The Town FilesFairfield, New York
Town in Herkimer County · population 1,475 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $172,000
- Household income
- $89,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 79°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 30.4
Fairfield is a town of 1,475 people in Herkimer County, New York. The median home is worth $172,000, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks better for families than 87% of New York towns, more of a college town than 72% of New York towns.
How Fairfield ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fairfield is worth $172,000, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $89,875, which is more affordable than 88% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,100 a month. 94.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fairfield | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $172,000 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,100 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $89,875 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.0% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.2% | — |
Who lives in Fairfield
| People | Fairfield | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.4 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.2% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 38.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.8% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.6% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 13.7% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.5% | 91.1% |
Weather in Fairfield
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 10.4°F. About 51.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairfield since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on June 28, 2010 about 7.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 1 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 28, 2010.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 8, 2011.
Severe weather in Herkimer County since 1996
Herkimer County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| December 19, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| July 8, 2014 | Severe Storm | DR-4180: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Herkimer County
Herkimer County had 15,519 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,384 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Fairfield itself the ACS puts it at 6.5%.
Towns near Fairfield
- Newport, NY5.5 mi · 543 people · home $156,300
- Herkimer, NY5.8 mi · 9,566 people · home $136,300
- Newport, NY5.9 mi · 2,140 people · home $193,300
- Norway, NY6.8 mi · 740 people · home $169,900
- East Herkimer, NY7.0 mi · 787 people · home $128,000
- Little Falls, NY7.2 mi · 4,605 people · home $105,700
- Herkimer, NY7.6 mi · 7,234 people · home $133,200
- Little Falls, NY8.1 mi · 1,497 people · home $154,100
Fairfield questions
Is Fairfield, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fairfield scores better for retirees than 28% of New York towns and quieter than 54%. 16.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 30.4).
How much does a house cost in Fairfield?
The median owner-occupied home in Fairfield is valued at $172,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,875, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $1,100 a month.
What is the weather like in Fairfield?
July highs average 79.3°F and January lows 10.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.4 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Fairfield get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairfield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on June 28, 2010. The typical New York town has had 5.
- 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)