View source for Fairfield County, Connecticut

{{Short description|County in Connecticut, United States}}
{{About|the county in Connecticut|the town of the same name within the county|Fairfield, Connecticut}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Fairfield County
 | state                = Connecticut
 | type                 = [[List of counties in Connecticut|County]]
 | ex image             = File:StamfordCTAtlanticSt11112007.JPG
 | ex image cap         = [[Downtown Stamford]]
 | ex image size        = 250px
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1666
 | founded date         = 
 | seat                 = none; since 1960 Connecticut counties no longer have a county government<br/>[[Fairfield, Connecticut|Fairfield]] (1666–1853)<br/>[[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]] (1853–1960)
 | largest city         = Bridgeport (population)<br/>[[Newtown, Connecticut|Newtown]] (area)
 | city type            = municipality
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 837
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 625
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 212
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 957419
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2021
 | population_est       = 958768 {{increase}}
 | density_sq_mi        = 1532
 | district             = 3rd
 | district2            = 4th
 | district3            = 5th
 | named for            = The hundreds of acres of salt marsh that bordered the coast. 
 | web                  = 
 | footnotes            = 
}}
{{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=8|id=Q54231|type=shape|stroke-color=#808080|fill=#808080|fill-opacity=0.0|text=Interactive map of Fairfield County, Connecticut}}
'''Fairfield County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the southwestern corner of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Connecticut]]. It is the [[List of counties in Connecticut|most populous]] county in the state and was also its fastest-growing from 2010 to 2020. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the county's population was 957,419,<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/fairfieldcountyconnecticut/PST045221 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=December 15, 2022}}</ref> representing 26.6% of Connecticut's overall population. The closest to the center of the [[New York metropolitan area]], the county contains four of the state's top 7 largest cities—[[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]] (1st), [[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]] (2nd), [[Norwalk, Connecticut|Norwalk]] (6th), and [[Danbury, Connecticut|Danbury]] (7th)—whose combined population of 433,368 is nearly half the county's total population.

The [[United States Office of Management and Budget]] has designated Fairfield County as the [[Greater Bridgeport|Bridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk metropolitan statistical area]].<ref name=OMB_13-01>{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/bulletins/2013/b13-01.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/default/files/omb/bulletins/2013/b13-01.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=OMB Bulletin No. 13-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas|date=February 28, 2013|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[Office of Management and Budget]]|access-date=March 20, 2013}}</ref>  The [[United States Census Bureau]] ranked the metropolitan area as the [[List of Metropolitan Statistical Areas|59th most populous metropolitan statistical area]] of the [[United States]] in 2019. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has further designated the metropolitan statistical area as a component of the more extensive [[New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area|New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY–NJ–CT–PA combined statistical area]],<ref name=OMB_13-01/> the [[Combined statistical area|most populous]] combined statistical area and [[Statistical area (United States)|primary statistical area]] of the United States.<ref name=CombinedEst>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2015/GCTPEPANNR.US41PR|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015 – Combined Statistical Area; and for Puerto Rico – 2015 Population Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=October 29, 2016|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213005001/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2015/GCTPEPANNR.US41PR|archive-date=February 13, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>

As is the case with all eight of Connecticut's counties, there is no county government and no [[county seat]]. As an area, it is only a geographical point of reference. In Connecticut, the cities and towns are responsible for all local governmental activities including fire and rescue, schools, and snow removal; in a few cases, neighboring towns will share certain resources. The last county seat was [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]], which had served this role from 1853 until 1960.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.jud.ct.gov/external/kids/history/postcards/Bridgeport.htm | title=Fairfield County Courthouse at Bridgeport - Golden Hill }}</ref> On June 6, 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau formally recognized [[Councils of governments in Connecticut|Connecticut's nine councils of governments]] as county equivalents instead of the state's eight counties. [[List of counties in Connecticut|Connecticut's eight historical counties]] continue to exist in name only, and are no longer considered for statistical purposes.<ref>https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/06/06/2022-12063/change-to-county-equivalents-in-the-state-of-connecticut Federal Register: Change to County-Equivalents in the State of Connecticut</ref>

Fairfield County's [[Gold Coast (Connecticut)|Gold Coast]] helped rank it sixth in the U.S. in per-capita personal income by the Bureau of Economic Analysis in 2005,<ref>See {{cite web|url=https://www.bea.gov/regional/reis/drill.cfm?table=CA1-3&catable=CA1-3&lc=30&years=2005&rformat=display&areatype=LOCAL&sort=1|title=BEA : CA1-3 – Per capita personal income|access-date=September 23, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929124701/http://www.bea.gov/regional/reis/drill.cfm?table=CA1-3&catable=CA1-3&lc=30&years=2005&rformat=display&areatype=LOCAL&sort=1|archive-date=September 29, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> contributing substantially to Connecticut being one of the most affluent states in the U.S.<ref>[http://ccee.uconn.edu/Connecticut%20--%20HOW%20UNEQUAL%20IS%20CT%20INCOME.pdf The Connecticut Economy Fall 2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720073052/http://ccee.uconn.edu/Connecticut%20--%20HOW%20UNEQUAL%20IS%20CT%20INCOME.pdf |date=July 20, 2011 }}</ref> Other communities are more densely populated and economically diverse than the affluent areas for which the county is better known.

==History==
Fairfield County was the home of many [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] tribes prior to the [[Ethnic groups in Europe|Europeans']] arrival. People of the [[Schaghticoke people|Schaghticoke tribe]] lived in the area of present-day [[New Fairfield, Connecticut|New Fairfield]] and [[Sherman, Connecticut|Sherman]].<ref name=Simon>{{cite book|last1=Simon|first1=Irving B.|title=Our Town: The History of New Fairfield|date=1975|publisher=New Fairfield Bicentennial Commission|location=New Fairfield, Connecticut|page=5}}</ref> From east to west the [[Wappinger]] [[sachem]]ships included the [[Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation|Paugussetts]], Tankiteke, and the [[Siwanoy]]. There were also Paquioque and [[Potatuck]] inhabitants of Fairfield County.

The Dutch explorer [[Adriaen Block]] explored coastal Connecticut in the Spring and early Summer of 1614 in the North America-built vessel ''[[Onrust]]''. The first European settlers of the county, however, were [[Puritan]]s and [[Congregationalists]] from [[England]]. [[Roger Ludlow]] (1590–1664), one of the founders of the [[Colony of Connecticut]], helped to purchase and charter the towns of Fairfield (1639) and Norwalk (purchased 1640, chartered as a town in 1651).<ref name="Somerset-Ward2005">{{cite book|author=Richard Somerset-Ward|title=An American theatre: the story of Westport Country Playhouse, 1931–2005|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7wbvVZvDjrYC&pg=PA24|access-date=November 21, 2011|date=June 11, 2005|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=978-0-300-10648-0|page=24}}</ref> Ludlow is credited as having chosen the name [[Fairfield, Connecticut|Fairfield]]. Fairfield is a descriptive name referring to the beauty of its fields.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9V1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA123 | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=123}}</ref> The town of [[Stratford, Connecticut|Stratford]] was settled in 1639 as well by [[Adam Blakeman]] (1596–1665). [[William Beardsley (settler)|William Beardsley]] (1605–1661) was also one of the first settlers of Stratford in 1639.

Fairfield County was established by an act of the Connecticut General Court in Hartford along with [[Hartford County, Connecticut|Hartford County]], [[New Haven County, Connecticut|New Haven County]], and [[New London County, Connecticut|New London County]]; which were the first four Connecticut counties, on May 10, 1666. From transcriptions of the Connecticut Colonial Records for that day:
:This Court orders that from the east bounds of Stratford
:to y<sup>e</sup> bounds of Rye shalbe for future one County w<sup>ch</sup>
:shalbe called the County of Fairfield. And it is ordered
:that the County Court shalbe held at Fairfield on the second
:Tuesday in March and the first Tuesday of November
:yearely. {{sic}}<ref name="ccr">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/stream/publicrecords02conn#page/35 |title=The public records of the colony of Connecticut, from 1665 to 1678 |year=1850 |volume=02 |page=35 |access-date=July 22, 2013}}</ref>

The original Fairfield County consisted of the towns of [[Rye (town), New York|Rye]], Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, [[Fairfield, Connecticut|Fairfield]], and [[Stratford, Connecticut|Stratford]]. In 1673, the town of [[Woodbury, Connecticut|Woodbury]] was incorporated and added to Fairfield County. In 1683, New York and Connecticut reached a final agreement regarding their common border. This resulted in the cession of the town of Rye and all claims to [[the Oblong]] to New York. From the late 17th to early 18th centuries, several new towns were incorporated in western Connecticut and added to Fairfield County, namely Danbury (1687), Ridgefield (1709), Newtown (1711), and New Fairfield (1740). In 1751, [[Litchfield County, Connecticut|Litchfield County]] was constituted, taking over the town of Woodbury. The final boundary adjustment to Fairfield County occurred in 1788 when the town of Brookfield was incorporated from parts of Newtown, Danbury, and [[New Milford, Connecticut|New Milford]], with Fairfield County gaining territory from Litchfield County.

Other early county inhabitants include:
*[[Joseph Hawley (Captain)|Joseph Hawley]] (born 1603 in England; died 1690), who had emigrated to America in 1629 and then settled in Stratford in 1650, later becoming Stratford's first town clerk. Joseph Hawley's son Ephraim built the [[Ephraim Hawley House]] in 1683 in [[Trumbull, Connecticut|Trumbull]] that is still standing and serves as a private residence.
*[[Thomas Fitch (governor)|Thomas Fitch]] ({{circa}} 1700–1774), from Norwalk, was a governor of the Colony of Connecticut.
*[[Gold Selleck Silliman]] (1732–1790) of the town of Fairfield fought for the Americans during the [[American Revolutionary War]] and rose to the rank of [[brigadier general]] by 1776. He fought in the [[New York and New Jersey campaign|New York campaign]] that year.

[[Image:Uss G-3 1915.jpg|thumb|right|Preparing to re-launch the {{USS|G-3}} with [[sponson]]s from the [[Lake Torpedo Boat]] Company in Bridgeport, December 9, 1915]]
During the Revolutionary War, Connecticut's prodigious agricultural output led to it being known informally as "the Provisions State".<ref name="SOTS">{{cite web |url=http://www.sots.ct.gov/sots/cwp/view.asp?A=3188&QUESTION_ID=392608 |title=SOTS: Sites, Seals & Symbols |publisher=State of Connecticut Secretary of the State |access-date=June 12, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080731053844/http://www.sots.ct.gov/sots/cwp/view.asp?A=3188&QUESTION_ID=392608 |archive-date=July 31, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the spring of 1777, the British [[Commander-in-Chief, North America]] [[General William Howe]], in New York City, ordered [[William Tryon]] to interrupt the flow of supplies from Connecticut that were reaching the [[Continental Army]]. Tryon and [[Henry Duncan (Royal Navy officer, 1735-1814)|Henry Duncan]] led a fleet of 26 ships carrying 2,000 men to Westport's Compo Beach to raid Continental Army supply depots in Danbury on April 22, 1777. American [[Major General]] [[David Wooster]] (1710–1777), who was born in Stratford, was in charge of the stores at Danbury and defended them with a force of only 700 troops. Two years later during a British raid on Greenwich on February 26, 1779 [[General]] [[Israel Putnam]], who had stayed at [[Putnam's cottage|Knapp's Tavern]] the previous night, rode away on his horse to warn the people of Stamford. Putnam was shot at by the British raiders but was able to escape. The [[Tricorne|hat]] he was wearing with a [[musket ball]] hole in it is on display at Knapp's Tavern in Greenwich (which is commonly, albeit somewhat erroneously, called [[Putnam's cottage]]).<ref name="greenwich_rootsweb">{{cite web |url=http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ctfairfi/pages/greenwich/greenwich_hstry.htm |title=Greenwich Connecticut History |access-date=June 15, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080628054601/http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ctfairfi/pages/greenwich/greenwich_hstry.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = June 28, 2008}}</ref> In the summer of 1779, General William Tryon sought to punish Americans by attacking civilian targets in coastal Connecticut with a force of about 2,600 British troops. New Haven was raided on July 5, Fairfield was raided on the 7th and burned. Norwalk was raided on July 10 and burned on the 11th. Norwalk militia leader Captain Stephen Betts put up resistance to the invaders, but was overwhelmed by the powerful British raiders and was forced to retreat.

