsie, MI2.7 mi · 930 people · home $114,000
- Duplain, MI4.4 mi · 2,303 people · home $162,000
- Rush, MI5.4 mi · 1,268 people · home $194,900
- Middlebury, MI5.5 mi · 1,529 people · home $189,600
- Ovid, MI5.7 mi · 1,481 people · home $110,600
- Chapin, MI6.0 mi · 928 people · home $114,200
- Elba, MI7.1 mi · 1,293 people · home $127,200
- Owosso, MI7.5 mi · 4,765 people · home $180,900
Fairfield questions
Is Fairfield, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fairfield scores better for retirees than 42% of Michigan towns and quieter than 51%. 13.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.3).
How much does a house cost in Fairfield?
The median owner-occupied home in Fairfield is valued at $192,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,750, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $921 a month.
What is the weather like in Fairfield?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 15.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.5 inches of precipitation a year and 38.3 inches of snow.
Does Fairfield get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairfield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 28, 1986. The typical Michigan town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)