Fairfield, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 81, Fairfield's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Fairfield is a small community located in North Carolina, within Hyde County. The total population is 81. It ranks as the 755th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fairfield is 33.8 years. This is 14% lower than the state median of 39.1 years. With 38.3% of the population under 18, Fairfield has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fairfield is $46,250. This is 36% lower than the state median of $72,388. It is also 43% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 39.5%. This is 203% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Fairfield, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $187,500. Housing costs are 35% lower than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.1x. 80.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Fairfield is White (non-Hispanic), making up 60.5% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 39.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (39.5% vs 11.3%).

Education

23.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 33% lower than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 50.0%. Notably, 23.9% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Fairfield, North Carolina is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against North Carolina state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.