Ely and Fairfax are places in Iowa. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Fairfax has the higher population (2,865 vs 2,033 in Ely). Fairfax has the higher median household income ($120,552 vs $102,262 in Ely). Fairfax has the higher median home value ($278,800 vs $275,800 in Ely).
Population, income & housing
| Ely | Fairfax | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,033 | 2,865 |
| Median age | 37.6 yrs | 37.1 yrs |
| Median household income | $102,262 | $120,552 |
| Median home value | $275,800 | $278,800 |
| Median gross rent | $1,014 | $1,188 |
| Housing units | 801 | 1,009 |
| Homeownership rate | 81.9% | 93.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.6% | 36.9% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% | 1.7% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Ely | Fairfax | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,227 → 2,033 (-8.7%) | 2,680 → 2,865 (+6.9%) |
| Median household income | $94,009 → $102,262 (+8.8%) | $97,643 → $120,552 (+23.5%) |
| Median home value | $216,400 → $275,800 (+27.4%) | $221,400 → $278,800 (+25.9%) |
| Median gross rent | $737 → $1,014 (+37.6%) | $1,375 → $1,188 (-13.6%) |
Ely
2,2272,033
$94,009$102,262
$216,400$275,800
$737$1,014
Fairfax
2,6802,865
$97,643$120,552
$221,400$278,800
$1,375$1,188
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Ely | Fairfax | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 8.7% | 10.0% |
| 5 to 17 | 19.4% | 19.9% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.1% | 5.7% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.1% | 12.6% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.7% | 14.5% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.6% | 13.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.2% | 12.9% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.6% | 7.0% |
| 75 and over | 1.6% | 3.7% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Ely | Fairfax | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 96.0% | 87.2% |
| Black or African American | 0.6% | 2.9% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races | 1.3% | 3.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.7% | 5.5% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Ely | Fairfax | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 2.5% | 2.9% |
| High school graduate | 27.1% | 24.4% |
| Some college or associate's | 34.8% | 35.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 26.6% | 25.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 9.0% | 11.4% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Ely | Fairfax | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 84.8% | 74.3% |
| Carpooled | 6.2% | 5.0% |
| Public transit | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Walked | 1.5% | 0.0% |
| Bicycle | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 6.2% | 20.0% |
| Other means | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Ely | Fairfax | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 79.9% | 72.1% |
| 1-unit, attached | 7.1% | 21.3% |
| 2 to 4 units | 6.6% | 4.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 5.5% | 2.7% |
| 20 or more units | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Mobile home & other | 0.9% | 0.0% |
Poverty & households
| Ely | Fairfax | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Average household size | 2.57 | 2.91 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 21 | 25 |
| Median year structure built | 1998 | 2004 |
Full profiles
2Related rankings
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- Most densely populated — cities in Iowa
- Highest median household income — cities in Iowa
- Highest median home value — cities in Iowa
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