Mason receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fairfield
Mason
Opportunity
75 · Top 13%
vs86 · Top 2%
Growth
21 · Bottom 9%
vs75 · Top 11%
Climate
64 · Bottom 32%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
77 · Top 28%
vs90 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 14%
vs96 · Top 18%
Schools
34 · Bottom 28%
vs77 · Top 17%
Access
93 · Top 47%
vs88 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
67 · Top 36%
vs80 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Fairfield | Mason | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,828 | 35,509 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,937 | $125,401 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,668 | $64,784 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,152/sq mi | 1,823/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $234,500 | $426,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,242 | $1,760 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.2% | 80.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.7% | 0.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.7% | 60.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 3.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 169 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 4.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -96.6% | 172.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.4" | 41.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 27 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 26.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.1 | 42.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.52 | 21.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 52.1% | 83.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.1% | 80.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.0% | 17.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Fairfield
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Mason
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Fairfield, OH · Mason, OH · How this is calculated: methodology