Fairfield, Ohio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Fairfield, Ohio
City
Fairfield Community Arts Center
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  City of Opportunity
Location of Fairfield in Butler County
Fairfield, Ohio Location in Ohio Show map of Ohio Fairfield, Ohio Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Ohio
Counties	Butler, Hamilton
Founded	1787
Incorporated	1955
Reclassified as city	1960
Chartered	January 1, 1980
Withdrew from Fairfield, Union, and Springfield townships	1995
Government
• Type	Council-Manager
Area
• Total	20.92 sq mi (54.18 km2)
• Land	20.83 sq mi (53.96 km2)
• Water	0.09 sq mi (0.22 km2)
Elevation	646 ft (197 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	44,907
• Estimate  (2023)	44,447
• Density	2,155.47/sq mi (832.25/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern Daylight Saving Time)
ZIP code(s)	45014 (with small portions consisting of 45011 (mainly Hamilton, Ohio) & 45069 (mainly West Chester Township, Butler County, Ohio))
Area code(s)	513
FIPS code	39-25970
GNIS feature ID	1085670

Fairfield is a city in southern Butler County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb located about 25 miles (40 km) north of Cincinnati. The city sits on the east bank of the Great Miami River. In 2020, about 44,907 people lived there.

Fairfield was officially created in 1955. It was formed from parts of Fairfield Township. The city includes areas that used to be small communities like Symmes Corner, Fair Play, Furmandale, and Stockton. The Fairfield City School District is one of the largest in Ohio. It serves both the City of Fairfield and Fairfield Township.

Fairfield's Past: A Look at Its History

Early Days and First Settlers

Before Europeans arrived, the Fairfield area was home to several Native American tribes. The Shawnee and the Miami were the most well-known. Ancient groups like the Hopewell and Adena peoples built many earthworks (mounds) around the city. Most of these were removed by early settlers to make way for farms.

The land that is now Fairfield was part of the original Symmes Purchase. This area was bought by Judge John Cleves Symmes in 1788. It included much of the land between the Little Miami and Great Miami rivers. This land later became Hamilton, Butler, and Warren counties.

As more people settled, small communities called hamlets grew to serve the farms nearby. Judge Symmes' great-nephew, Celadon Symmes, founded Symmes Corner. This area, at Pleasant Avenue and Nilles Road, is now Fairfield's town center.

The hamlet of Fair Play was on the east bank of the Great Miami River. It was known for its mills, including Ohio's first paper mill. A big flood in the late 1800s destroyed this community. Today, only the Miami Chapel Cemetery and Fair Play School remain.

In the 1850s, the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railway (now CSX) came through Fairfield. This helped new communities grow. Schencks Station and Stockton were built along the rail line. Schencks Station was named after Aaron Schenck, a local landowner. Stockton offered services like a blacksmith, a general store, churches, and a school for local farms. Between these two was Furmandale, also called Schnapstown or Snaptown. It was named after Nathaniel Furman, who ran a private school for girls. A few miles east, the Miami-Erie Canal helped early settlers move their goods before the railroad arrived.

How Fairfield Grew and Became a City

Fairfield was mostly a quiet farming area until the mid-1900s. As the City of Hamilton grew, its factories expanded south into what is now Fairfield. Fisher Body, a part of General Motors, built a factory near Schencks Station. At the same time, more homes were built in Fairfield. It became a southern suburb of Hamilton.

In 1954, some citizens wanted to avoid being taken over by Hamilton. They started a campaign to make Fairfield an official town. After a first vote failed, a second vote in July 1954 passed. Fairfield became a village in 1955. It had a mayor-council government.

The next 30 years saw fast growth for Fairfield. By 1960, the village had over 5,000 people. This meant it was reclassified as a city. The Interstate 275 highway was built around Cincinnati in the late 1970s. This new road made it easy to get to Fairfield from northern Cincinnati suburbs. This led to a lot of new businesses and homes being built in the city.

Changes and Stability

The way the city was governed was often discussed. In 1978, a group was formed to create a new plan for the city's government. They suggested a council-administrator system. This plan was approved by voters in June 1979. The new council-manager government started on January 1, 1980.

Fairfield Lane Library in 2006

In 1989, General Motors announced it would close its Fisher Body plant in Fairfield. This meant 2,500 jobs were lost and the city's income tax revenue dropped a lot.

However, Fairfield's economy recovered in the 1990s. Many different types of businesses moved in. The city's population growth slowed down, which allowed it to focus on improving homes and businesses. During this time, Fairfield updated its sewers, improved roads, and built a community center.

