Skip to Main Content
© Mapbox / © OpenStreetMap
Suburb0
San Francisco

Fairfax

#11 in Best Places to Raise a Family in Marin County
  • A
    Overall Grade
  • Suburb of San Francisco, CA
  • 9 reviews
A
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?
  1. Public Schools
    A+
  2. Crime & Safety
    B
  3. Housing
    C
  4. Nightlife
    A-
  5. Good for Families
    A
  6. Diversity
    B+
  7. Jobs
    B
  8. Weather
    A+
  9. Cost of Living
    D
  10. Health & Fitness
    A+
  11. Outdoor Activities
    A-
  12. Commute
    B+
View Full Report Card
Fairfax is a suburb of San Francisco with a population of 7,616. Fairfax is in Marin County and is one of the best places to live in California. Living in Fairfax offers residents a suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Fairfax there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families live in Fairfax and residents tend to be liberal. The public schools in Fairfax are highly rated.
About Fairfax...
Population
7,616

Real Estate

Median Home Value
$793,900
National
$184,700
Median Rent
$1,815
National
$949
Area Feel
Suburban
Rent vs. Own
  • Rent
    34%
  • Own
    66%
Sponsored Mortgage Options for Fairfax
Get Rates
  • $0 Lender Fee on Home Loans Limited Time Only
  • Biggest Home Loan Sale Ever. Low interest rates. Get a quote today!
Niche may be compensated by the third party lenders and others who place ads on the website. Niche is not a lender and does not endorse the products of these advertisers. Fees that Niche receives for ads do not affect the terms you may be offered by the lender you choose. There are many additional borrowing options available.

Fairfax Rankings

Niche ranks thousands of places to live based on key statistics from the U.S. Census and and expert insights.

Crime & Safety

Crime & Safety
B
Based on violent and property crime rates.
Violent Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Assault
    39.4
    282.7
  • Murder
    0
    6.1
  • Rape
    0
    40.7
  • Robbery
    13.1
    135.5
Property Crimes
  • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
National
  • Burglary
    131.2
    500.1
  • Theft
    1,023.2
    2,042.8
  • Motor Vehicle Theft
    78.7
    284
Home Security Options for Fairfax
Learn More
  • 24/7 Whole home protection with no contract
  • CNET Editor’s choice winner 2018

Residents

Diversity
B+
Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
Age
  • <10 years
    9%
  • 10-17 years
    9%
  • 18-24 years
    4%
  • 25-34 years
    9%
  • 35-44 years
    15%
  • 45-54 years
    16%
  • 55-64 years
    18%
  • 65+ years
    20%
Education Levels
National
  • Master's degree or higher
    25%
    12%
  • Bachelor's degree
    37%
    19%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    25%
    29%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    11%
    28%
  • Less than high school diploma
    3%
    13%

Working in Fairfax

Jobs
B
Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
Median Household Income
$98,092
National
$55,322
Search for Jobs in Fairfax

Places to Work in Fairfax

  • Public Schools
  • Private Schools
Places like Fairfax
More

Fairfax Reviews

9 reviews
All Categories
I grew up in Fairfax! It was a really great place to be a kid. You never had to lock your door, or worry about creepy people bothering you if you stayed out too late. Everyone in town is generally just really chill and kind. People say it's a town straight out of the 60's and I kind of have to agree- I spent a lot of summers hanging out on the baseball field at night and playing in the creek and riding my cruiser bike around with my friends and going to The Scoop for dollar cones of organic ice cream. There's really nowhere else like Fairfax, which can kind of be a goof or bad thing depending on how you look at it. I mean, where else can you not lock your door when you go out? But growing up there really didn't prepare me for what the rest of the world is like. People here call it the "Marin Bubble" and buddy it is REAL.
Start Your Review of Fairfax
Rate It!
The best town in Marin!! It is know as the hippie town, like if it was something bad. People care, that's the magic of this town. We care about earth, about kids, about neighbors and about people over all. All races and genders are treated equally. We have a variety of bars, restaurants that stay open late. There is a little cinema downtown. It is a pretty place as it is located really near from the woods. And overall it is very safe!
Fairfax is an amazing town set in a valley, north-west of Mt. Tam. There are families everywhere and a huge amount of resources for people with children. There are also a lot of good restaurants with a variety of atmosphers, like Village Sake and Gestault House. And about four different places within a five minute walk to each other to catch a live show, with at least two acts in town every night. There are two grocery stores, Fairfax Market and Good Earth, as well as a food bank every Saturday for those who need help. The houses are all interestingly built, and there's none of the cookie-cutter houses that you get in newer developments. A skate park and a dog park are the two features I'd like to see added, but pretty much everything else is in town. There's also access to a huge trail system through Deer Park.