Last updated September 2026 · By Melissa DiVita, REALTOR®, Compass · DRE #01387955 · Marin native, in real estate since 2003

Why Fairfax

Fairfax is Marin’s most independent-minded town, and people who live here love it for exactly that. It’s also where my family’s Marin story starts: my great-grandfather lived in Fairfax. It has live music, a walkable downtown, and trails into the Mt. Tam watershed that start a few blocks from Center Boulevard. It’s also one of the more affordable ways into central Marin. About 7,600 people live here.

Where mountain biking was born

In the 1970s a group of Marin riders, including Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze and Charlie Kelly, raced modified bikes down Repack Road on Pine Mountain above Fairfax. The first Repack race was on October 21, 1976. Today the Marin Museum of Bicycling and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame is on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, and riders come from all over to ride Camp Tamarancho‘s singletrack (day and annual passes available) and the watershed fire roads.

Fairfax also has some of the coolest bike shops anywhere. At a place like SplitRock Tap & Wheel you can get your bike repaired while you eat and enjoy a craft beer, and Sunshine Bicycle Center has been the town shop since 1971. It’s such a fun place to start or end a ride through the endless trails and roads in Marin.

Neighborhoods

  • Downtown. Walk to shops, music and restaurants.
  • Oak Manor and Deer Park. Quiet residential streets with trail access.
  • Cascade Canyon. Wooded, creekside homes near open space.

Schools

Fairfax is in the Ross Valley School District (Manor Elementary, Ross Valley Charter, White Hill Middle School) and feeds Archie Williams High School, ranked #3 among Marin public high schools by Niche for 2026.

Eat, drink and play

  • Village Sake, a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand
  • Fairfax Brewing Company, the brewpub in the former Iron Springs space
  • Sorella Caffe, Way Station and Fairfax Scoop
  • Meadow Club, a private golf club founded in 1927 and described as the first North American course designed by Alister MacKenzie
  • Bike shops including Sunshine Bicycle Center and SplitRock Tap & Wheel

Home prices

Fairfax is one of the more affordable towns in central Marin. Redfin reported a 3-month median sale price of about $1.2 million in Fairfax as of August 2026, up about 6.6% from a year earlier, with homes selling in about 33 days. Prices vary a lot between a downtown cottage and a hillside home backing onto open space, so ask me for recent comps on a specific home.

What buyers should know

Many Fairfax homes back onto open space. That’s the appeal, but it also means wildfire insurance deserves early attention. Some creekside areas have flood history too.

Financing in Marin. Many Fairfax homes fall under Marin’s 2026 conforming loan limit of $1,249,125, so plenty of buyers here can use conforming or FHA financing instead of a jumbo loan. My husband Michael DiVita is a mortgage broker and owner of DiVita Home Finance, with access to 40+ wholesale lenders, and he’s a great resource for jumbo and bank-statement loans. Learn more at mycahomeloan.com.
Disclosure: Michael DiVita is my husband. You are free to choose any lender; using DiVita Home Finance is never required, and I receive no referral fee.

Moving from SF guide
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Honest trade-offs: is Fairfax right for you?

Fairfax is a great fit if you:

  • Ride. Fairfax is the birthplace of mountain biking, with Tamarancho and Pine Mountain right above town.
  • Love live music, a free-spirited downtown and a real small-town feel.
  • Want warm, sunny summers.

Think twice if you:

  • Commute to San Francisco every day. Fairfax is the farthest Ross Valley town from 101, and Sir Francis Drake is the way out.
  • Are looking near the creek. Check the flood zone, as you should anywhere in the Ross Valley.
  • Are buying on a wooded hillside. Check the address in the state fire maps, and plan for the resale fire inspection when you sell.

More in my Marin microclimates guide, and if you’re selling, see what Fairfax requires at sale.

A year in Fairfax

Fairfax has the most character of any town in Marin, and its calendar shows it.

  • Fairfax Festival & Ecofest (second weekend in June): three music stages, a Saturday morning parade and eco vendors in Bolinas Park.
  • Farmers market: Wednesday evenings in Bolinas Park, May to October.
  • Halloween Parade: hundreds of costumed marchers through downtown to the Haunted Grove.
  • Live music: Mac’s at 19 Broadway has jazz, rock and tribute bands, plus DJs on weekend nights.
  • Bikes: Sunshine Bicycle Center has been the town bike shop since 1971, and it sells Camp Tamarancho trail passes.

For every town’s traditions in one place, see my Marin events calendar, plus my nightlife, outdoors and clubs guides.

Fairfax real estate FAQ

Is Fairfax an affordable place to buy in Marin?

It’s one of the more affordable ways into central Marin. Redfin reported a 3-month median sale price of about $1.2 million as of August 2026, up about 6.6% from a year earlier, so ask me for current comps on a specific home. Buyers who come to Fairfax usually want trails a few blocks away, live music and a walkable downtown more than a big lot or a short commute.

Why is Fairfax called the birthplace of mountain biking?

In the 1970s a group of Marin riders, including Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze and Charlie Kelly, raced modified bikes down Repack Road on Pine Mountain above Fairfax. The first Repack race was on October 21, 1976. The Marin Museum of Bicycling and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame is on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, and Camp Tamarancho’s singletrack (day and annual passes available) is right above town. My Marin outdoors guide covers more rides.

What schools serve Fairfax?

Fairfax is in the Ross Valley School District, which includes Manor Elementary, Ross Valley Charter and White Hill Middle School. Students go on to Archie Williams High School, ranked #3 among Marin public high schools by Niche for 2026. As always, confirm the assignment for the exact address.

What should buyers know about wildfire insurance in Fairfax?

Many Fairfax homes back onto open space. That’s the appeal, but it also means wildfire insurance needs early attention. Get a quote during your contingency period, not after. Some creekside areas also have flood history. My homeowners insurance guide explains what to ask.

More questions about Marin? See my Marin real estate FAQ, or ask me directly.

Working with a Fairfax realtor

Fairfax offers some of the best value in central Marin, and many homes back onto open space. That’s the appeal, and it’s also why insurance and inspections deserve extra care. My great-grandfather lived in Fairfax, and I’m a fourth-generation Marin native and have been in real estate since 2003, starting at Hill & Co. in San Francisco. Today I’m with Compass in Tiburon.

What I focus on when buying or selling in Fairfax:

  • Wildfire insurance for homes near open space
  • Creekside flood history
  • Older homes and unpermitted additions
  • Trail and bike access, a big part of Fairfax’s value

Selling in Fairfax? Start with a free, local home valuation. Buying? Read how to choose a Marin realtor and whether you need a buyer’s agent.

Contact Melissa

Sources

Thinking about Fairfax?

Send me a note through my contact form. I’ll help you find a place close to the trails without surprises on insurance.

Contact Melissa