Fairfield's housing stock spans several eras and settings. Older central neighborhoods and areas near Travis Air Force Base include modest single-family homes, row houses, and attached housing serving military and first-time buyers, while newer subdivisions in Cordelia and Green Valley offer contemporary suburban homes on larger lots. Mankas Corner and other established areas provide more spacious, higher-end properties. The city's position between the Bay Area and Sacramento supports steady demand from commuters, and the range of housing types — from compact attached units to larger single-family homes — reflects its role as a broad-market regional hub.

Fairfield's neighborhoods vary from the hills of Cordelia and Green Valley to the east to the more established central and southern districts. Cordelia Hills is known for its walkable schools and suburban streets, while Green Valley and Cordelia provide newer construction and convenient highway access. Mankas Corner is among the city's more affluent, spacious areas, and Tolenas offers a more modest, established setting. Areas near Travis Air Force Base hold a concentration of attached housing and military families. The result is a city of distinct pockets, from hillside subdivisions to older in-town blocks, all connected by Interstate 80.

Fairfield offers a practical, family-oriented lifestyle defined by its central location. Military families connected to Travis Air Force Base, Bay Area and Sacramento commuters, and a diverse local workforce all call the city home, drawn by its convenience at the I-80 and I-680 junction. Community life spans the Suisun Valley's vineyards and farm stands, the Suisun Marsh's wetlands, and the city's parks and recreation programs. Residents can reach San Francisco's cultural amenities or Sacramento's government and dining in under an hour, while enjoying housing and open space that are more attainable than in the inner Bay Area.

Fairfield is served by the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District, which operates the city's elementary, middle, and high schools, including Armijo High School. The separate Travis Unified School District covers the area around Travis Air Force Base, serving military and civilian families on and near the installation. This dual-district structure gives families options depending on location. For higher education, Solano Community College has a campus in Fairfield, and California State University and University of California campuses, as well as Sacramento's universities, are within commuting distance.

Fairfield sits at the junction of Interstate 80 and Interstate 680, two of Northern California's principal freeways, placing San Francisco and Sacramento each about 45 miles away. Amtrak's Capitol Corridor serves the nearby Suisun-Fairfield station with rail service between the Bay Area and Sacramento, and Solano Express bus routes add regional connections. Travis Air Force Base anchors the local military transportation network. For air travel, Sacramento International and the Bay Area's three major airports are all within practical reach, reinforcing the city's role as a transportation crossroads.

Fairfield's recreation draws on its unique setting. The Jelly Belly factory offers tours that have made it a regional attraction, and the Anheuser-Busch brewery adds another popular stop. The Suisun Marsh, the largest contiguous brackish marsh on the West Coast, provides birding, kayaking, and wildlife viewing, while the Suisun Valley's wineries and farm stands offer a local wine-and-agriculture scene. City parks and recreation programs serve families throughout the year, and the city's central location puts Napa Valley, Lake Berryessa, the Sacramento River, and the San Francisco Bay all within easy reach.