Fairfield County, Connecticut

Fairfield County was the home of many Native American tribes prior to the Europeans' arrival. People of the Schaghticoke tribe lived in the area of present-day New Fairfield and Sherman.{{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}} From east to west the Wappinger sachemships included the 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 Puritans 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).{{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}} Ludlow is credited as having chosen the name Fairfield. Fairfield is a descriptive name referring to the beauty of its fields.{{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}} The town of Stratford was settled in 1639 as well by Adam Blakeman (1596–1665). 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, New Haven County, and 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^e bounds of Rye shalbe for future one County w^ch

: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}}{{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}}

The original Fairfield County consisted of the towns of Rye, Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, Fairfield, and Stratford. In 1673, the town of 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 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, with Fairfield County gaining territory from Litchfield County.

Other early county inhabitants include:

• 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 that is still standing and serves as a private residence.
• 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 campaign that year.

Image:Uss G-3 1915.jpgs 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".{{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 }} 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 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 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 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).{{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 |archive-date = June 28, 2008}} 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 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 wall of separation between church and State" that protected them.Letter to Danbury Baptist Association, CT, January 1, 1802

An agricultural region, the first railroad was the Housatonic Railroad, construction started 1836 and ended 1840, extending from Bridgeport to New Milford originally, connecting Litchfield County crops to the port in Bridgeport, by passing New York City.{{Cite web |title=History of the Housatonic Railroad |url=http://www.housatonicrr.com/history.html |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=www.housatonicrr.com}} 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.{{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}}

In 1851, the county seat of Fairfield County was moved from the town of Fairfield to the newly founded neighboring city of Bridgeport. This was due to its growing population and industry as the old courthouse erected 1794 was no longer adequate.{{cite web | url=https://www.fairfieldct.org/content/10724/12146/default.aspx | title=Highlights of Fairfield's History - Town of Fairfield, Connecticut }} The first hospital in the county, and the 3rd hospital in Connecticut behind Hartford and 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),[https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/OHS/ohca/HospitalStudy/Norwalkpdf.pdf?la=en Hospital Study] Stamford Hospital (1896) {{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 }} Greenwich Hospital (1903),{{Cite web |title=History & Milestones |url=https://www.greenwichhospital.org/about/hospital-overview/history-milestones |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=greenwichhospital.org}}St. Vincent's Hospital in Bridgeport (1903), and Park City Hospital in Bridgeport (1926), which closed in 1993.{{Cite web|url=https://ctdigitalarchive.org/islandora/object/110002%3A20982|title=Connecticut Digital Archive | Connect. Preserve. Share}}{{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}}{{Cite web |title=History Milestones |url=https://www.bridgeporthospital.org/about/hospital-overview/history-milestones |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=bridgeporthospital.org}}

By 1900, the largest cities in the county were Bridgeport, Norwalk, Danbury, Stamford and Greenwich.{{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}} 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, and Worcester, with $44,586,519 total worth of products manufactured without adjusting to today's money.{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Bridgeport | volume= 4 | page = 532 |short= 1}} Stamford and Greenwich had become popular resort towns for New York City's wealthy.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

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.{{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}} Bridgeport by 1920 had a population of 143,555 people, then the 44th largest US city. 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 and Towne Lock Manufacturing Company.{{cite web | url=https://hatcitypools.com/the-history-of-hat-city | title=The History of Hat City }}{{Cite EB1922 |wstitle= United States, The |volume = 32 |pages = 851–901 |short= 1}}{{Cite EB1911|wstitle= Connecticut | volume= 6 | pages = 951–958 |short= 1}} Bridgeport, nicknamed "Park City" had in 1930 over 500 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 Warnerco, ACME Shear, Westinghouse subsidiary Bryant Electric among others, and others such as Remington Arms, General Electric, Singer Sewing Machines, Sikorsky Aircraft, Carpenter Steel, and countless others, had large scale manufacturing complexes there.{{Cite web |title=Bridgeport History Center - Companies |url=https://www.bridgeporthistory.org/News.aspx |access-date=January 20, 2023 |website=www.bridgeporthistory.org}}

Most of the county remained agricultural. 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.{{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}}{{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}}

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, but had small chapters in Norwalk, Stamford, and Bridgeport.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 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),{{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}} followed by the University of Bridgeport in 1927, Fairfield University in neighboring Fairfield in 1947 and Sacred Heart University.{{cite web | url=https://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h2304.html | title=History of Bridgeport, Connecticut }}

