Compared with the Bay Area and Sacramento, Fairfield is where a lot of commuters settle when they want more house for the money. It is the seat of Solano County, sits between San Francisco and Sacramento, and has about 122,000 residents. Travis Air Force Base is a major part of the community, and Napa Valley is only about 20 minutes away.
The best-known attraction is the Jelly Belly factory tour, and you can also hike Rockville Hills Regional Park, visit the Travis Heritage Center, or taste wine in Green Valley and Suisun Valley. Life here is suburban and practical, with hot summers that often top 95 degrees. It is cheaper than Napa or Contra Costa, but still expensive by national standards. Violent crime is around or a bit above the state average, and car break-ins and theft are the main risks in shopping lots.
Trip planning at a glance
Peak season
Summer and harvest (September-October) wine weekends
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
6.0/10Good
Connector Score8.0
28 worthwhile cities within three hours; reachable by road, intercity train, and local transit; lodging and sights for an overnight stop. Hey! En Route estimate
Safety7.0
About 370 violent crimes per 100,000 people a year; the US average is about 370. Data-based
Affordability4.0
Cost of living index about 125, where the national average is 100. Data-based
Transportation6.5
Reachable by: road, intercity train, and local transit. Hey! En Route estimate
Car-free friendliness5.5
Intercity train or bus, plus local transit and walkability. Hey! En Route estimate
Walkability4.9
Estimated from city size and transit; no walkable downtown noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Things to do6.2
Known for 6 kinds of attraction, with 6 annual events listed. Hey! En Route estimate
Food & dining5.5
Estimated from city size and dining listings. Hey! En Route estimate
Places to stay6.1
Lodging at budget, mid-range and luxury prices. Hey! En Route estimate
Nature & outdoors5.5
Known for mountains & hiking, lakes & rivers. Hey! En Route estimate
Scenic value6.3
From its landscape: coast, mountains, lakes and parks. Hey! En Route estimate
Family friendliness4.4
Zoos, aquariums, theme parks and museums, weighted by safety. Hey! En Route estimate
Solo-traveler friendliness5.3
Safety, getting around without a car, hostels, and things to do. Hey! En Route estimate
Nightlife4.5
Estimated from city size and live music. Hey! En Route estimate
Remote-work friendliness4.9
City size, affordability, cafés and connections. Hey! En Route estimate
Road-trip convenience6.5
28 worthwhile cities within three hours’ drive, plus parking, EV charging and RV options. Hey! En Route estimate
Train-trip convenience7.8
Intercity train service, with 21 nearby cities reachable by rail. Hey! En Route estimate
Bus-trip convenience1.5
No intercity bus service noted. Hey! En Route estimate
City info
Country
United States
State / province
California
Population
122,489
Metro area
455,376
Area
108 km²
Density
1,137 / km²
Elevation
13 m
Currency
USD
Local time
2:41 pmUTC-07:00
Power
Type A/B, 120V 60Hz
Drives on the
Right
Known as
Home of Jelly Belly (Jelly Belly Candy Company); Solano County seat; Gateway to Napa and Sonoma Valleys; Travis Air Force Base community
Founded
1856 founded by Robert Waterman; 1903 incorporated
Oakland International (OAK), about 45 miles southwest; Sacramento International (SMF), about 45 miles northeast; San Francisco International (SFO), about 55 miles southwest; Travis Air Force Base (SUU) is military with limited civilian use, adjacent to the city; Napa County Airport (APC), about 25 miles, general aviation
Tipping
Restaurants 18-20%; bars $1-2 per drink; taxis and rideshare 15-20%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 per night; bellhops $2-5 per bag; winery tasting staff 15-20% (often per party); delivery 15-20%
Population 122,489 (July 1, 2025), land area 41.59 sq mi, median value and rent are from Census QuickFacts (ACS 2020-2024). Metro figure 455,376 is the Vallejo MSA as specified (Fairfield is in Solano County's Vallejo MSA; the Bay Area CSA is larger). visitor_website is the Visit Fairfield attractions page seen in search results, and I did not confirm it is an official bureau site; the city calendar is official. Elevation, coordinates, founding, event months, hotel ranges, tipping, crime rate, cost index and distances are approximate or from general knowledge; lower confidence. URLs not load-tested.
Last verified September 25, 2026 · Source: Research spreadsheet · Editorial ·
Neighborhoods
8 areas to know, and who each one suits.
Old Town Fairfield
Historic downtown
Green Valley
Upscale rural
Cordelia
Northwest, near I-680 and I-80
Suisun Valley border
Wine area
Solano Town Center area
Shopping
Fairfield Corridor
Central
Cordelia Junction
Travis area
East, base
No neighborhood matches that.