[[Image:Sikorsky S42 (crop).jpg|thumb|A 1930s [[Sikorsky S-42]] constructed in Stratford|alt=|left]]
[[David Sherman Boardman]] (1786–1864) was a prominent early lawyer and judge in this and neighboring Litchfield County.

On October 7, 1801, Neheemiah Dodge and other members of the Danbury Baptist Association wrote a letter to then-president [[Thomas Jefferson]] expressing their concern that as Baptists they may not be able to express full religious liberty in the state of Connecticut whose "ancient charter" was adopted before the establishment of a [[Baptist]] church in the state. Jefferson replied in a letter to Dodge and the other members of the Danbury church on January 1, 1802, in which he stated that the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution]] provided "a [[Separation of church and state in the United States|wall of separation between church and State]]" that protected them.<ref>[[Wikisource:Jefferson letter to Neremiah Dodge and others|Letter to Danbury Baptist Association, CT]], January 1, 1802</ref>

An agricultural region, the first railroad was the [[Housatonic Railroad]], construction started 1836 and ended 1840, extending from [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]] to [[New Milford, Connecticut|New Milford]] originally, connecting [[Litchfield County, Connecticut|Litchfield County]] crops to the port in Bridgeport, by passing New York City.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of the Housatonic Railroad |url=http://www.housatonicrr.com/history.html |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=www.housatonicrr.com}}</ref> The New York and New Haven railroad along the county's coast was constructed in the late 1840s, which started in New York City and ended in New Haven, connecting Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk and all the towns on the coast.<ref name="britannica.com">{{Cite web |title=Stamford {{!}} Connecticut, United States {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Stamford-Connecticut |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 1851, the county seat of Fairfield County was moved from the town of Fairfield to the newly founded neighboring city of [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]]. This was due to its growing population and industry as the old courthouse erected 1794 was no longer adequate.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.fairfieldct.org/content/10724/12146/default.aspx | title=Highlights of Fairfield's History - Town of Fairfield, Connecticut }}</ref> The first hospital in the county, and the 3rd hospital in Connecticut behind [[Hartford Hospital|Hartford]] and [[Yale New Haven Hospital|New Haven Hospitals]], [[Bridgeport Hospital]] was founded in 1884 along with Fairfield County's first nursing school. It would be soon followed by [[Danbury Hospital]] (1885), [[Norwalk Hospital]] (1893),<ref>[https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/OHS/ohca/HospitalStudy/Norwalkpdf.pdf?la=en Hospital Study]</ref> [[Stamford Hospital]] (1896) <ref>{{Cite web |title=Stamford Health System |url=http://www.stamfordhospital.org/tsh/tsh_about_history.html |access-date=January 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060526232304/http://www.stamfordhospital.org/tsh/tsh_about_history.html |archive-date=May 26, 2006 }}</ref> Greenwich Hospital (1903),<ref>{{Cite web |title=History & Milestones |url=https://www.greenwichhospital.org/about/hospital-overview/history-milestones |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=greenwichhospital.org}}</ref>[[St. Vincent's Medical Center (Bridgeport)|St. Vincent's Hospital]] in Bridgeport (1903), and Park City Hospital in Bridgeport (1926), which closed in 1993.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ctdigitalarchive.org/islandora/object/110002%3A20982|title=Connecticut Digital Archive &#124; Connect. Preserve. Share}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Our History {{!}} St. Vincent's Medical Center {{!}} Bridgeport, CT {{!}}|url=https://stvincents.org/about-us/our-history |access-date=January 20, 2023 |publisher=St Vincents Medical Center}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=History Milestones |url=https://www.bridgeporthospital.org/about/hospital-overview/history-milestones |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=bridgeporthospital.org}}</ref>

By 1900, the largest cities in the county were [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]], [[Norwalk, Connecticut|Norwalk]], [[Danbury, Connecticut|Danbury]], [[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]]  and [[Greenwich, Connecticut|Greenwich]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population 1900-1960 |url=https://portal.ct.gov/SOTS/Register-Manual/Section-VII/Population-1900-1960 |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=CT.gov - Connecticut's Official State Website |language=en}}</ref> By 1905, Bridgeport had become the principle manufacturing center in the state, and one of the major manufacturers in the New England region behind [[Boston]], [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]], and [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]], with $44,586,519 total worth of products manufactured without adjusting to today's money.<ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Bridgeport | volume= 4 | page = 532 |short= 1}}</ref> Stamford and Greenwich had become popular resort towns for New York City's wealthy.<ref>Nova, Susan, "Shingle-style masterpiece: Greenwich home carries price tag of $8.65 million", Real Estate section of The Advocate of Stamford, Connecticut, and Greenwich Time, both on September 26, 2008</ref>

Connecticut in 1905 was 11th in the United States terms of industrial goods produced, and Fairfield County contained the city with the most total worth of products made, Bridgeport. One-fifth of Connecticut's population was employed in manufacturing, the state's largest industry which generated most of its wealth. Bridgeport in 1905 produced 20% of America's corsets. The 2nd largest city in Connecticut behind New Haven by 1910, Bridgeport's population grew by 50,000 people during the first 20 months of US involvement during the First World War, producing 50% of Allied [[ammunition]] during that time.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 19, 2015 |title=Housing Factory Workers in World War I |url=https://www.ctexplored.org/housing-factory-workers-in-world-war-i/ |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=Connecticut Explored |language=en-US}}</ref> Bridgeport by 1920 had a population of 143,555 people, then the 44th largest US city. [[Danbury, Connecticut|Danbury]], in northern Fairfield County, was known as the "Hat City", producing 20% of America's hats, until the industry began to decline in the 1920s. Stamford (population 40,067 in 1920), was known as the "Lock City", as the home of the [[Yale (company)|Yale and Towne Lock Manufacturing Company]].<ref name="britannica.com"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://hatcitypools.com/the-history-of-hat-city | title=The History of Hat City }}</ref><ref>{{Cite EB1922 |wstitle= United States, The |volume = 32 |pages = 851&ndash;901  |short= 1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Connecticut | volume= 6 | pages = 951&ndash;958 |short= 1}}</ref>  Bridgeport, nicknamed "Park City" had in 1930 over 500 [[Factory|factories]] within its borders. [[Bridgeport Machines, Inc.]], a milling machine manufacturer, was founded in Bridgeport in 1938, as well as [[Hubbell Incorporated]] in the 1890s, these are two examples, various companies were headquartered in Bridgeport, such as [[Warnaco Group|Warnerco]], [[Acme United Corporation|ACME Shear]], [[Westinghouse Electric Corporation|Westinghouse]] subsidiary [[Bryant Electric Company|Bryant Electric]] among others, and others such as [[Remington Arms]], [[General Electric]], [[Singer Corporation|Singer Sewing Machines]], [[Sikorsky Aircraft]], [[Carpenter Technology Corporation|Carpenter Steel]], and countless others, had large scale manufacturing complexes there.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bridgeport History Center - Companies |url=https://www.bridgeporthistory.org/News.aspx |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=www.bridgeporthistory.org}}</ref>

Most of the county remained agricultural. [[Westport, Connecticut|Westport]] in the 1920s was a bohemian summer artist colony, and was home to famous artists, writers, and painters, such as [[F. Scott Fitzgerald]], who spent a summer in town. The [[Cos Cob art colony]] flourished from the late 1800s to the 1920s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lefkowitz |first=Melanie |title=Westport: Connecticut Town With Arts History |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323899704578587584131977950.html |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=WSJ |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cos Cob Art Colony |url=https://greenwichhistory.org/cos-cob-art-colony/ |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=Greenwich Historical Society |language=en-US}}</ref>

At the height of its influence in the 1920s, the [[Ku Klux Klan]] had a distinct presence in the county and county politics. The group was most active in [[Darien, Connecticut|Darien]], but had small chapters in Norwalk, Stamford, and Bridgeport.<ref name="DiGiovanni">DiGiovanni, the Rev. (now Monsignor) Stephen M., ''The Catholic Church in Fairfield County: 1666-1961,'' 1987, William Mulvey Inc., New Canaan, Chapter II: The New Catholic Immigrants, 1880-1930; subchapter: "The True American: White, Protestant, Non-Alcoholic," pp. 81–82; DiGiovanni, in turn, cites (Footnote 209, page 258) Jackson, Kenneth T., ''The Ku Klux Klan in the City, 1915-1930'' (New York, 1981), p. 239</ref> The Klan has since disappeared from the county.

The county's first institution of higher learning was Western Connecticut State University, founded in Danbury in 1903 (known by its acronym, WCSU),<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 19, 2021 |title=Western Connecticut State University |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/western-connecticut-state-university |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=Times Higher Education (THE) |language=en}}</ref> followed by the [[University of Bridgeport]] in 1927, [[Fairfield University]] in neighboring Fairfield in 1947 and Sacred Heart University.<ref name="History of Bridgeport, Connecticut">{{cite web | url=https://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h2304.html | title=History of Bridgeport, Connecticut }}</ref>