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, 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.{{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}}[https://www.fairfieldhistory.org/library-collections/learn-more/ Library collections] The Connecticut Turnpike (Interstate 95) was built in the mid-1950s along the coast, joining the scenic Merrit Parkway, built in the late 1930s to alleviate traffic on the Post Road, and built further inland away from population centers.[https://www.merrittparkway.org/copy-of-about-the-parkway-1 Merritt Parkway] Towns such as Westport, Darien, New Caanan, Stamford, and Greenwich became New York City suburbs, forming the Connecticut Gold Coast,{{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}}{{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}}

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.{{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 }} The first enclosed shopping malls in Fairfield County were Trumbull Shopping Park (1963), in the bedroom community of Trumbull just outside Bridgeport, the now gone Lafayette Shopping Park (1965) in Bridgeport, replaced downtown blocks that were demolished as part of the city's urban renewal, Danbury Fair Mall (1968) on the former fairgrounds of the annual Danbury Fair,{{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}} Hawley Lane Mallin Trumbull (1971) and the Stamford Town Center (1982) as part of the urban renewal project in downtown Stamford.{{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}}

Stamford, Connecticut, is an example of edge cityurbanization. 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. 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.{{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}} 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), surpassing New Haven.[https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/stamfordcityconnecticut Census data]{{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 }}

Image:Lakepan2.jpg in the northern part of the county in the Appalachian Mountains, near the Taconics and Berkshires]]

File:DarienCTGorhamBridge09012007.jpg]]

Image:Huntington-Park.jpg

[[File:Top of Webb Mountain.jpg | thumb | 220x124px | right | alt= Top of webb mountain |

View from the top of Webb Mountain in 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.{{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}}

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 line south of Branch Hill in the Town of Sherman; the lowest point is sea level itself.

The Taconic Mountains and the Berkshire Mountains ranges of the Appalachian Mountains run through Fairfield County. The Taconics begin roughly in Ridgefield and the Berkshires begin roughly in Northern Trumbull, both running north to Litchfield County and beyond. A portion of the Taconics also is in rural Greenwich and rural North Stamford in Fairfield County and run north into Westchester County, New York, eventually re-entering Fairfield County in 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, and moves east into 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.

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. The depth of the Sound varies between 60 and {{convert|120|ft|m}}.

The county hosts or contains the rivers Byram, Housatonic, Mianus, Mill, Norwalk, Pequonnock, Rippowam, Saugatuck, and Still.

The Still River is polluted with mercury nitrate from the hat industry in Danbury, also thereafter diluting into the Housatonic River and Long Island Sound.{{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}}{{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 }}{{better source needed|date=April 2023}}

The Housatonic is residually polluted with Monsanto chemicals called Aroclor, polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. From {{circa|1932}} until 1977, the river received PCB pollution discharges from the General Electric plant at Pittsfield, Massachusetts.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.

{{Rivers of Connecticut}}

Refer to List of Mountains and Summits in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

• Litchfield County (north)
• New Haven County (east)
• Westchester County, New York (southwest)
• Putnam County, New York (west)
• Dutchess County, New York (northwest)
• Nassau County, New York (south)

• Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge (part)
• Weir Farm National Historic Site

• {{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}}

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 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{{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

}}{{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}}{{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 1961–1990

|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}}

}}

{{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{{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

}}

}}

{{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={{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}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{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}}
1790-1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=June 11, 2014}} 1900–1990{{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}}
1990-2000{{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}} 2010–2020

}}

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% White, 10.01% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 3.25% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.70% from other races, and 2.49% from two or more races. 11.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 17.6% were of Italian, 12.4% Irish, 6.5% German and 6.4% 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.[http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/09/09001.html Fairfield County QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625060609/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/09/09001.html|date=June 25, 2011}}

As of 2000, 76.2% spoke English, 11.0% Spanish, 2.0% Portuguese, 1.7% Italian and 1.1% 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 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.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 916,829 people, 335,545 households, and 232,896 families residing in the county.{{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

}} 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}}.{{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

}} 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. In terms of ancestry, 18.1% were Italian, 15.9% were Irish, 9.8% were German, 8.7% were English, 5.5% were Polish, and 2.7% were American.{{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

}}

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.

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.{{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

}}

{{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.{{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}}{{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 }}

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."{{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}}

File:One Stamford Forum.jpg]]

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 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.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.

Fairfield County is home to a large concentration of hedge funds and private equity firms, with many located along the Gold Coast in places like Greenwich, Stamford, and Westport.{{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}}{{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}}{{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}} 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.{{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/}}

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)

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

• The Fairfield County Jail in Bridgeport on the corner of North Avenue and Madison Avenue, still actively used to house prisoners.
• The Fairfield County Court Houses in Bridgeport and 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 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, law enforcement is primarily provided by the Connecticut State Police. Prior to 2000, a County Sheriff's Department existed for the purpose of executing judicial warrants, prisoner transport, court security, 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 City of Shelton which has established the Shelton Sheriff's Department to carry out warrants in the city.

