[22][23][24] The Dutch, including many acculturated French Huguenots, initially settled this area of the Passaic River Valley after purchasing it from the Native Americans.

Later in 1702, English settlers purchased 14,000 acres (57 km2) of the Horseneck Tract without approval of the Proprietary Authorities from the Lenape Native Americans for goods equal to $325.

When Proprietary Authorities began eviction proceedings against the settlers, the Horseneck Riots took place.

This purchase encompassed much of western Essex County, from the First Mountain to a point on the Passaic River at Pine Brook NJ.

[26] The Fairfield Dutch Reformed Church dates back to 1720, and its current structure is another historic site, built in 1804.

[30][31][32] The 2010 United States census counted 7,466 people, 2,645 households, and 2,103 families in the township.

[47] As of the 2000 United States census[15] there were 7,063 people, 2,296 households, and 1,981 families residing in the township.

[42][43] Corporate residents of Fairfield Township include: Fairfield Township operates within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Small Municipality plan C form of New Jersey government, as implemented as of January 1, 1962, based on direct petition.

Members are elected to three-year terms of office at-large in partisan elections in a three-year cycle, with two council seats up for vote in each of the first two years of the cycle and the mayoral seat up in the third year.

The Mayor exercises executive power of the municipality, appoints department heads with Council approval, prepares the annual budget and has veto over ordinances subject to override by 2/3 of all members of Council.

The Council exercises legislative power of municipality and approves appointment of department heads.

[6][3][53] As of 2025[update], members of the Fairfield Township Council are Mayor William Galese (R, term ends December 31, 2027), Council President Peter Campisi (R, 2026), Joseph Cifelli (R, 2025), John LaForgia (R, 2026) and Michael B. McGlynn (R, 2025).

[3][54][55][56][57][58] In January 2023, councilmember William Galese was appointed as mayor to fill the seat expiring in December 2024 that had been held by James Gasparini until he resigned to take office as the township's administrator.

[59] Later that month, Peter Campisi was appointed to fill Galese's vacant council seat expiring in December 2023.

[62] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 11th congressional district is represented by Mikie Sherrill (D, Montclair).

[64] For the 2024-2025 session, the 40th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Kristin Corrado (R, Totowa) and in the General Assembly by Al Barlas (R, Cedar Grove) and Christopher DePhillips (R, Wyckoff).

As of 2025[update], the County Executive is Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. (D, Roseland), whose four-year term of office ends December 31, 2026.

[67] Essex County's Commissioners are: Robert Mercado (D, District 1 – Newark's North and East Wards, parts of Central and West Wards; Newark, 2026),[68] A'Dorian Murray-Thomas (D, District 2 – Irvington, Maplewood and parts of Newark's South and West Wards; Newark, 2026),[69] Vice President Tyshammie L. Cooper (D, District 3 - Newark: West and Central Wards; East Orange, Orange and South Orange; East Orange, 2026),[70] Leonard M. Luciano (D, District 4 – Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, Livingston, Millburn, North Caldwell, Roseland, Verona, West Caldwell and West Orange; West Caldwell, 2026),[71] President Carlos M. Pomares (D, District 5 – Belleville, Bloomfield, Glen Ridge, Montclair and Nutley; Bloomfield, 2026),[72] Brendan W. Gill (D, at large; Montclair, 2026),[73] Romaine Graham (D, at large; Irvington, 2026),[74] Wayne Richardson (D, at large; Newark, 2026),[75] Patricia Sebold (D, at-large; Livingston, 2026).

[105][106][107] Students in public school for seventh through twelfth grades attend the West Essex Regional School District, a regional school district in western Essex County serving students from Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell and Roseland.

[116] StenoTech Career Institute is a technical school in Fairfield, established in 1988, that offers court reporting and medical transcription training.