Nearly one-third of Fairfield County's population lived within Bridgeport's city limits in 1950, 31.5%. The city began to decline in population as families moved into nearby suburbs, such as [[Fairfield, Connecticut|Fairfield]], leading to widespread residential development. Bridgeport slowly began to loose jobs and large corporations moved into southern states or outside the country. The city gained a reputation for having an aging industrial image, what New York Times articles described as a smokestack filled, aging view of the city from the highway.<ref name="nytimes.com">{{Cite news |last=Times |first=Joseph B. Treaster Special to The New York |date=October 19, 1970 |title=Bridgeport Lack of Beauty More Than Skin Deep |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/19/archives/bridgeport-lack-of-beauty-more-than-skin-deep.html |access-date=January 20, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>[https://www.fairfieldhistory.org/library-collections/learn-more/ Library collections]</ref> The [[Connecticut Turnpike]] (Interstate 95) was built in the mid-1950s along the coast, joining the scenic [[Merritt Parkway|Merrit Parkway]], built in the late 1930s to alleviate traffic on the [[Boston Post Road|Post Road]], and built further inland away from population centers.<ref>[https://www.merrittparkway.org/copy-of-about-the-parkway-1 Merritt Parkway]</ref> Towns such as [[Westport, Connecticut|Westport]], Darien, New Caanan, Stamford, and Greenwich became New York City suburbs, forming the [[Gold Coast (Connecticut)|Connecticut Gold Coast]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Town History & Symbols {{!}} Westport, CT |url=https://www.westportct.gov/about/town-hall/town-history-symbols |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=www.westportct.gov |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome to the Town of Darien, Connecticut - Darien, A Brief History |url=http://www.darienct.gov/about-darien-ct |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=www.darienct.gov}}</ref>
Fairfield County, along with all other Connecticut counties, was abolished as a governmental agency in accord with state legislation that took effect October 1, 1960.<ref name="ct_sots">{{cite web |url=http://www.ct.gov/sots/cwp/view.asp?a=3188&q=392376 |title=SOTS: Section VI – Counties – Table of Contents |publisher=State of Connecticut, Secretary of the State |access-date=June 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127033757/http://www.ct.gov/sots/cwp/view.asp?a=3188&q=392376 |archive-date=November 27, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The first enclosed shopping malls in Fairfield County were [[Westfield Trumbull|Trumbull Shopping Park]] (1963), in the bedroom community of [[Trumbull, Connecticut|Trumbull]] just outside Bridgeport, the now gone Lafayette Shopping Park (1965) in Bridgeport,<ref name="nytimes.com"/> replaced downtown blocks that were demolished as part of the city's urban renewal, [[Danbury Fair (shopping mall)|Danbury Fair Mall]] (1968) on the former fairgrounds of the annual [[Danbury Fair]],<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite news |date=May 14, 1975 |title=Stamford Moves Ahead With Urban Renewall |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1975/05/14/archives/stamford-moves-ahead-with-urban-renewal.html |access-date=January 20, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> [[Hawley Lane Mall]]in Trumbull (1971) and the [[Stamford Town Center]] (1982) as part of the urban renewal project in downtown Stamford.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barmash |first=Isadore |date=February 14, 1982 |title=SHOPPING CENTER PLANS OPENING MINUS 132 STORES |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/02/14/nyregion/shopping-center-plans-opening-minus-132-stores.html |access-date=January 20, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Stamford, Connecticut, is an example of [[edge city]]urbanization. Stamford in the 1960s was a residential suburb of New York City, with a few industries and research laboratories, but of Stamford's downtown was razed and rebuilt it with modern skyscrapers, and several major corporations moved their headquarters to Stamford, creating one of the largest corporate concentrations in the United States.<ref name="britannica.com"/> Originally a more moderate plan, entire downtown blocks and streets were demolished in slow phases and replaced with office towers, residential towers and the [[Stamford Town Center]] shopping mall courtesy of the F.D. Rich Company, which was hired by the city to redevelop what was described as the aging, deteriorating downtown, throughout the 60s, 70s and early 80s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 15, 2014 |title=Urban Renewal |url=https://stamfordhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com/history-of-stamford/urban-renewal/ |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=Stamford Historical Society |language=en}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceA"/> Stamford's population grew from 92,713 in 1960 to 135,470
people in 2020, making it the 2nd largest city in Connecticut in 2022 (behind [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]]), surpassing [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]].<ref>[https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/stamfordcityconnecticut Census data]</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/2020-Census-Stamford-snags-silver-as-CT-s-16383759.php | title=2020 Census: Stamford snags silver as CT's second biggest city: 'A model for ... The 21st century' | date=August 12, 2021 }}</ref>

==Geography==
===Land===
[[Image:Lakepan2.jpg|thumb|500px|[[Candlewood Lake]] in the northern part of the county in the Appalachian Mountains, near the Taconics and Berkshires]]
[[File:DarienCTGorhamBridge09012007.jpg|thumb|Rings End Bridge, in [[Darien, Connecticut|Darien]]]]
[[Image:Huntington-Park.jpg|right|thumb|Huntington State Park]]
[[File:Top of Webb Mountain.jpg | thumb | 220x124px | right | alt= Top of webb mountain |
View from the top of Webb Mountain in [[Monroe, Connecticut|Monroe]]]]

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|837|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|625|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|212|sqmi}} (25.3%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

The terrain of the county trends from flat near the coast to hilly and higher near its northern extremity. The highest elevation is {{convert|1,290|ft|m}} above sea level along the [[New York (state)|New York]] state line south of Branch Hill in the Town of Sherman; the lowest point is sea level itself.

The [[Taconic Mountains]] and the [[The Berkshires|Berkshire Mountains]] ranges of the [[Appalachian Mountains]] run through Fairfield County. The Taconics begin roughly in [[Ridgefield, Connecticut|Ridgefield]] and the Berkshires begin roughly in [[Trumbull, Connecticut|Northern Trumbull]], both running north to [[Litchfield County, Connecticut|Litchfield County]] and beyond. A portion of the Taconics also is in rural [[Greenwich, Connecticut|Greenwich]] and rural [[Stamford, Connecticut|North Stamford]] in Fairfield County and run north into [[Westchester County, New York|Westchester County]], [[New York (state)|New York]], eventually re-entering Fairfield County in [[Ridgefield, Connecticut|Ridgefield]]. A small portion of the [[Appalachian Trail]] runs through Fairfield County; the trail enters Connecticut in the northernmost and least populous town in the county, [[Sherman, Connecticut|Sherman]], and moves east into [[Litchfield County, Connecticut|Litchfield County]], which encompasses the majority of the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut.

The section of the [[Taconic Mountains]] range that runs through Greenwich and North Stamford of Fairfield County is also the part of the Appalachians that is closest to the coast out of the entire [[Appalachian Mountains]].

===Water===
The agreed 1684 territorial limits of the county are defined as {{convert|20|mi|km}} east of New York's [[Hudson River]], which extends into [[Long Island Sound]] with a southerly limit of halfway to Long Island, New York. The eastern limit is mostly a [[natural border]] defined as the halfway point of the [[Housatonic River]] with New Haven County with the exception of several islands belonging wholly to [[Stratford, Connecticut|Stratford]]. The depth of the Sound varies between 60 and {{convert|120|ft|m}}.

The county hosts or contains the rivers [[Byram River|Byram]], [[Housatonic River|Housatonic]], [[Mianus River|Mianus]], [[Mill River (Fairfield)|Mill]], [[Norwalk River|Norwalk]], [[Pequonnock River|Pequonnock]], [[Rippowam River|Rippowam]], [[Saugatuck River|Saugatuck]], and [[Still River (Housatonic River)|Still]].

====Pollution====
The [[Still River (Housatonic River)|Still River]] is polluted with mercury nitrate from the hat industry in [[Danbury, Connecticut|Danbury]], also thereafter diluting into the [[Housatonic River]] and [[Long Island Sound]].<ref name=Verekamp>{{cite journal|last1=Varekamp|first1=JC|last2=Buchholtz ten Brink|first2=MR|last3=Mecray|first3=EL|last4=Kreulen|first4=B|title=Mercury in Long Island Sound Sediments|journal=Journal of Coastal Research|date=Summer 2000|volume=16|issue=3|pages=613–626|jstor=4300074}}</ref><ref name=Lerman>{{cite thesis |last1=Lerman-Sinkoff |first1=Sarah Tziporah |date=April 2014 |title=Transport and Fate of Historic Mercury Pollution from Danbury, CT through the Still and Housatonic Rivers  |type=BA thesis |publisher=Wesleyan University |url=https://digitalcollections.wesleyan.edu/object/ir-639 |access-date=April 6, 2023 |doi=10.14418/wes01.1.1052|doi-access=free }}</ref>{{better source needed|date=April 2023}}

The Housatonic is residually polluted with [[Monsanto]] chemicals called [[Aroclor|Aroclor, polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs]]. From {{circa|1932}} until 1977, the river received PCB [[water pollution|pollution]] discharges from the [[General Electric]] plant at [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts]].<ref>U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Boston, MA. [http://www.epa.gov/NE/ge/sitehistory.html GE/Housatonic River Site in New England: Site History and Description."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519121339/http://www.epa.gov/NE/ge/sitehistory.html |date=May 19, 2011 }} November 12, 2009.</ref>

{{Rivers of Connecticut}}

===Mountains and summits===
Refer to [[List of Mountains and Summits in Fairfield County, Connecticut]].

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Litchfield County, Connecticut|Litchfield County]] (north)
*[[New Haven County, Connecticut|New Haven County]] (east)
*[[Westchester County, New York]] (southwest)
*[[Putnam County, New York]] (west)
*[[Dutchess County, New York]] (northwest)
*[[Nassau County, New York]] (south)

===National protected areas===
* [[Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge]] (part)
* [[Weir Farm National Historic Site]]

===Major highways===
*{{jct|state=CT|I|84}}
*{{jct|state=CT|I|95|CTTP}}
*{{jct|state=CT|I|684}}
*{{jct|state=CT|US|1}}
*{{jct|state=CT|US|6}}
*{{jct|state=CT|US|7}}
*{{jct|state=CT|US|202}}
*{{jct|state=CT|CT|8}}
*{{jct|state=CT|CT|15}}
*{{jct|state=CT|CT|25}}
*{{jct|state=CT|CT|34}}
*{{jct|state=CT|CT|37}}
*{{jct|state=CT|CT|110}}
*{{jct|state=CT|CT|111}}
*{{jct|state=NY|NY|120A}}
*{{jct|state=CT|CT|123}}

===Climate===
Fairfield County has a hot-summer [[humid continental climate]] (''Dfa'') which borders a [[humid subtropical climate]] (''Cfa'') along [[Long Island Sound]]. The [[hardiness zone]] is 6b in the north and 7a within ten miles of the coast except for areas of Greenwich and Stamford along the coast which are 7b. [https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/]

