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Fairfield, Connecticut is a coastal town of about 60,000 on Long Island Sound, roughly an hour by train from New York City on the Metro-North New Haven Line. Fairfield University, a Jesuit campus, sits less than two miles inland and gives the town a distinct college-and-coast character. The signature student move is the beach scene, where each year hundreds of upperclassmen take houses near Fairfield Beach Road, Reef Road, and Lantern Point, steps from the sand. Closer to campus, North Benson is the other main student cluster. Downtown Fairfield, built around the train station, is walkable, with shops, the public green, and Jennings and Penfield beaches nearby. Being a student here means choosing between the beach and living near campus.
The beach along Fairfield Beach Road, Reef Road, and Lantern Point is the iconic upperclassman scene, walking distance to the sand and the heart of student social life.
Along North Benson Road right by Fairfield University, this is the other main student cluster and the closest walk to campus.
Around the train station and the town green, walkable and lively, good for students who want shops and Metro-North access at their door.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Fairfield.
The Metro-North New Haven Line runs through town with two stations, Fairfield and Fairfield Metro, connecting you to New York City and New Haven without a car, which is a huge draw for students. The train handles the big regional trips beautifully. Students can reach the city and New Haven directly from either station. For longer trips, Metro-North is the obvious choice over driving.
Around campus and the beach neighborhoods, students mostly walk or bike, since Fairfield University sits less than two miles from the coast and the key student areas are clustered tightly. Downtown Fairfield, centered on its train station, is genuinely walkable with shops and restaurants. The compact student areas make walking and biking the easy default. Daily trips between campus, the beach, and town are short on foot or by bike.
The beach houses and campus are a bit spread from downtown, so many students keep a car or rely on rideshares for late-night trips between the beach scene, campus, and town. A car helps for connecting the more scattered student areas after hours. Students who drive will find a vehicle useful for late-night and cross-town trips. For getting around between the beach and campus when transit thins out, a car or rideshare is handy.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Fairfield's beach rentals are famously pricey and rent by the house, so costs swing widely. Per person in a shared beach or near-campus house, students commonly pay roughly $1,200-$2,000/month once you split a place several ways. Solo apartments are scarce and run higher, often $2,000/month or more. Beachfront houses can go far above that, so sharing with a big group is how most students make the beach scene affordable to them.
Browse student housing near each Fairfield-area university.