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 in the county is provided by the towns. Several towns also have fire districts that provide services to a section of the town.

{{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:{{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]

K-12:

{{div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Bethel School District
• Bridgeport School District
• Brookfield School District
• Danbury School District
• Darien School District
• Fairfield School District
• Greenwich School District
• Monroe School District
• New Canaan School District
• New Fairfield School District
• Newtown School District
• Norwalk School District
• Ridgefield School District
• Shelton School District
• Stamford School District
• 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
• Sherman School District

Private schools:

• 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

Fairfield County has a low crime index of 2050.2 (per 100,000 citizens) as well as a murder closure rate of over 70%.[http://www.dpsdata.ct.gov/dps/ucr/data/2012/Crime%20In%20Connecticut%20COMPLETE%202012.pdf Connecticut Department of Public Safety "] 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).[http://www.safechoicesecurity.com/blog/safest-cities-connecticut Safe Choice Private Security Firm "]

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={{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}}}}

{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|178,263|267,019|7,021|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|22,396|12,463|1,139|Connecticut}}

{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|15,777|18,006|572|Connecticut}}

{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|14,934|15,251|663|Connecticut}}

{{PresRow|1884|Democratic|12,293|12,966|669|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}}

|}

• Bridgeport Hospital
• Danbury Hospital
• Greenwich Hospital
• Norwalk Hospital
• St. Vincent's Medical Center (Bridgeport) in Bridgeport
• Stamford Hospital

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, Bridgeport and other municipalities in the county to allow for more rail commuting. Proximity to 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.

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.

Connecticut Transit's Stamford division runs local and inter-city buses to the southern part of the county.{{cite web |url=http://www.cttransit.com/ |title=CTTransit – Connecting the Community |access-date=June 10, 2008}}

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.

The Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry carries passengers and cars from Bridgeport to Port Jefferson, New York, across Long Island Sound.

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

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.[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.

Bridgeport and 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.

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.

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 hours.

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).

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.{{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}}

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 runs 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.

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 Great Trail.{{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}} In the 1950s, officials planned to convert all of the route to a four to six lane expressway. 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.{{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}} 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. In lieu of the expressway, segments of Route 7 in Fairfield County have been widened over the years. Additionally, the expressway in Danbury has expanded north through Brookfield over the decades.{{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}}

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.

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.

Teams that previously called Fairfield County their home include the Connecticut Wildcats{{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}} of USA Rugby League, the Danbury Whalers{{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)}} and the Danbury Titans{{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}} of the Federal Hockey League, and the Bridgeport Bluefish in baseball's independent Atlantic League.{{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}} 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.

Image:Fairfield county connecticut municipality types.png

Image:Map of Fairfield County Connecticut With Municipal Labels.PNG

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

{{div col |colwidth=15em}}

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

{{div col end}}

All communities in the county are in the area code 203/area code 475 overlay except for the town of Sherman which is in area code 860 and part of the geographical New Milford telephone exchange.

• Fairfield County Weekly

• 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, published by ., Hearst Connecticut Media, a subsidiary of Hearst Communications.
• The Hour (registration required), controlled by a trust under the ultimate authority of Norwalk Probate Court.
• The News-Times of Danbury, owned by Hearst Communications, Inc.
• The Fairfield County Business Journal, published by Westfair Communications Inc.
• The Newtown Bee published in Newtown.
• The Darien Times published in Darien.
• The Redding Sentinel published in Redding
• The Easton Courier covers Easton.

• El Sol News, countywide, based in Stamford.
• El Canillita, distributed across southwestern Connecticut.
• Pluma Libre, distributed across southwestern Connecticut.

• Haitian Voice, published in English, Haitian Creole and French, based in Bridgeport.
• BrazilNowUSA, covers stories from Fairfield County, Connecticut

• Fairfield County is in the New York City TV market and receives its TV stations. Some TV stations in the 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 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 syndicated programming which is claimed by New York City stations and would otherwise be blacked out on WFSB.

• 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

{{more citations needed|section|date=September 2017}}

• 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

• 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

• 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 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, 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

{{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

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Fairfield County, Connecticut

|North = Litchfield County

|Northeast =

|East = 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:1666 establishments in Connecticut

Category:1960 disestablishments in Connecticut

Category:Counties in the New York metropolitan area

Category:Populated places established in 1666