{{Weather box
|location = Bridgeport, Connecticut ([[Sikorsky Memorial Airport|Sikorsky Airport]]), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1948–present
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 69
|Feb record high F = 68
|Mar record high F = 84
|Apr record high F = 91
|May record high F = 97
|Jun record high F = 97
|Jul record high F = 103
|Aug record high F = 100
|Sep record high F = 99
|Oct record high F = 89
|Nov record high F = 79
|Dec record high F = 76
|year record high F = 103
|Jan avg record high F = 56.7
|Feb avg record high F = 55.3
|Mar avg record high F = 64.8
|Apr avg record high F = 76.4
|May avg record high F = 85.1
|Jun avg record high F = 90.7
|Jul avg record high F = 93.8
|Aug avg record high F = 91.5
|Sep avg record high F = 86.2
|Oct avg record high F = 78.1
|Nov avg record high F = 67.9
|Dec avg record high F = 59.7
|year avg record high F = 95.4
|Jan high F = 38.4
|Feb high F = 40.5
|Mar high F = 47.4
|Apr high F = 58.3
|May high F = 68.4
|Jun high F = 77.7
|Jul high F = 83.4
|Aug high F = 81.9
|Sep high F = 75.4
|Oct high F = 64.4
|Nov high F = 53.6
|Dec high F = 43.8
|year high F = 61.1
|Jan mean F = 31.4
|Feb mean F = 33.1
|Mar mean F = 39.3
|Apr mean F = 50.0
|May mean F = 60.0
|Jun mean F = 69.6
|Jul mean F = 75.7
|Aug mean F = 74.5
|Sep mean F = 67.6
|Oct mean F = 56.4
|Nov mean F = 46.0
|Dec mean F = 37.0
|year mean F = 53.4
|Jan low F = 24.4
|Feb low F = 25.7
|Mar low F = 32.3
|Apr low F = 41.7
|May low F = 51.7
|Jun low F = 61.5
|Jul low F = 67.9
|Aug low F = 67.0
|Sep low F = 59.8
|Oct low F = 48.3
|Nov low F = 38.4
|Dec low F = 30.2
|year low F = 45.7
|Jan avg record low F = 6.6
|Feb avg record low F = 9.9
|Mar avg record low F = 17.6
|Apr avg record low F = 30.4
|May avg record low F = 40.8
|Jun avg record low F = 49.8
|Jul avg record low F = 59.1
|Aug avg record low F = 56.9
|Sep avg record low F = 46.2
|Oct avg record low F = 34.2
|Nov avg record low F = 23.9
|Dec avg record low F = 15.6
|year avg record low F = 4.6
|Jan record low F = −7
|Feb record low F = −6
|Mar record low F = 4
|Apr record low F = 18
|May record low F = 31
|Jun record low F = 41
|Jul record low F = 49
|Aug record low F = 44
|Sep record low F = 36
|Oct record low F = 26
|Nov record low F = 13
|Dec record low F = −4
|year record low F = -7
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.18
|Feb precipitation inch = 3.12
|Mar precipitation inch = 4.09
|Apr precipitation inch = 4.16
|May precipitation inch = 3.58
|Jun precipitation inch = 3.77
|Jul precipitation inch = 3.32
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.98
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.96
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.84
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.11
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.98
|year precipitation inch = 44.09
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan snow inch = 8.5
|Feb snow inch = 10.7
|Mar snow inch = 7.0
|Apr snow inch = 0.9
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.1
|Nov snow inch = 0.9
|Dec snow inch = 5.5
|year snow inch = 33.6
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 11.2
|Feb precipitation days = 10.4
|Mar precipitation days = 11.2
|Apr precipitation days = 11.4
|May precipitation days = 12.1
|Jun precipitation days = 11.2
|Jul precipitation days = 8.9
|Aug precipitation days = 9.2
|Sep precipitation days = 8.2
|Oct precipitation days = 9.9
|Nov precipitation days = 9.4
|Dec precipitation days = 11.5
|year precipitation days = 124.7
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 4.5
|Feb snow days = 4.2
|Mar snow days = 2.6
|Apr snow days = 0.3
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.1
|Nov snow days = 0.4
|Dec snow days = 2.9
|year snow days = 14.8
|Jan humidity = 66.1
|Feb humidity = 65.8
|Mar humidity = 65.9
|Apr humidity = 63.9
|May humidity = 70.2
|Jun humidity = 73.6
|Jul humidity = 73.0
|Aug humidity = 73.9
|Sep humidity = 74.1
|Oct humidity = 70.3
|Nov humidity = 70.2
|Dec humidity = 69.6
|year humidity = 69.7
|Jan dew point C = -7.8
|Feb dew point C = -7.4
|Mar dew point C = -3.1
|Apr dew point C = 1.3
|May dew point C = 8.2
|Jun dew point C = 14.1
|Jul dew point C = 17.3
|Aug dew point C = 17.5
|Sep dew point C = 14.0
|Oct dew point C = 7.7
|Nov dew point C = 2.2
|Dec dew point C = -4.1
|source 1 = NOAA<ref name="NOAA">{{cite web 
|url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=okx 
|title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data 
|publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] 
|access-date = June 2, 2021 |archive-date = January 18, 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220118162611/http://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=okx 
|url-status = live 
}}</ref><ref name="NOAA KBDR">{{cite web 
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00094702&format=pdf 
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
|title = Station: Bridgeport Sikorsky Mem AP, CT 
|work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020) 
|access-date = June 2, 2021
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210511211900/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00094702&format=pdf
|archive-date = May 11, 2021}}</ref><ref name="noaahumidity" >{{cite web
|url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP3/72504.TXT
|title = WMO Climate Normals for BRIDGEPORT/SIKORSKY MEMORIAL CT 1961&ndash;1990
|access-date = August 10, 2023
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230810033626/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG_IV/US/GROUP3/72504.TXT
|archive-date = August 10, 2023}}</ref>
}}
{{Graph:Weather monthly history
| table=Ncei.noaa.gov/weather/Bridgeport, Connecticut.tab
| title=Bridgeport monthly weather statistics
}}

{{Weather box
| location = Danbury, Connecticut (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1937–present)
| single line = Y
| Jan record high F = 71
| Feb record high F = 78
| Mar record high F = 92
| Apr record high F = 95
| May record high F = 97
| Jun record high F = 105
| Jul record high F = 106
| Aug record high F = 104
| Sep record high F = 100
| Oct record high F = 91
| Nov record high F = 82
| Dec record high F = 80
| year record high F = 106

|Jan avg record high F = 57.9
|Feb avg record high F = 58.6
|Mar avg record high F = 69.1
|Apr avg record high F = 83.3
|May avg record high F = 90.3
|Jun avg record high F = 93.7
|Jul avg record high F = 96.0
|Aug avg record high F = 93.6
|Sep avg record high F = 87.7
|Oct avg record high F = 79.2
|Nov avg record high F = 69.3
|Dec avg record high F = 59.2
|year avg record high F = 97.7

| Jan high F = 36.1
| Feb high F = 39.8
| Mar high F = 47.9
| Apr high F = 61.0
| May high F = 71.8
| Jun high F = 80.6
| Jul high F = 85.5
| Aug high F = 82.2
| Sep high F = 75.1
| Oct high F = 63.2
| Nov high F = 51.1
| Dec high F = 40.5
| year high F = 
| Jan mean F = 28.0
| Feb mean F = 30.2
| Mar mean F = 37.8
| Apr mean F = 49.7
| May mean F = 60.0
| Jun mean F = 69.3
| Jul mean F = 74.4
| Aug mean F = 72.3
| Sep mean F = 64.4
| Oct mean F = 52.7
| Nov mean F = 41.9
| Dec mean F = 32.5
| year mean F = 
| Jan low F = 19.9
| Feb low F = 21.1
| Mar low F = 27.9
| Apr low F = 38.5
| May low F = 48.2
| Jun low F = 58.1
| Jul low F = 63.4
| Aug low F = 61.8
| Sep low F = 54.0
| Oct low F = 42.2
| Nov low F = 32.7
| Dec low F = 24.9
| year low F =

|Jan avg record low F = 1.3
|Feb avg record low F = 5.2
|Mar avg record low F = 12.0
|Apr avg record low F = 25.1
|May avg record low F = 34.3
|Jun avg record low F = 44.4
|Jul avg record low F = 52.5
|Aug avg record low F = 49.8
|Sep avg record low F = 38.7
|Oct avg record low F = 28.0
|Nov avg record low F = 18.0
|Dec avg record low F = 8.7
|year avg record low F = -1.4

| Jan record low F = −18
| Feb record low F = −16
| Mar record low F = −9
| Apr record low F = 14
| May record low F = 25
| Jun record low F = 35
| Jul record low F = 38
| Aug record low F = 37
| Sep record low F = 23
| Oct record low F = 16
| Nov record low F = 0
| Dec record low F = −11
| year record low F = −18
| Jan precipitation inch = 3.74
| Feb precipitation inch = 3.28
| Mar precipitation inch = 4.43
| Apr precipitation inch = 4.17
| May precipitation inch = 4.23
| Jun precipitation inch = 4.83
| Jul precipitation inch = 4.98
| Aug precipitation inch = 4.88
| Sep precipitation inch = 4.89
| Oct precipitation inch = 4.97
| Nov precipitation inch = 4.02
| Dec precipitation inch = 4.65
| year precipitation inch = 56.04
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan snow inch = 15.7
| Feb snow inch = 11.0
| Mar snow inch = 10.4
| Apr snow inch = 1.7
| May snow inch = 0.0
| Jun snow inch = 0.0
| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = 0.0
| Nov snow inch = 1.9
| Dec snow inch = 8.6
| year snow inch = 49.3
|Jan snow depth inch = 7
|Feb snow depth inch = 9
|Mar snow depth inch = 6
|Apr snow depth inch = 1
|May snow depth inch = 0
|Jun snow depth inch = 0
|Jul snow depth inch = 0
|Aug snow depth inch = 0
|Sep snow depth inch = 0
|Oct snow depth inch = 0
|Nov snow depth inch = 1
|Dec snow depth inch = 5
|year snow depth inch = 12
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 12.0
| Feb precipitation days = 10.8
| Mar precipitation days = 12.3
| Apr precipitation days = 12.1
| May precipitation days = 13.1
| Jun precipitation days = 12.0
| Jul precipitation days = 10.7
| Aug precipitation days = 9.6
| Sep precipitation days = 9.6
| Oct precipitation days = 10.2
| Nov precipitation days = 9.9
| Dec precipitation days = 12.0
| year precipitation days = 134.3
| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jan snow days = 8.0
| Feb snow days = 6.0
| Mar snow days = 4.7
| Apr snow days = 1.0
| May snow days = 0.0
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.2
| Nov snow days = 1.2
| Dec snow days = 5.5
| year snow days = 26.6
| source 1 = NOAA<ref name="NOAA" /><ref name=NCEI>{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00061762&format=pdf
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| title = Station: Danbury, CT
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)
| access-date = June 2, 2021
| archive-date = June 2, 2021
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210602213707/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00061762&format=pdf
| url-status = live
}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1790= 36290
|1800= 38208
|1810= 41050
|1820= 42739
|1830= 47010
|1840= 49917
|1850= 59775
|1860= 77476
|1870= 95276
|1880= 112042
|1890= 150081
|1900= 184203
|1910= 245322
|1920= 320936
|1930= 386702
|1940= 418384
|1950= 504342
|1960= 653589
|1970= 792814
|1980= 807143
|1990= 827645
|2000= 882567
|2010= 916829
|2020= 957419
|estyear=2021
|estimate=958768
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2021">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021|access-date=December 15, 2022}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ct190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF"/>
}}

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 882,567 people, 324,232 households, and 228,259 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|1,410|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 339,466 housing units at an average density of {{convert|542|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the county was 79.31% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 10.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.20% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 3.25% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 4.70% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.49% from two or more races. 11.88% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 17.6% were of [[Italian people|Italian]], 12.4% [[Irish people|Irish]], 6.5% [[German people|German]] and 6.4% [[English people|English]] ancestry.

In 2010, 66.2% of Fairfield County's population was non-Hispanic whites and 10.8% of the population was black. Asians were 4.6% of the population. Hispanics now constituted 16.9% of the population.<ref>[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/09/09001.html Fairfield County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625060609/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/09/09001.html|date=June 25, 2011}}</ref>

As of 2000, 76.2% spoke [[English language|English]], 11.0% [[Spanish language|Spanish]], 2.0% [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], 1.7% [[Italian language|Italian]] and 1.1% [[French language|French]] as their first language. Some of the last group were Haitians, although other Haitians would identify [[Haitian Creole]] as their first language.

There were 324,232 households, out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.60% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 30.90% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $65,249, and the median income for a family was $77,690. Males had a median income of $51,996 versus $37,108 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $38,350. About 5.00% of families and 6.90% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 8.30% of those under age 18 and 6.60% of those age 65 or over.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 916,829 people, 335,545 households, and 232,896 families residing in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US09001
  |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data
  |access-date=January 12, 2016
|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213024459/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US09001
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The population density was {{convert|1,467.2|PD/sqmi}}. There were 361,221 housing units at an average density of {{convert|578.1|/sqmi}}.<ref name="census-density">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US09001
  |access-date=January 12, 2016
|title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 – County
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213192508/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US09001
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 74.8% white, 10.8% black or African American, 4.6% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 6.8% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 16.9% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/> In terms of ancestry, 18.1% were [[Italians|Italian]], 15.9% were [[Irish people|Irish]], 9.8% were [[Germans|German]], 8.7% were [[English people|English]], 5.5% were [[Polish people|Polish]], and 2.7% were [[Americans|American]].<ref name="census-dp2">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US09001
  |title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=January 12, 2016
|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213020643/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US09001
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

Of the 335,545 households, 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.6% were non-families, and 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.21. The median age was 39.5 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

The median income for a household in the county was $81,268 and the median income for a family was $100,593. Males had a median income of $70,187 versus $50,038 for females. The per capita income for the county was $48,295. About 5.6% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US09001
  |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=January 12, 2016
|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213033334/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US09001
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

