The Town FilesFairfax, Minnesota
City in Renville County · population 1,250 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $116,300
- Household income
- $60,172
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 40.9
Fairfax is a city of 1,250 people in Renville County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $116,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks quieter than 89% of Minnesota towns, easier by car than 85% of Minnesota towns.
How Fairfax ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fairfax is worth $116,300, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $60,172, which is more affordable than 95% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $432 a month. 79.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fairfax | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $116,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $432 | $991 |
| Median household income | $60,172 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 79.7% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1951 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.6% | — |
Who lives in Fairfax
| People | Fairfax | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.3% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.2% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.6% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.5% | — |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.8% | 90.2% |
Weather in Fairfax
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 5.7°F. About 28.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.4 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairfax since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 24, 2003 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 24, 2003.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on June 25, 2010.
Severe weather in Renville County since 1996
Renville County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 9, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4666: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 8, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4658: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Renville County
Renville County had 5,483 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,239 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Fairfax itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Towns near Fairfax
- Gibbon, MN9.8 mi · 784 people · home $102,700
- Morgan, MN12.6 mi · 888 people · home $117,400
- Hector, MN14.7 mi · 1,012 people · home $132,000
- Buffalo Lake, MN15.3 mi · 660 people · home $113,400
- Milford, MN15.8 mi · 691 people · home $292,800
- Sleepy Eye, MN15.8 mi · 3,452 people · home $147,600
- Paxton, MN16.2 mi · 667 people · home $225,000
- Lafayette, MN17.5 mi · 700 people · home $330,600
Fairfax questions
Is Fairfax, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fairfax scores better for retirees than 59% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 89%. 24.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.9).
How much does a house cost in Fairfax?
The median owner-occupied home in Fairfax is valued at $116,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,172, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $432 a month.
What is the weather like in Fairfax?
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 5.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.0 inches of precipitation a year and 40.4 inches of snow.
Does Fairfax get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairfax since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 24, 2003. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- 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)