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Fairfield

Cypress Villages is located 1.5 miles north of Fairfield, Iowa—a surprisingly dynamic Midwestern town. Often referred to as “Silicorn Valley” and the “Entrepreneurial Capital of Iowa,” Fairfield boasts more Inc. 500 companies than any other city its size. Fairfield also has more restaurants, per capita, than San Francisco and was recently designated Iowa’s newest Great Place.

The Perfect Place to Grow Your Business

Fairfield is widely considered one of the most successful rural entrepreneurial communities in the nation. It has quickly moved up the ranks of per capita income in Iowa counties from the 50th rank in 1990 to the 18th today.

Over the last twenty years, Fairfield has attracted $280 million in venture capital investment (one-third of Iowa's total) and has created nearly 4,000 new jobs spread over 60 companies. By comparison, San Diego (which is 138 times larger!) attracted $550 million for 200 companies in a similar time frame. Jefferson County is also rated the number one county in Iowa for philanthropy and is in the top five counties nationwide.

View of building on Fairfield square, and children playing in the park

Culture, Community & Sustainability

Mother Earth News writer Lynn Byczynski dubbed Fairfield one of "12 Great Places You’ve Never Heard Of" in the August 2006 issue, and rightly so! For a town of 10,000 in Southeast Iowa, Fairfield has a lot to offer!

Here’s just a taste of what you’ll find in or close to Fairfield:

• An eclectic downtown square with 25 art galleries and restaurants aplenty

• A sustainable Eco-Village and annual Eco Fair

• Farmer’s Markets throughout the summer

• A monthly Art Walk that was voted Iowa’s Tourism Event of the Year in 2005

• The brand new 520-seat Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, with Broadway-quality performances

• The world’s premier East Indian Ayurvedic health spa

Fairfield’s “Green” Mayor, Ed Malloy

Fairfield is becoming increasingly well-known for its eco-minded intentions. In 2009, MSN City Guides voted Fairfield Mayor Ed Malloy one of the country’s 15 Greenest Mayors. Malloy was pivotal in adopting the city’s new Green Strategic Plan, which envisions everything from supporting local farms to conserving energy citywide. Plans are also underway for hiring a sustainability coordinator, taking inventory of greenhouse gases and developing educational materials for residents. In Malloy’s own words on MSN, “We want to create a model community, a virtual template that other small towns can adopt to create the same results.”

In addition to its unique blend of culture and agriculture, Fairfield has also been home to Maharishi University of Management since 1974. The fully accredited university offers a traditional roster of courses, in addition to classes in yoga, meditation, preventive medicine, and sustainable agriculture. Cypress Villages internships are also now available through Maharishi University of Management!