===Demographic breakdown by town===

====Income====
{{See also|List of Connecticut locations by per capita income}}
Data is from the 2010 United States Census and the 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_5YR_DP03&prodType=table|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212213253/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_10_5YR_DP03&prodType=table|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 12, 2020|title=SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=November 25, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_DP_DPDP1&prodType=table |archive-url=https://archive.today/20190521214830/https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_DP_DPDP1&prodType=table |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |title=Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=November 25, 2012 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- valign=bottom
! Town
! 
! Per capita<br/>income
! Median<br/>household<br/>income
! Median<br/>family<br/>income
! Population
! Number of<br/>households
|-
| [[Bethel, Connecticut|Bethel]]
| Town
| $36,608
| $83,483
| $99,568
| 18,584
| 6,938
|-
| [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]]
| City
| $19,854
| $41,047
| $47,894
| 144,229
| 51,255
|-
| [[Brookfield, Connecticut|Brookfield]]
| Town
| $58,715
| $119,370
| $136,682
| 17,550
| 6,427
|-
| [[Danbury, Connecticut|Danbury]]
| City
| $31,461
| $65,275
| $74,420
| 80,893
| 28,907
|-
| [[Darien, Connecticut|Darien]]
| Town
| $95,577
| $175,766
| $211,313
| 20,732
| 6,698
|-
| [[Easton, Connecticut|Easton]]
| Town
| $63,405
| $140,370
| $163,194
| 7,490
| 2,577
|-
| [[Fairfield, Connecticut|Fairfield]]
| Town
| $55,733
| $113,248
| $138,067
| 59,404
| 20,457
|-
| [[Greenwich, Connecticut|Greenwich]]
| Town
| $92,759
| $124,958
| $167,825
| 61,171
| 23,076
|-
| [[Monroe, Connecticut|Monroe]]
| Town
| $43,842
| $109,727
| $119,357
| 19,479
| 6,735
|-
| [[New Canaan, Connecticut|New Canaan]]
| Town
| $100,824
| $179,338
| $220,278
| 19,738
| 7,010
|-
| [[New Fairfield, Connecticut|New Fairfield]]
| Town
| $39,486
| $101,067
| $108,720
| 13,881
| 4,802
|-
| [[Newtown, Connecticut|Newtown]]
| Town
| $45,308
| $108,148
| $120,507
| 27,560
| 9,459
|-
| [[Newtown (borough), Connecticut|Newtown]]
| Borough
| $43,916
| $106,141
| $109,821
| 1,941
| 696
|-
| [[Norwalk, Connecticut|Norwalk]]
| City
| $43,303
| $76,161
| $93,009
| 85,603
| 33,217
|-
| [[Redding, Connecticut|Redding]]
| Town
| $65,594
| $130,557
| $145,833
| 9,158
| 3,470
|-
| [[Ridgefield, Connecticut|Ridgefield]]
| Town
| $72,026
| $132,907
| $166,036
| 24,638
| 8,801
|-
| [[Sherman, Connecticut|Sherman]]
| Town
| $48,637
| $115,417
| $129,177
| 3,581
| 1,388
|-
| [[Shelton, Connecticut|Shelton]]
| City
| $38,341
| $80,656
| $97,211
| 39,559
| 15,325
|-
| [[Stratford, Connecticut|Stratford]]
| Town
| $32,590
| $67,530
| $83,369
| 51,384
| 20,095
|-
| [[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]]
| City
| $44,667
| $75,579
| $88,050
| 122,643
| 47,357
|-
| [[Trumbull, Connecticut|Trumbull]]
| Town
| $44,006
| $102,059
| $117,855
| 36,018
| 12,725
|-
| [[Weston, Connecticut|Weston]]
| Town
| $92,735
| $209,630
| $242,361
| 10,179
| 3,379
|-
| [[Westport, Connecticut|Westport]]
| Town
| $90,792
| $150,771
| $182,659
| 26,391
| 9,573
|-
| [[Wilton, Connecticut|Wilton]]
| Town
| $78,234
| $153,770
| $181,763
| 18,062
| 6,172
|}

====Race====
Data is from the 2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates, "Race alone or in combination with one or more other races."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_11_5YR_DP05&prodType=table|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212212105/http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_11_5YR_DP05&prodType=table|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 12, 2020|title=ACS DEMOGRAPHIC AND HOUSING ESTIMATES 2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=January 8, 2013}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- valign=bottom
! Rank
! Town
! 
! Population
! White
! Black
! Asian
! American<br/>Indian
! Other
! Hispanic
|-
| 1
| [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]]
| City
| 143,412
| 49.8%
| 35.9%
| 3.9%
| 0.6%
| 11.8%
| 36.7%
|-
| 2
| [[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]]
| City
| 121,784
| 61.0%
| 15.5%
| 8.7%
| 0.3%
| 16.3%
| 24.4%
|-
| 3
| [[Norwalk, Connecticut|Norwalk]]
| City
| 85,145
| 77.2%
| 14.0%
| 4.3%
| 0.6%
| 6.0%
| 20.2%
|-
| 4
| [[Danbury, Connecticut|Danbury]]
| City
| 80,101
| 74.2%
| 8.7%
| 6.5%
| 1.2%
| 13.0%
| 25.1%
|-
| 5
| [[Greenwich, Connecticut|Greenwich]]
| Town
| 61,023
| 87.1%
| 2.3%
| 7.6%
| 0.2%
| 3.9%
| 9.0%
|-
| 6
| [[Fairfield, Connecticut|Fairfield]]
| Town
| 59,078
| 92.9%
| 1.8%
| 5.0%
| 0.2%
| 1.4%
| 4.4%
|-
| 7
| [[Stratford, Connecticut|Stratford]]
| Town
| 51,116
| 79.5%
| 14.2%
| 3.7%
| 0.5%
| 4.1%
| 15.3%
|-
| 8
| [[Shelton, Connecticut|Shelton]]
| City
| 39,310
| 92.6%
| 2.0%
| 2.5%
| 0.3%
| 3.1%
| 7.1%
|-
| 9
| [[Trumbull, Connecticut|Trumbull]]
| Town
| 35,752
| 91.9%
| 2.4%
| 5.4%
| 0.2%
| 1.5%
| 6.0%
|-
| 10
| [[Newtown, Connecticut|Newtown]]
| Town
| 27,235
| 92.7%
| 2.0%
| 3.4%
| 0.5%
| 3.0%
| 6.0%
|-
| 11
| [[Westport, Connecticut|Westport]]
| Town
| 26,249
| 93.3%
| 1.4%
| 5.4%
| 0.1%
| 1.5%
| 3.6%
|-
| 12
| [[Ridgefield, Connecticut|Ridgefield]]
| Town
| 24,469
| 96.0%
| 1.0%
| 3.2%
| 0.3%
| 0.7%
| 3.2%
|-
| 13
| [[Darien, Connecticut|Darien]]
| Town
| 20,580
| 95.2%
| 0.8%
| 3.8%
| 0.1%
| 1.3%
| 3.7%
|-
| 14
| [[New Canaan, Connecticut|New Canaan]]
| Town
| 19,642
| 96.4%
| 1.0%
| 2.5%
| 0.3%
| 0.8%
| 1.8%
|-
| 15
| [[Monroe, Connecticut|Monroe]]
| Town
| 19,398
| 96.9%
| 0.2%
| 2.4%
| 0.1%
| 0.7%
| 4.5%
|-
| 16
| [[Bethel, Connecticut|Bethel]]
| Town
| 18,584
| 90.5%
| 2.5%
| 5.1%
| 0.4%
| 3.5%
| 7.6%
|-
| 17
| [[Wilton, Connecticut|Wilton]]
| Town
| 17,973
| 93.2%
| 1.2%
| 5.7%
| 0.0%
| 1.0%
| 2.8%
|-
| 18
| [[Brookfield, Connecticut|Brookfield]]
| Town
| 16,339
| 92.0%
| 1.6%
| 6.1%
| 0.4%
| 0.9%
| 4.4%
|-
| 19
| [[New Fairfield, Connecticut|New Fairfield]]
| Town
| 13,847
| 95.3%
| 0.6%
| 0.9%
| 0.6%
| 3.6%
| 6.5%
|-
| 20
| [[Weston, Connecticut|Weston]]
| Town
| 10,142
| 96.1%
| 1.7%
| 3.0%
| 0.6%
| 0.8%
| 2.9%
|-
| 21
| [[Redding, Connecticut|Redding]]
| Town
| 9,058
| 95.7%
| 1.8%
| 2.8%
| 2.1%
| 0.3%
| 2.6%
|-
| 22
| [[Easton, Connecticut|Easton]]
| Town
| 7,452
| 96.7%
| 1.3%
| 2.5%
| 0.0%
| 0.0%
| 2.2%
|-
| 23
| [[Sherman, Connecticut|Sherman]]
| Town
| 3,598
| 100.0%
| 0.0%
| 0.0%
| 0.0%
| 0.0%
| 1.6%
|-
| 24
| [[Newtown (borough), Connecticut|Newtown]]
| Borough
| 2,035
| 97.7%
| 0.8%
| 2.0%
| 0.9%
| 0.5%
| 2.7%
|}

==Economy==
[[File:One Stamford Forum.jpg|thumb|One Stamford Forum, the global headquarters of [[Purdue Pharma]]]]
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, corporations began moving their [[headquarters]] to Fairfield County from [[Manhattan]]; Thomas J. Lueck of ''[[The New York Times]]'' said that the trend "permanently decentralized big business in the [[New York metropolitan area|New York region]]." During the 1980s many buyouts and reorganizations and an [[economic recession]] lead to companies vacating much of the suburban office space in Fairfield County. In 1992 Fairfield County had the headquarters of over 25 major multinational corporations, giving it the third largest concentration of those companies in the United States after [[New York City]] and [[Chicago]].<ref>Lueck, Thomas J. "[https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/07/nyregion/vacated-corporate-headquarters-scatter-the-suburban-landscape.html?pagewanted=all Vacated Corporate Headquarters Scatter the Suburban Landscape]." ''[[The New York Times]]''. December 7, 1992. A1, New York Edition. Retrieved on January 5, 2009.</ref>

Fairfield County is home to a large concentration of [[hedge fund]]s and [[private equity firm]]s, with many located along the Gold Coast in places like [[Greenwich, Connecticut|Greenwich]], [[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]], and [[Westport, Connecticut|Westport]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schott |first=Paul |date=November 30, 2018 |title=Connecticut hedge funds still dominate, but face questions |url=https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/business/article/Connecticut-hedge-funds-still-dominate-but-face-13434256.php |access-date=April 18, 2023 |website=[[Stamford Advocate]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Wong |first1=Natalie |last2=Parmar |first2=Hema |last3=Kane |first3=Lizzie |date=October 27, 2022 |title=Citadel, Blue Owl Expand in Connecticut in Bid to Cut Commutes |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-27/wall-street-firms-are-expanding-offices-in-greenwich-other-nyc-suburbs |access-date=April 18, 2023 |website=[[Bloomberg News]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Fortado |first=Lindsay |date=April 24, 2018 |title=Greenwich: the rich town on the frontline of US hedge fund fight |work=[[Financial Times]] |url=https://www.ft.com/content/3bffaf1c-3e35-11e8-b9f9-de94fa33a81e |access-date=April 18, 2023}}</ref> Major hedge funds headquartered in Fairfield County include [[Bridgewater Associates]], [[AQR Capital]], [[Point72 Asset Management]], [[Lone Pine Capital]], [[Viking Global Investors]], and [[Tudor Investment Corporation]].