Where to base yourself
Near Solano Town Center and I-80 for chain hotels
Cordelia for I-680 access and shopping
Old Town Fairfield and Suisun City for a quieter base
Napa or Vallejo for wine-country ambience. Tiers: budget motels near I-80
mid-range chains such as Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express
luxury is limited locally (see Napa or Vacaville)
Suburbs and neighboring towns
Suisun City (4 mi; car, FAST bus); Cordelia (4 mi; car, unincorporated); Green Valley (5 mi; car, unincorporated); Vacaville (11 mi; car, bus service unconfirmed); Vallejo (14 mi; car, bus service unconfirmed); Benicia (14 mi; car); American Canyon (15 mi; car); Dixon (18 mi; car)
Where to stay
Which part of town suits which kind of trip.
Near Solano Town Center and I-80 for chain hotels
Cordelia for I-680 access and shopping
Old Town Fairfield and Suisun City for a quieter base
Napa or Vallejo for wine-country ambience. Tiers: budget motels near I-80
mid-range chains such as Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express
luxury is limited locally (see Napa or Vacaville)
Places to stay
2 listings in Fairfield, ranked by traveller reviews. Featured listings are marked.
Per person per day, with a room shared by two. Change anything below to fit your trip.
Budget
$118/day
Lodging about $105 a night
Mid-range
$169/day
Lodging about $163 a night
Luxury
$286/day
Lodging about $285 a night
Budget calculator
Vehicle
mpg
These are estimates from typical prices, not quotes. Real costs vary with season, events, booking time and your own habits; taxes and fees are approximate.
Cost of living
For longer stays and relocation.
Cost of living index
125 (national average = 100)
Typical 1-bedroom rent
$2,050a month
Median home price
$624,300
Research notes
About 120-130 versus US=100 (approximate; not verified in this pass); typical 1BR rent about $1,900-2,200 per month (Census median gross rent for all units $2,266)
Real estate
Buying or renting long-term: prices, trends and the rules.
Median home
$624,300
Mortgage calculator
Census median owner-occupied value $624,300; median gross rent $2,266 (Census ACS 2020-2024); market note: a commuter market between the Bay Area and Sacramento, more affordable than Napa or Contra Costa; current listing median not retrieved
Research notes on prices and seasons
Hotels per night: budget $85-125; mid-range $125-200; luxury $220-350 in the wider region. Peak season is summer and harvest (September-October) wine weekends; Travis AFB events add midweek demand. Rough daily visitor budget excluding lodging: $65-110
Top sights
Jelly Belly Factory tour
Anheuser-Busch Fairfield Brewery (limited tours
check availability)
Travis Air Force Base Heritage Center
Rockville Hills Regional Park hiking
Solano Town Center and Green Valley Wine Country
Lake Solano and Suisun Marsh nearby
Old Town Suisun City waterfront (adjacent)
Cordelia Hills and Green Valley wineries
Napa Valley about 25 minutes away
Known for:Mountains & hikingLakes & riversHistoric sitesWineries & breweriesLive musicShopping
Things to do
3 listings in Fairfield, ranked by traveller reviews. Featured listings are marked.
Safety information is a guide from public data and our research, not a guarantee. Conditions change; check local news and official advice before you go.
7.0
Very good · Data-based
About 370 violent crimes per 100,000 people a year; the US average is about 370.
Safety overview
Violent crime is around or somewhat above the California average (roughly 450-550 per 100k, approximate and not verified); vehicle theft and car break-ins are the main visitor risk, especially at shopping centers and freeway-adjacent lots. Hospitals: NorthBay Medical Center (Fairfield), NorthBay VacaValley Hospital nearby, Kaiser Permanente Vacaville and Vallejo. Hazards: earthquake (Green Valley and Vaca faults, and the Hayward and Rodgers Creek fault systems), summer heat above 95F, grass wildfire and smoke, Suisun Marsh area flooding
Local notes
Specific places where extra care is worthwhile, especially at night. Most visits are trouble-free.
Some blocks around older apartment corridors in central Fairfield and along Texas Street or West Texas Street near downtown have higher crime; use ordinary caution at night. Solano Town Center, Green Valley and Old Town Fairfield are generally comfortable in daytime
Times marked “est.” are estimates: drives use typical road distances at highway speeds, and train or bus times assume both cities have service. Always check a route planner and timetables before you travel.
Route ideas
Suggested by Hey! En Route from the best-connected next stops. Save one to your routes and make it your own.
2-day trip
Fairfield (1 night)
3-day trip
Fairfield (1 night) → San Francisco (1 night)
About 47 mi, 1 h 1 min of travel
5-day trip
Fairfield (2 nights) → San Francisco (1 night) → San Jose (1 night)
About 96 mi, 2 h 2 min of travel
7-day trip
Fairfield (2 nights) → San Francisco (1 night) → San Jose (1 night) → Oakland (1 night)
About 136 mi, 2 h 53 min of travel
10-day trip
Fairfield (2 nights) → San Francisco (2 nights) → San Jose (1 night) → Oakland (1 night) → Santa Rosa (1 night)