In 1995, Fairfield officially separated from Fairfield, Union, and Springfield townships. This was done through a special process.

Fairfield's Location and Environment

Fairfield covers about 21 square miles (54 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water. The southern border of Fairfield is the Butler County line. A small part of the city extends into Hamilton County, but no one lives there.

The city is bordered by Hamilton and Fairfield Township to the north. To the east are West Chester and Fairfield townships. To the south are the cities of Springdale and Forest Park, and Springfield and Colerain townships. To the west are Fairfield and Ross townships.

A major train line runs through the city. Several highways also serve Fairfield, making it easy to travel to and from the city. This good transportation network has helped Fairfield's economy grow.

Most of Fairfield sits on top of the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer. This is one of the largest underground water sources in the Midwest. The aquifer provides clean and safe drinking water for many communities along the Great Miami River. The cities of Fairfield, Hamilton, and Cincinnati all get water from this aquifer within Fairfield's borders.

Fairfield's Climate

Fairfield's People: Demographics

Population in 2020

In 2020, Fairfield had 44,907 people. This means there were about 2,155 people per square mile. The city had 19,030 housing units.

Fairfield is a diverse city. Here's a look at the different groups:

• 64.8% White
• 17.5% African American
• 0.4% Native American
• 5.9% Asian
• 0.1% Pacific Islander
• 4.5% from other races
• 6.7% from two or more races

About 8.0% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

There were 18,352 households in Fairfield. About 30% of these households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had 2.40 people. The average family had 3.01 people.

About 22.3% of the city's population was under 18 years old. About 16.9% were 65 years or older. The average age in Fairfield was 39.7 years.

The estimated average yearly income for a household was $63,418. For families, it was $79,550. About 7.1% of the people lived below the poverty line.

Fairfield's Economy

Fairfield has a varied economy, meaning it doesn't rely on just one type of business. Two of the city's biggest employers are insurance companies. The main office of the insurance company Cincinnati Financial is in Fairfield.

Jungle Jim's International Market is a popular place that brings visitors from all over. It sells food and drinks from around the world. Jim Bonaminio started it as a produce stand in 1971. Today, Jungle Jim's has 50,000 shoppers each week and makes nearly $100 million in sales every year!

Top Employers in Fairfield

Here are some of the largest employers in Fairfield as of 2022:

Fun Things to Do in Fairfield

Fairfield has a great parks and recreation system with over 500 acres of parkland. Harbin Park is the city's biggest park at 230 acres. It hosts the Cincinnati Cyclocross, a bike race, every year. Harbin Park is also where the city's Red White & Kaboom fireworks show happens on July 3rd for Independence Day.

Marsh Lake Park was bought in 2017. The city had been leasing part of it since the early 1990s. The land was given to Fairfield when mining operations stopped in 2017.

Huffman Park is one of the city's newest parks. It was given and developed in 2012 to honor Anna and Harold Huffman. They owned the land for over 50 years. Money for the park came from the Anna & Harold W. Huffman Foundation. This park helps nature by planting native species and having a prairie for wildlife.

Besides the parks, Fairfield has other cool places. These include the Community Arts Center, the historic 1817 Elisha Morgan Mansion, and the Village Green Amphitheater. The amphitheater hosts concerts and a farmer's market. The city also has two public golf courses and a swimming center.

Fairfield is also home to Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy. This academy has trained many gymnasts who have competed in the Olympics.

Getting Around Fairfield: Transportation

Public transportation in Fairfield is provided by two main groups. These are the Butler County Regional Transit Authority and the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority. They help people get around the city and to nearby areas.

Learning in Fairfield: Education

Fairfield High School

The Fairfield City School District runs Fairfield High School. It also has the Fairfield Freshmen School, two middle schools, and six elementary schools. For private school options, there's Sacred Heart of Jesus School, Stephen T. Badin High School, and Cincinnati Christian schools. A branch of Miami University is located a few miles north in the City of Hamilton. The Fairfield Lane Library is part of the Lane Public Library system.

Famous People from Fairfield

• Jackson Carman, a player for the Miami Dolphins football team.
• Angelo Dawkins, a professional wrestler for WWE.
• Rayne Johnson, a country music singer.
• Eric Lange, an actor.
• Holly Morris (television reporter), a TV reporter.
• Joe Nuxhall, a former player and announcer for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team.
• Tom Segura, a stand-up comedian.

See also

In Spanish: Fairfield (Ohio) para niños