States › Iowa › Fairfield

Is Fairfield, IA expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 19 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$86451% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$55,339about $4,612/month · 36% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$156,00053% lower than U.S. average

Rent here is among the lowest 10% of all U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards. Commutes are short, about 13.2 minutes.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $34,560 a year. That is $17 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Iowa cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Iowa. It is number 12 of 86 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Fairfield
$864
Grinnell
$1,041
Keokuk
$691
Mount Pleasant
$943
Fort Madison
$1,062
Carroll
$798
Bondurant
$1,479

How much do households earn in Fairfield?

Under $25k
20.4%
$25k–50k
24.1%
$50k–100k
30.2%
$100k–150k
7.0%
$150k+
7.0%

Share of households by yearly income. 13.9% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Fairfield

SizeFairfieldU.S. average
Studio$804$1,338
1 bedroom$831$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,092$1,509
3 bedrooms$986$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Fairfield overall?

Everyday prices in Iowa overall are 12% below the U.S. average (index 87.8, U.S. = 100).

Housing
65
Goods (food, clothes…)
94
Utilities
83
Other services
93
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Fairfield, so the Iowa figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Fairfield

🏛️ Property tax$2,642a year · 1.69% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$159a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Fairfield

Commute to work13.2 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree52.9%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home60%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line20.7%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment11.8%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fairfield?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $218 a month less.

Renting
$864
Owning
$1,082

Owning assumes a typical $156,000 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $15,600 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Fairfield, IA?

Renting in Fairfield costs a median of about $864 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Iowa median is $1,071.

How much do I need to make to live in Fairfield?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $34,560 a year, or $17 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Fairfield cheap or expensive?

Fairfield is rated Cheap: rent takes 18.7% of the typical household income of $55,339. It ranks 12th cheapest of 86 Iowa cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Fairfield?

The median homeowner in Fairfield pays $2,642 a year in property taxes, about 1.69% of the median home value.

Is Fairfield more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Iowa are 12% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Fairfield?

The median home value in Fairfield is $156,000, about 2.8 times the typical yearly household income.

9,456 people live in Fairfield. Numbers are typical (middle) values.