Fairfield County is the top location for [[aquaculture]] in the state.<ref name="2017-census-state">{{cite web | access-date=July 29, 2022 | date=2017 | title=Census of Agriculture - State and County Profiles - Connecticut | website=USDA, [[National Agricultural Statistics Service]] | url=https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/Connecticut/}}</ref>

==Government and municipal services==
As of 1960, counties in Connecticut do not have any associated county government structure. Thus Fairfield County is only a geographical point of reference. All municipal services are provided by the towns, who sometimes will share certain resources through regionalization. In order to address issues concerning more than one town, several regional agencies that help coordinate the towns for infrastructure, land use, and economic development concerns have been established. Within the geographical area of Fairfield County, the regional agencies are:

* Greater Bridgeport
* South Western
* The Valley (partly in New Haven County)
* Housatonic Valley (partly in Litchfield County)

===County municipal buildings===
Several former county municipal buildings are used by other state or local agencies, including:

* The Fairfield County Jail in [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]] on the corner of North Avenue and Madison Avenue, still actively used to house prisoners.
* The Fairfield County Court Houses in [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]] and [[Danbury, Connecticut|Danbury]] which served the county's judicial needs and housed county deputy sheriff's until December 2000. The court houses are still marked "Fairfield County Court House".

===Law enforcement===

Law enforcement within the geographic area of the county is provided by the respective town police departments, whereas in other states in the region such as New York and [[Vermont]] law enforcement would be provided by the local county sheriff's department. In the less dense areas, such as [[Sherman, Connecticut|Sherman]], law enforcement is primarily provided by the [[Connecticut State Police]]. Prior to 2000, a [[Fairfield County CT Sheriff Department|County Sheriff's Department]] existed for the purpose of executing judicial warrants, prisoner transport, court security, [[Bailiff#United States|Bailiff]], and county and state executions. These responsibilities have now been taken over by the [[Connecticut State Marshal System]].

Some municipalities in the county still maintain a sheriff's department to fill the void of the abolishment of the county sheriff's department, such as the [[Shelton, Connecticut|City of Shelton]] which has established the [[Shelton Sheriff's Department]] to carry out warrants in the city.

===Judicial===
The geographic area of the county is served by the three separate judicial districts: Danbury, Stamford-Norwalk, and Fairfield. Each judicial district has a superior court located, respectively, in Danbury, Stamford, and Bridgeport. Each judicial district has one or more geographical area courts ("GA"'s), subdivisions of the judicial districts that handle lesser cases such as criminal misdemeanors, small claims, traffic violations, and other civil actions.

===Fire protection===
Fire protection in the county is provided by the towns. Several towns also have [[special-purpose district|fire districts]] that provide services to a section of the town.

===Education===
{{expand section|date=July 2022}}
Education in the county is usually provided by the town governments. The exceptions are the towns of Redding and Easton at the secondary level, as those two joined to form a regional secondary school district (Region 9).

School districts include:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st09_ct/schooldistrict_maps/c09001_fairfield/DC20SD_C09001.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st09_ct/schooldistrict_maps/c09001_fairfield/DC20SD_C09001.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=2020 census - school district reference map: Fairfield County, CT|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 22, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st09_ct/schooldistrict_maps/c09001_fairfield/DC20SD_C09001_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

K-12:
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Bethel School District (Connecticut)|Bethel School District]]
* [[Bridgeport School District (Connecticut)|Bridgeport School District]]
* [[Brookfield School District]]
* [[Danbury School District]]
* [[Darien School District]]
* [[Fairfield School District (Connecticut)|Fairfield School District]]
* [[Greenwich School District]]
* [[Monroe School District (Connecticut)|Monroe School District]]
* [[New Canaan School District]]
* [[New Fairfield School District]]
* [[Newtown School District]]
* [[Norwalk School District (Connecticut)|Norwalk School District]]
* [[Ridgefield School District (Connecticut)|Ridgefield School District]]
* [[Shelton School District (Connecticut)|Shelton School District]]
* [[Stamford School District]]
* [[Stratford School District (Connecticut)|Stratford School District]]
* [[Trumbull School District]]
* [[Weston School District]]
* [[Westport School District]]
* [[Wilton School District]]
{{div col end}}

Secondary:
* [[Regional High School District 09]]

Elementary:
* [[Easton School District]]
* [[Redding School District (Connecticut)|Redding School District]]
* [[Sherman School District]]

Private schools:
*[[Convent of the Sacred Heart (Connecticut)|Convent of the Sacred Heart]]
*[[Eagle Hill School]]
*[[Greenwich Academy]]
*[[Greenwich Country Day School]]
*[[Immaculate High School]]
*[[Japanese School of New York]] (Greenwich Japanese School)
*[[Stanwich School]]
*[[Whitby School]]
*[[Wooster School]]

Closed schools:
*[[Carmel Academy]]
*[[Curtis School for Boys]]

===Crime rate===
Fairfield County has a low crime index of 2050.2 (per 100,000 citizens) as well as a murder closure rate of over 70%.<ref>[http://www.dpsdata.ct.gov/dps/ucr/data/2012/Crime%20In%20Connecticut%20COMPLETE%202012.pdf Connecticut Department of Public Safety "]</ref> Several Governmental agencies, as well as private security contractors, have made note of Fairfield's low crime rates and the county currently has 6 cities and towns with a percentile safety index of 90% or higher compared to the rest of the continental United States (based on violent and property crimes).<ref>[http://www.safechoicesecurity.com/blog/safest-cities-connecticut Safe Choice Private Security Firm "]</ref>

===Politics===
As with neighboring Westchester County, Fairfield County was generally a Republican stronghold for much of the 20th century. Urban municipalities such as Stamford, Norwalk and Bridgeport trended Democratic, while the suburban and rural enclaves tended to lean Republican. However, during the 1990s, these latter areas began to increasingly shift towards Democratic candidates. Today, only Hartford County has a higher concentration of Democratic voters. The last time the county voted for a Republican presidential candidate was in 1992 for [[George H.W. Bush]].

{{PresHead|place=Fairfield County, Connecticut|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=May 26, 2017}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|178,971|266,969|7,026|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|169,039|297,505|6,446|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|160,077|243,852|17,280|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|175,168|217,294|3,668|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|167,736|242,936|3,069|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|189,605|205,902|5,460|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|159,659|193,769|16,861|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|144,632|172,337|35,258|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|175,158|160,202|74,050|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|221,316|149,630|3,932|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|257,319|132,253|1,607|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|201,997|124,074|42,027|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|209,458|148,353|2,413|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|233,188|125,128|6,050|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|173,108|139,364|21,820|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|125,576|194,782|261|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|167,778|146,442|6|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|199,841|84,890|0|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|167,278|106,403|1,812|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|118,636|90,767|7,669|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|103,693|99,181|2,423|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|91,190|93,688|829|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|67,846|87,329|8,088|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1932|Republican|72,238|64,367|8,092|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|71,410|55,491|1,047|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|58,041|18,815|10,788|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|55,251|24,761|3,101|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|25,962|20,873|1,442|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|13,147|15,663|12,893|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|24,064|14,917|1,812|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|23,490|15,796|1,063|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|21,317|15,455|560|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|24,489|9,726|1,848|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1892|Republican|16,190|16,125|1,156|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1888|Republican|15,549|14,984|848|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1884|Democratic|13,694|13,964|718|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1880|Democratic|12,009|12,063|108|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1876|Democratic|10,203|11,416|43|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1872|Democratic|8,401|8,515|0|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1868|Republican|8,613|8,234|0|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1864|Republican|7,368|7,193|0|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1860|Republican|7,025|3,177|5,890|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1856|Republican|6,233|5,539|928|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1852|Democratic|4,814|5,155|167|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1848|Whig|5,036|4,064|469|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1844|Whig|5,368|4,599|142|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1840|Whig|4,870|3,862|0|Connecticut}}
{{PresRow|1836|Democratic|2,317|2,711|0|Connecticut}}
|}

==Hospitals==
*[[Bridgeport Hospital]]
*[[Danbury Hospital]]
*[[Greenwich Hospital (Connecticut)|Greenwich Hospital]]
*[[Norwalk Hospital]]
*[[St. Vincent's Medical Center (Bridgeport)]] in [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]]
*[[Stamford Hospital]]

==Transportation==

===Mass transit===
With Interstate 95 and the Merritt Parkway increasingly clogged with traffic, state officials are looking toward mass transit to ease the county's major thoroughfares' traffic burden.

New office buildings are being concentrated near railroad stations in [[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]], [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]] and other municipalities in the county to allow for more rail commuting. Proximity to [[Stamford Transportation Center|Stamford's Metro-North train station]] was cited by the [[Royal Bank of Scotland]] as a key reason for locating its new U.S. headquarters building in downtown Stamford; construction on the office tower started in late 2006.

====Air====
Within Fairfield County there are two regional airports: [[Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport]] in Stratford and the [[Danbury Municipal Airport]] in Danbury.
The county is also served by larger airports such as [[Bradley International Airport]], [[John F. Kennedy International Airport]], [[LaGuardia Airport]], [[Newark Liberty International Airport]], [[Tweed New Haven Regional Airport]], and [[Westchester County Airport]].

====Bus service====
[[Connecticut Transit]]'s [[Connecticut Transit Stamford|Stamford division]] runs local and inter-city buses to the southern part of the county.<ref name="cttransit">{{cite web |url=http://www.cttransit.com/ |title=CTTransit – Connecting the Community |access-date=June 10, 2008}}</ref>
The [[Norwalk Transit District]] serves the Norwalk area in the southern central portion of the county; the [[Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority]] serves Bridgeport and eastern Fairfield County; and the [[Housatonic Area Regional Transit]] agency serves Danbury and the northern portions of the county.

====Ferry service====
The [[Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry]] carries passengers and cars from [[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]] to [[Port Jefferson, New York]], across Long Island Sound.

Ferry lines in and out of Stamford are also in development.

====Rail====
Commuter Rail is perhaps Fairfield County's most important transportation artery, as it allows its residents an efficient ride to [[Grand Central Terminal]] in New York City. Service is provided on [[Metro-North]]'s [[New Haven Line]], and every town on the shoreline has at least one station. Connecting lines bring service to New Canaan from Stamford on the [[New Canaan Branch]], and to Danbury from South Norwalk on the [[Danbury Branch]]. Many trains run express from New York to Stamford, making it an easy 45-minute ride.

In the 2005 and 2006 sessions of the Legislature, massive appropriations were made to buy replacements for the 343 rail cars for the Metro-North New Haven Line and branch lines. The approximately 30-year-old cars will be replaced with new cars at a rate of ten per month starting in 2010.<ref>[http://www.ct.gov/governorrell/cwp/view.asp?A=3293&Q=425190 Governor Rell: Governor Rell: New Rail Car Design Gets Positive Reviews from Public]. Ct.gov (October 16, 2008). Retrieved on July 15, 2013.</ref>

[[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]] and [[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]] are also served by Amtrak, and both cities see a significant number of boardings on the [[Northeast Regional]] route (Boston to Newport News, VA). This route also serves other Amtrak stations in Connecticut, including New Haven, Old Saybrook, New London, and Mystic.

===Major roads===

====Boston Post Road====
[[U.S. Route 1 in Connecticut|U.S. 1]] is the oldest east–west route in the county, running through all of its shoreline cities and towns. Known by various names along its length, most commonly "[[Boston Post Road]]" or simply "Post Road", it gradually gains latitude from west to east. Thus, U.S. 1 west is officially designated "South" and east is "North".

Though contiguous, U.S. 1 changes name by locality. In Greenwich it is Putnam Avenue. In Stamford, it becomes Main Street or Tresser Boulevard. In Darien, it is Boston Post Road or "the Post Road". In Norwalk, it is Connecticut Avenue in the west, Van Zant St, Cross St, and North Av in the center, and Westport Avenue in the east. In Westport, it is Post Road West from the Norwalk town line until the Saugatuck River, where it becomes Post Road East until Fairfield. In Fairfield, it is again Boston Post Road or "the Post Road". In Bridgeport, it follows Kings Highway in the west, North Avenue in the center, and Boston Avenue in the east. Finally, it becomes Barnum Avenue in Stratford.

