Fairfax Neighborhood Guide

Fairfax is a neighborhood of Cleveland especially known for its convenient location, small population, and interesting venues.

Fairfax is home to around 7,350 residents. As expected of a Cleveland neighborhood, the population of Fairfax is decidedly diverse both in terms of ethnic background and economic status. According to Niche.com, Fairfax has the 3rd lowest cost of living out of Cleveland’s neighborhoods. Around 20% of households are families with young children, and the median household income is roughly half of the national average.

Fairfax also has relatively low housing costs, seeing as rent trends generally fall below statewide and national averages. Additionally, the median property value in the neighborhood typically tracks well under national median values.

Apartments.com reports that this neighborhood is generally walkable and bikeable. Residents of this neighborhood enjoy fast access to numerous shopping venues, well-rated restaurants, and various nighttime hotspots. The neighborhood also has a lively community recreation center, sports fields, and several local parks.

Of around 7,350 residents, 48% of residents are male, and 52% are female.

35% of residents have some college education or an associate’s degree. 8% of the neighborhood’s residents have a bachelor’s degree, and 2% of residents have a master’s degree or higher.

95% of Fairfax residents are African American. 2% of the population is White, 1% is Asian, and 2% of residents are biracial or multiracial.

The neighborhood’s median household income tracks around $23K, seeing as 60% of residents make under $25K a year, 21% make between $25K-$44K, and 11% of residents make between $45K-$74K annually. Additionally, another 8% of residents make over $75K per year.

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District covers Cleveland’s neighborhoods, including Fairfax. This district educates around 40,000 students across its many campuses and spans over 79 square miles, which makes this district one of the largest districts not just in Ohio, but also the country.

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District, previously titled the Cleveland Municipal School District, has about 70 pre-kindergarten-8 campuses which serve both elementary-aged students and middle school-aged students. Another 39 campuses are traditional 9-12 high school campuses.

This district’s schools have expanding gifted education programs, various honors courses, and multiple advanced placement options for students. The campuses in this district are largely diverse, and many schools have exemplary athletic programming for their students. The average graduation rate across this district’s high schools is 75%, and the average student-teacher ratio across its campuses is 16 to 1.

Fairfax students also are within short commuting distance of private campuses and religious schools that attract students from across Cleveland’s many neighborhoods.

Niche.com reports that 59% of properties in the city are rented residences, while 41% of housing options in Fairfax are owner-occupied properties. The neighborhood’s vacancy rate tracks around 10%.

To give an idea of rental costs in the neighborhood, the median rent in Fairfax falls just under $590 per month according to Niche.com. That said, other larger residential options in Fairfax have an average monthly rent of $1,000 per month.

The bulk of the neighborhood’s properties were constructed between 1940-1969, and about 25% of Fairfax’s residential options were built in or before 1939. A small number of residences were constructed between 1970-1999, and an even smaller number of properties were built in or after 2000.

The bulk of properties in this neighborhood are single family detached homes, and there are little to no attached residences to speak of in Fairfax. Large apartment complexes and smaller apartment buildings account for a small amount of housing options in Fairfax.