About the Town

Imagine a perfect college town. Now put it a mile from the beach and an hour train ride from New York City. That’s Fairfield, Connecticut — a picturesque New England town small enough to navigate on foot, but big enough that you won’t run out of things to do. Fairfield is one of the few suburbs where the town center, train station, and beach are all within walking distance and major cities and mass transportation are conveniently within reach.

Voted the #1 County for Young Professionals in Connecticut by Niche, Fairfield is located in a region with the largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the United States, giving our students premier access to an unlimited number of internship and employment opportunities at some of the top organizations in the country. We’re a community of well-educated and business-minded professionals who think big, have high standards, and know great value when we see it.

Featuring five miles of shoreline, a bustling downtown, and a vibrant array of restaurants and stores, Fairfield is an ideal location to work, live, learn, and play.

Fairfield University students have the best of both worlds. Our campus is ten minutes from the beautiful beaches of Long Island Sound and only an hour train ride from the heart of Manhattan. That means you’re just 60 minutes away from the largest metropolitan area in the country and the premier U.S. destination for dining, shopping, entertainment, and culture. And if you’re looking for a change of pace, our five town beaches, multiple marinas, and serene town lake are waiting for you minutes down the road.

No matter which direction you head from campus, adventure isn’t far behind. With convenient access from I-95, the Merritt Parkway, Metro-North, and Amtrak, getting to Fairfield is a breeze and getting out to experience the grandeur of the Northeast is even easier. In addition to being 55 miles north of New York City, we are just two hours and 30 minutes south of Boston, three hours from the historic center of Philadelphia, and five hours from the nation’s capital in Washington D.C.

Distance to Trains

N.Y.C. / New Haven (Metro North) – 1 mile
Washington D.C. / Boston (Amtrak) – 5 miles

Distance to International Airports

LaGuardia (NYC) – 49 miles
JFK (NYC) – 60 miles
Newark Liberty (NJ) – 71 miles
Bradley (CT) – 73 miles

Distance to Ferry

Bridgeport (CT) to Port Jefferson (NY) – 5 miles

Honoring our Jesuit mission to serve as “men and women for others,” Fairfield University understands the importance of being a part of and giving back to our local community. That’s why we established our 23,500 square-foot University Bookstore right in the heart of downtown Fairfield. A staple of Post Road, the bookstore serves a wide range of audiences through in-person events, author talks, children’s activities, a large selection of books and literature, and a variety of merchandise to inspire Stag spirit.

Our University is also a well-known partner in many town celebrations and traditions, including The Colony Grill ‘Hot Oil’ 5K, Fairfield Restaurant Week, Santa’s Arrival, numerous Downtown Shop and Stroll events, Small Business Saturday, and more. We also work closely with the Fairfield Museum and History Center, Fairfield Public Library, Fairfield Economic and Community Development Office, and Tourism Board to ensure that our students have exciting opportunities to learn and play both on and off campus.

We are also proud to serve as a major economic driver for the town of Fairfield. According to a recent study conducted by the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, Fairfield University contributes more than $1 billion to the local economy each year. In fact, the total direct spending by the University and our employees, students, and visitors topped $630 million this past year, with more than $100 million contributed by our employees alone.