====Interstate 95====
The western portions of [[Interstate 95 in Connecticut]] are known as the [[Connecticut Turnpike]] or the Governor John Davis Lodge Turnpike in Fairfield County and it crosses the state approximately parallel to U.S. Route 1. The road is most commonly referred to as "I-95". The highway is six lanes (sometimes eight lanes) throughout the county. It was completed in 1958 and is often clogged with traffic particularly during morning and evening [[rush hour]]s.

With the high cost of land along the Gold Coast, state lawmakers do not consider widening the highway to be fiscally feasible, although occasional stretches between entrances and nearby exits are now sometimes connected with a fourth [http://www.fairfieldcountybusinessjournal.com/archive/011705/011705frop01.html "operational improvement"] lane (for instance, westbound between the Exit 10 interchange in Darien and Exit 8 in Stamford).

====Merritt Parkway====
The [[Merritt Parkway]], also known as "The Merritt" or [[Connecticut Route 15]], is a truck-free scenic parkway that runs through the county parallel and generally several miles north of Interstate 95. It begins at the New York state line, where it is the [[Hutchinson River Parkway]], and terminates on the [[Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Bridge]], where it becomes the [[Wilbur Cross Parkway]] at the New Haven county line.

The interchange between the Merritt Parkway and Route 7 in Norwalk was completed around the year 2000. The project was held up in a lawsuit won by preservationists concerned about the historic Merritt Parkway bridges. It is now exit 39 off the Merritt, and exit 15 off I-95. The parkway is a [[National Scenic Byway]] and is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nrhp_fairfield">{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/CT/Fairfield/districts.html |title=National Register of Historical Places – CONNECTICUT (CT), Fairfield County |publisher=[[National Park Service]] and [[United States Department of the Interior]] |access-date=June 24, 2008}}</ref>

====Interstate 84====
[[I-84 (east)|Interstate 84]], which runs through Danbury, is scheduled to be widened to a six-lane highway at all points between Danbury and Waterbury. State officials say they hope the widening will not only benefit drivers regularly on the route but also entice some cars from the more crowded Interstate 95, which is roughly parallel to it. Heavier trucks are unlikely to use Interstate 84 more often, however, because the route is much hillier than I-95 according to a state Department of Transportation official.

====U.S. Route 7====
With its southern terminus at Interstate 95 in central Norwalk, [[U.S. Route 7]] heads north through Wilton, Ridgefield, Danbury, and Brookfield to points north of the county. The route follows a path that was part of the [[Pre-Columbian era|pre-Columbian]] [[Great Trail]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Madden |first=Richard |date=August 3, 1981 |title=ROAD TO REPAIR IS A LONG ONE FOR A HIGHWAY IN CONNECTICUT |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/03/nyregion/road-to-repair-is-a-long-one-for-a-highway-in-connecticut.html |access-date=April 18, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In the 1950s, officials planned to convert all of the route to a four to six lane expressway.<ref name=":0" /> The expressway was constructed in the cities of Danbury and Norwalk, but faced significantly opposition that prevented it from being constructed through the towns in between the two.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Cassidy |first=Martin |date=October 7, 2009 |title=Route 7 expressway unrealistic, leaders say |url=https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/route-7-expressway-unrealistic-leaders-say-163347.php |access-date=April 18, 2023 |website=[[Stamford Advocate]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Plans to construct the expressway, known as "Super 7", have been floated throughout the decades, but have faced vocal opposition, and it has never been constructed.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> In lieu of the expressway, segments of Route 7 in Fairfield County have been widened over the years.<ref name=":1" /> Additionally, the expressway in Danbury has expanded north through Brookfield over the decades.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perrefort |first=Dirk |date=November 20, 2009 |title=Brookfield Route 7 bypass is open to traffic |url=https://www.newstimes.com/news/article/brookfield-route-7-bypass-is-open-to-traffic-257628.php |access-date=April 18, 2023 |website=[[The News-Times]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

====Connecticut Route 8====
[[Route 8 (Connecticut)|Route 8]] terminates in downtown Bridgeport from I-95 with Connecticut Route 25 and goes north. It splits from Connecticut Route 25 at the Bridgeport—Trumbull town line and continues north into southeastern Trumbull and Shelton, then beyond the county through some of towns of the Naugatuck River Valley to Waterbury and beyond. Construction of the route provided some impetus for the creation of office parks in Shelton and home construction there and in other parts of The Valley.

====Connecticut Route 25====
[[Route 25 (Connecticut)|Route 25]] starts in downtown Bridgeport from I 95 with Route 8 and goes north. It splits from Connecticut Route 8 at the Bridgeport—Trumbull town line and continues into Trumbull. The limited access divided expressway ends in northern Trumbull, but Route 25 continues into Monroe, Newtown, and Brookfield.

==Sports==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Team
!Sport
!League
|-
|[[AC Connecticut]]
|[[Soccer]]
|[[USL League Two]]
|-
|[[Bridgeport Islanders]]
|[[Ice hockey]]
|[[American Hockey League]]
|-
|[[Connecticut Whale (PHF)|Connecticut Whale]]
|[[Ice hockey]]
|[[Premier Hockey Federation]]
|-
|[[Connecticut Brakettes]]
|[[Fastpitch softball]]
|[[USA Softball]]
|-
|Danbury Colonials
|[[Ice hockey]]
|[[NA3HL]]
|-
|[[Danbury Hat Tricks]]
|[[Ice hockey]]
|[[Federal Prospects Hockey League]]
|-
|[[Danbury Westerners]]
|[[Baseball]]
|[[New England Collegiate Baseball League]]
|-
|[[Fairfield Yankees RFC]]
|[[Rugby union]]
|[[New England Rugby Football Union]]
|}

Teams that previously called Fairfield County their home include the [[Connecticut Wildcats]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usarl.com/2016/02/wombats-ride-hawks-success/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422223608/http://www.usarl.com/2016/02/wombats-ride-hawks-success/|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 22, 2016|title=USARL {{!}} USA Rugby League {{!}} American Rugby League « Uncategorized « Wombats ride Hawks Success|date=April 22, 2016|access-date=May 20, 2018}}</ref> of [[USA Rugby League]], the [[Danbury Whalers]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Whalers and Danbury Part Ways|url=http://blog.ctnews.com/newsbeat/2015/06/03/whalers-will-not-be-back-at-danbury-arena-new-fhl-team-coming-to-brewster/|publisher=CT News (Hearst Media)}}</ref> and the [[Danbury Titans]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.hamlethub.com/wilton/neighbors/47320-danbury-titans-hockey-calls-it-quits|title=Bruce Bennett reseases statement: Danbury Titans cease operations|last=Ducey|first=Kerry Anne|work=www.hamlethub.com|access-date=May 20, 2018|language=en-gb}}</ref> of the [[Federal Hockey League]], and the [[Bridgeport Bluefish]] in baseball's independent Atlantic League.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://bridgeport.dailyvoice.com/sports/end-of-an-era-bluefish-will-be-moving-from-bridgeport-to-north-carolina/721142/|title=End Of An Era: Bluefish Will Be Moving From Bridgeport To North Carolina|work=Bridgeport Daily Voice|access-date=May 20, 2018|language=en}}</ref> In addition, being a part of metropolitan New York City, the major professional sports teams of New York State and New Jersey are local teams to Connecticut.

==Communities==
[[Image:Fairfield county connecticut municipality types.png|thumb|250px|right|Map of Fairfield County, Connecticut labeling types of municipalities by color. Towns in light green, Cities in Red, and Boroughs in Dark Red]]
[[Image:Map of Fairfield County Connecticut With Municipal Labels.PNG|thumb|250px|Map of Fairfield County, Connecticut showing cities, boroughs, towns, and CDPs]]
''Note: Villages are named localities within towns, but have no separate corporate existence from the towns they are in.''

[[File:Easton Town Hall I.jpg|thumb|Easton Town Hall]]

