Welcome to Fairfax
Fairfax is a small, eccentric town located in the heart of Marin County. Located within a few miles of the booming Bay Area, Fairfax features a progressive community that remains largely indifferent to economic development and commercial endeavors, choosing instead to focus on preserving the city’s small town feel and rural appearance. Warm and welcoming, Fairfax is a city that reflects the spirit of Marin County.
Lay of the Land
The region around Fairfax is dominated by gently rolling hills and valleys dotted with biking and hiking trails. Though Marin County is peppered with small, rural towns, Fairfax\’s closest major neighbors are San Francisco 17 miles to the south and San Rafael 3 miles to the east. However, the city is flanked by the Cascade Canyon Open Space Preserve to the west and Loma Alta Open Space Preserve to the north. One of the more populated cities in the region, Fairfax boasts a population of approximately 7607. Like most of the county, Fairfax is relatively affluent, featuring a median household income of $93,607 and average home values of $670,567.
Transportation
For the most part, the towns and cities in Marin County share a desire to maximize the region\’s natural beauty by minimizing the number of artificial intrusions. This includes transportation infrastructure and public transit in general. The city has no major roadways running through the town and public transportation is limited to bus services. However, the city is only several miles from the San Rafael Transit Center. This is a regional hub for transportation services, including bus services to Oakland, San Francisco, the Oakland International Airport, and the San Francisco International Airport.
Local Highlights
The city of Fairfax is extremely dedicated to maintaining the rural ambiance of the town as well as preserving the natural landscape of the city and surrounding region. To this end, the city has passed ordinances that not only ban the use of Styrofoam take-out containers and plastic bags, but also ban chain stores within the city. However, these ordinances have done little to stunt the local commercial spirit of the town.
Fairfax is peppered with restaurants and retail locations that reflect the eclectic and progressive attitude of the town. They provide the residents with food and shopping that takes advantage of locally grown vegetables and goods produced in an environmentally responsible manner. Additionally, the town features numerous locally owned venues that support a thriving jazz and contemporary music scene. The town itself is also home to numerous regional artists and musicians.
Like many cities in the region however, the main attraction in Fairfax is the local scenery. The city currently supports two local parks within city limits. Bolinas Park is a small, grassy area full of redwood trees and plenty of shade. Peri Park is slightly more developed, though completely in-line with the city’s minimalist attitude. It does however feature several stations for grilling and picnicking as well as playground equipment and a dedicated stage.
The Cascade Canyon Open Space Preserve is nestled in the hills above the city. The preserve is vast, located on 498 acres of the Corte Madera Creek watershed. Cascade Falls, located at the head of the main canyon, serves as the primary geographic attraction. Cascade Canyon also supports a diverse ecosystem, providing visitors with viewing access to a wide range of plants and animals, including reptiles, birds, insects, and small mammals. The Mediterranean climate of the region also means that visitors can expect to enjoy the local scenery at any point during the year. Finally, the preserve also supports a wide range of community events. This includes a wide range of community volunteer events, naturalist outings, and family oriented events.