{{div col |colwidth=15em}}
*[[Bethel, Connecticut|Bethel]] (town)
**Stony Hill
*[[Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport]] (city, former county seat)
**Beardsly
**[[Black Rock, Bridgeport|Black Rock]]
***Barnum (P.T.)
***Grover Hill
**Broadbridge
**Brooklawn
**Downtown
**East End
**East Side
**Hollow
**Lake Forest
**[[Little Italy (Bridgeport)|Little Italy]]
**Mill Hill
**Newfield
**North Bridgeport
**North End
***Trumbull Gardens (Terrace)
**Ox Hill
**South End
***Marina Village
***[[Seaside Park (Connecticut)|Seaside Park]]
***[[University of Bridgeport]] Campus
**Steel Point
**Success
**West Side
*[[Brookfield, Connecticut|Brookfield]] (town)
** Barkwood Falls
** [[Brookfield Center, Connecticut|Brookfield Center]]
** Brookfield Junction
** Brookfield Town Center
** [[Candlewood Lake Club, Connecticut|Candlewood Lake Club]]
** [[Candlewood Orchards, Connecticut|Candlewood Orchards]]
** [[Candlewood Shores, Connecticut|Candlewood Shores]]
** East Iron Works
** Huckleberry Hill
** Iron Works
** Long Meadow Hill
** Obtuse
** Pocono Ridge
** Prospect Hill
** West Iron Works
** Whisconier
*[[Danbury, Connecticut|Danbury]] (city)
**[[Beaverbrook, Connecticut|Beaverbrook]]
**[[Beckettville]]
**Germantown
**[[Great Plain, Danbury, Connecticut|Great Plain]]
**Little Brazil
**Long Ridge
**[[Mill Plain, Danbury, Connecticut|Mill Plain]]
**[[Miry Brook, Connecticut|Miry Brook]]
*[[Darien, Connecticut|Darien]] (town)
**[[Darien Downtown, Connecticut|Darien (Downtown)]]
**[[Noroton, Connecticut|Noroton]]
**[[Noroton Heights, Connecticut|Noroton Heights]]
**[[Tokeneke, Connecticut|Tokeneke]]
*[[Easton, Connecticut|Easton]] (town)
**[[Aspetuck, Connecticut|Aspetuck]]
**[[Plattsville, Connecticut|Plattsville]]
**Sport Hill
*[[Fairfield, Connecticut|Fairfield]] (town)
**Brooklawn
**Fairfield Center (Downtown)
**[[Greenfield Hill]]
**[[Little Danbury, Connecticut|Little Danbury]] (ghost town)
**[[Mill Plain, Fairfield, Connecticut|Mill Plain]]
**[[Murray, Connecticut|Murray]]
**[[Southport, Connecticut|Southport]]
**Stratfield
**Tunxis Hill
*[[Greenwich, Connecticut|Greenwich]] (town)
**Back Country
**Belle Haven
**[[Byram, Connecticut|Byram]]
**Chickahominy
**[[Cos Cob, Connecticut|Cos Cob]]
**[[Glenville, Connecticut|Glenville]]
**Greenwich (Downtown)
**[[Indian Field, Connecticut|Indian Field]]
**[[Mianus, Connecticut|Mianus]]
**Millbrook
**[[Old Greenwich, Connecticut|Old Greenwich]]
**[[Riverside, Connecticut|Riverside]]
**[[Rock Ridge, Connecticut|Rock Ridge]]
**Round Hill
**Sound Beach
*[[Monroe, Connecticut|Monroe]] (town)
**[[East Village, Connecticut|East Village]]
**Monroe Center
**[[Stepney, Connecticut|Stepney]]
**Stevenson
**Upper Stepney
*[[New Canaan, Connecticut|New Canaan]] (town)
**[[New Canaan (CDP), Connecticut|New Canaan Center]]
**[[Silvermine, Connecticut|Silvermine]] (part)
*[[New Fairfield, Connecticut|New Fairfield]] (town)
**[[Ball Pond, Connecticut|Ball Pond]]
**[[Bigelow Corners, Connecticut|Bigelow Corners]]
**[[Bogus Hill, Connecticut|Bogus Hill]]
**[[Candlewood Corner]]
**[[Candlewood Isle, Connecticut|Candlewood Isle]]
**[[Candlewood Knolls, Connecticut|Candlewood Knolls]]
**[[Inglenook, Connecticut|Inglenook]]
**[[Kellogg Point, Connecticut|Kellogg Point]]
**[[Knollcrest, Connecticut|Knollcrest]]
**New Fairfield Center
**[[Sail Harbor, Connecticut|Sail Harbor]]
**[[Taylor Corners, Connecticut|Taylor Corners]]
*[[Newtown, Connecticut|Newtown]] (town)
**[[Berkshire, Connecticut|Berkshire]]
**[[Botsford, Connecticut|Botsford]]
**[[Dodgingtown, Connecticut|Dodgingtown]]
**[[Hattertown, Connecticut|Hattertown]]
**[[Hawleyville, Connecticut|Hawleyville]]
**[[Newtown (borough), Connecticut|Newtown]] (incorporated borough)
**[[Palestine, Connecticut|Palestine]]
**[[Sandy Hook, Connecticut|Sandy Hook]]
*[[Norwalk, Connecticut|Norwalk]] (city)
**[[Central Norwalk]] (Downtown)
**[[Cranbury (Norwalk)]]
**[[East Norwalk]]
**[[Rowayton, Connecticut|Rowayton]]
**[[Silvermine, Connecticut|Silvermine]] (part)
**[[South Norwalk, Connecticut|South Norwalk]] (SoNo)
**[[Spring Hill (Norwalk)|Spring Hill]]
**Wall Street
**[[West Norwalk]]
*[[Redding, Connecticut|Redding]] (town)
**Five Points
**[[Georgetown, Connecticut|Georgetown]] (part)
**[[Redding Center, Connecticut|Redding Center]]
**Redding Ridge
**[[Topstone, Connecticut|Topstone]]
**West Redding
*[[Ridgefield, Connecticut|Ridgefield]] (town)
**[[Branchville, Connecticut|Branchville]]
**[[Lakes East, Connecticut|Lakes East]]
**[[Lakes West, Connecticut|Lakes West]]
**[[Mamanasco Lake, Connecticut|Mamanasco Lake]]
**[[Ridgebury, Connecticut|Ridgebury]]
**[[Ridgefield (CDP), Connecticut|Ridgefield]]
**[[Route 7 Gateway, Connecticut|Route 7 Gateway]]
**[[West Mountain, Connecticut|West Mountain]]
*[[Shelton, Connecticut|Shelton]] (city)
**Birchbank
**Booth Hill
**Coram
**Downtown
**Huntington
**Long Hill
**Pine Rock Park
**Sunnyside
**The Maples
**Trap Falls
**Walnut Tree Hill
**White Hills
*[[Sherman, Connecticut|Sherman]] (town)
**[[Lakeside Woods, Connecticut|Lakeside Woods]]
**[[Sherman (CDP), Connecticut|Sherman]]
*[[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]] (city)
**Belltown
**Bulls Head
**[[Downtown Stamford|Downtown]]
**[[East Side of Stamford|East Side]]
**[[Glenbrook (Stamford)|Glenbrook]]
**Harbor Point
**Newfield
**North Stamford
**Long Ridge
**Richmond Hill
**Roxbury
**[[Shippan]]
**[[Shippan Point]]
**[[Springdale (Stamford)|Springdale]]
**[[South End of Stamford|South End]]
**[[The Cove, Stamford, Connecticut|The Cove]]
**Turn of River
**[[West Side of Stamford|West Side]]
**Westover
**Woodside
*[[Stratford, Connecticut|Stratford]] (town)
**Hawley Lane
**[[Lordship, Connecticut|Lordship]]
**[[Oronoque, Connecticut|Oronoque]]
**Paradise Green
**Putney
**[[Stratford Center Historic District|Stratford Center]]
**[[Stratford Downtown, Connecticut|Stratford Downtown]]
**Success Hill
*[[Trumbull, Connecticut|Trumbull]] (town)
**Chestnut Hill
**[[Daniels Farm, Connecticut|Daniels Farm]]
**[[Long Hill, Trumbull, Connecticut|Long Hill]]
**[[Nichols, Connecticut|Nichols]]
**[[Tashua, Connecticut|Tashua]]
**[[Trumbull Center, Connecticut|Trumbull Center]]
*[[Weston, Connecticut|Weston]] (town)
**[[Aspetuck, Connecticut|Aspetuck]] (part)
**[[Georgetown, Connecticut|Georgetown]] (part)
**[[Weston (CDP), Connecticut|Weston village]]
*[[Westport, Connecticut|Westport]] (Town)
**[[Coleytown, Connecticut|Coleytown]]
**[[Compo, Connecticut|Compo]]
**[[Greens Farms, Connecticut|Greens Farms]]
**[[Old Hill, Connecticut|Old Hill]]
**[[Poplar Plains, Connecticut|Poplar Plains]]
**[[Saugatuck, Connecticut|Saugatuck]]
**[[Staples, Connecticut|Staples]]
**[[Westport Village, Connecticut|Westport Village]]
*[[Wilton, Connecticut|Wilton]] (town)
**[[Cannondale, Connecticut|Cannondale]]
**[[Georgetown, Connecticut|Georgetown]] (most)
**[[Silvermine, Connecticut|Silvermine]] (part)
**[[South Wilton, Connecticut|South Wilton]]
**[[Wilton Center, Connecticut|Wilton Center]]
{{div col end}}

===Telephone area codes===
All communities in the county are in the [[area code 203]]/[[area code 475]] overlay except for the town of [[Sherman, Connecticut|Sherman]] which is in [[area code 860]] and part of the geographical [[New Milford, Connecticut|New Milford]] telephone exchange.

==Major media in the county==
===Countywide===
*''[[Fairfield County Weekly]]''

===Daily newspapers covering the county===
====Published within the county====
*''[[Stamford Advocate|The Advocate of Stamford]]'' – Stamford edition, published by Hearst Connecticut Media., a subsidiary of Hearst Communications.
*''The Advocate of Stamford'' – Norwalk edition
*''[[Connecticut Post]]'', owned by Hearst Connecticut Media, published in Bridgeport, covers Eastern Fairfield County and the Naugatuck Valley.
*''[[Greenwich Time (newspaper)|Greenwich Time]]'', published by ., Hearst Connecticut Media, a subsidiary of Hearst Communications.
*''[[The Hour (newspaper)|The Hour]]'' (registration required), controlled by a trust under the ultimate authority of Norwalk Probate Court.
*''[[The News-Times|The News-Times of Danbury]]'', owned by Hearst Communications, Inc.
*''The Fairfield County Business Journal'', published by Westfair Communications Inc.
*''The [[The Newtown Bee|Newtown Bee]]'' published in Newtown.
*The ''Darien Times'' published in Darien.
*The ''Redding Sentinel'' published in Redding
*''The Easton Courier'' covers Easton.

====Spanish language newspapers====
*''El Sol News'', countywide, based in Stamford.
*''El Canillita'', distributed across southwestern Connecticut.
*''Pluma Libre'', distributed across southwestern Connecticut.

==== Other foreign language newspapers ====
*''Haitian Voice'', published in English, Haitian Creole and French, based in Bridgeport. 
*''BrazilNowUSA'', covers stories from Fairfield County, Connecticut

===Broadcast media and cable television===
* Fairfield County is in the [[List of television stations in New York|New York City]] TV market and receives its TV stations. Some TV stations in the [[List of television stations in Connecticut|Hartford-New Haven]] are also available to Fairfield County viewers.
* [[News 12 Connecticut]] has studios in Norwalk and covers Fairfield County as well as statewide news from Hartford.
* Until 2022, [[WFSB]] from [[Hartford, Connecticut|Hartford]] maintained a secondary feed for Fairfield County on their fourth subchannel which was carried by area cable providers; it mainly offered different advertising for local businesses, along with a different programming schedule that addressed [[broadcast syndication|syndicated]] programming which is claimed by New York City stations and would otherwise be [[blackout (broadcasting)|blacked out]] on WFSB.

==Colleges==
* [[Housatonic Community College]] in Bridgeport
* [[University of Bridgeport]] in Bridgeport
* [[University of Connecticut]] Stamford campus
* [[Fairfield University]] in Fairfield
* [[Norwalk Community College]]
* St. Vincent's College in Bridgeport
* [[Sacred Heart University]] in Fairfield
* [[Western Connecticut State University]] in Danbury
* [[Lincoln Technical Institute]] in Shelton
* Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts in Norwalk

==Culture and the arts==
{{more citations needed|section|date=September 2017}}

===Fine arts===
* Franklin Street Works located in the downtown area of [[Stamford, Connecticut]].
* The [[Housatonic Museum of Art]] located at [[Housatonic Community College]] in [[Bridgeport, Connecticut]].

[[File:Cranbury Park Norwalk III.jpg|thumb|A view of the Tea House in Cranbury Park in Norwalk. The park also has dog walking and frisbee trails, a building for the arts, and a mansion for weddings.]]

===Music: orchestras in the county===
*Greater Bridgeport Symphony. Founded in 1945, its concerts are held at Klein Memorial Auditorium in Bridgeport
*Connecticut Grand Opera, a not-for-profit, professional opera company founded in 1993 and based in Stamford
*Danbury Symphony Orchestra
*Greenwich Symphony Orchestra
*Norwalk Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1939
*Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra
*Orchestra Lumos
* [[Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra]], a not-for-profit organization providing young musicians in the Fairfield County and Upper Westchester County areas with a classical symphony experience

===Other music and arts events===
*The Barnum Festival has been held in the Spring in Bridgeport since 1949 to raise money for charity
*The Connecticut Film Festival is held in the Spring in Danbury
*The Fairfield County Freestyle Championships are generally held once a semester on the campus of [[Sacred Heart University]]. This event showcases the best [[Freestyle dance|freestyle]] dancers and rappers
*The [[Gathering of the Vibes]] musical event has been held in Bridgeport's Seaside Park in 1999, 2000, 2007, and again in 2008
*Musicals at Richter, held every summer in [[Danbury, CT|Danbury]], is Connecticut's longest running outdoor theater
*The [[Norwalk Oyster Festival]] is an annual fair in the city of Norwalk that features craft vendors and live music performances. The festival takes place on the first weekend after [[Labor Day]] in Veterans Park, near [[Long Island Sound]]

==See also==
{{Portal|Connecticut|New England}}
* [[Historical U.S. Census Totals for Fairfield County, Connecticut]]
* [[List of Mountains and Summits in Fairfield County, Connecticut]]
* [[List of Registered Historic Places in Fairfield County, Connecticut]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Fairfield County, Connecticut
|North     = [[Litchfield County, Connecticut|Litchfield County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[New Haven County, Connecticut|New Haven County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Long Island Sound]]
[[Nassau County, New York]] / [[Suffolk County, New York]]
|Southwest = [[Westchester County, New York]]
|West      = [[Putnam County, New York]]
|Northwest = [[Dutchess County, New York]]
}} 
{{Fairfield County, Connecticut}}
{{Connecticut}}
{{New York metropolitan area}}
{{Bridgeport Radio}}
{{Stamford-Norwalk Radio}}
{{Danbury Radio}}
{{Law enforcement agencies in Fairfield County, Connecticut}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|41.23|-73.37|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-CT_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Fairfield County, Connecticut| ]]
[[Category:1666 establishments in Connecticut]]
[[Category:1960 disestablishments in Connecticut]]
[[Category:Counties in the New York metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1666]]