There is a wide variety of housing available in the Fairwood community, including single family, condominiums, apartments and mobile homes.  In 2005, the average price for a home sold in the Fairwood area is around $256,000 for existing homes.  New homes are priced higher.

Central area neighborhoods
Candlewood Ridge, Carriage Wood, Carriages at Fairwood, Fairway Drive, Fairway Greens, Fairway Village, Fairwood Apts, Fairwood Greens, Fairwood Landing, Fairwood Pond, Fairwood Villa, Heritage at Fairwood, On the Greens, Whitney Place and Woodway Estates.

Almost all commercial activity is located in the central area, near the intersection of 140th Avenue SE and Petrovitsky Road.  The commercial area is anchored by 3 large grocery stores (Albertsons, QFC and Safeway).  Drug stores, convenience stores, restaurants and other businesses service the community from this location.

East area neighborhoods
Lake Desire, Lake Youngs North, Parks, Shady Lake, Trovitsky Park and Woodside.

North area neighborhoods (North of the power line)
Elliott Farm-The Gables, Elliott Farm-Woodward, Maple Ridge Estates, The Highlands at Fairwood and The Ridge.

South area neighborhoods (south of Petrovisky Road, unless immediately adjacent)
Alpine Manor, Bollman, Boulevard Lane, Bridlewood, Carriage Lane, Cedar Estates, Country Gate, Echo Glen, Fairfield Glen, Fairhaven, Fairwood Firs, Fairwood Glen, Fairwood Pond Estates, Fairwood - South Central, Fieldstone, Forest Estates, Forest Glen South, Forest Trails, Fox Estates, Kentridge Place, Lake Youngs West, Lori Lane, Pheasant Meadow, Rock Creek, Ruddell, Soos Creek Meadows, Soos Creek South, Sunwood Estates, Windham Ridge.

West area neighborhoods (west of 140th Way SE)
Emerald Vista, Fairlane Woods, Fairwood Crest, Fairwood West, Merrihill, Pebble Cove, Red Mill and Stafford.

Residents are blessed by easy access to regional parks and open space within or adjacent to the Fairwood community.  These regional parks remain under the control of King County:

• Boulevard Lane Park
• Cedar River Regional Park
• Cedar River Trail
• Cavanaugh Pond Natural Area
• Lake Youngs Trail
• McGarvey Park Open Space
• Petrovitsky Park
• Soos Creek Trail
• Soos Creek Park
• Spring Lake / Lake Desire Park

Only one smaller park will be transfered from King County to become the responsibility of the city to maintain.

• Lake Youngs Park

A number of neighborhood parks are maintained by home owner associations, for the benefit of their residents.

The following utility companies service the Fairwood community.

• Cable: Comcast
• Garbage: Rabanco
• Gas/Electricity: Puget Sound Energy
• Telephone: Qwest
• Water/Sewer: Cedar River Water & Sewer District; Soos Creek Water & Sewer District 

Petrovitsky Road is the main east-west route.  It provides easterly access to State Highway 18 and the City of Maple Valley.  Traveling westbound, it provides access to the Fred Meyer shopping center at Benson (SR518), Valley General Hospital, SR 167, to the Green River Valley (cities of Kent, Renton and Tukwila).

140th Avenue SE is the main north-south route.  It provides northerly access to Renton - Maple Valley Highway (SR169), Interstate 405 and the City of Renton.  Traveling southbound, it provides access to the City of Kent.

King County Metro provides three bus routes (101, 148 and 155) to and from the Fairwood community. 

The Fairwood area was first settled in the late 1880s.  Early occupations were farming, ranching and coal mining.

Coal mining began on the Black River, near Tukwila and Renton, as early as 1853.  By the 1870s large amounts of coal were being produced from mines in Newcastle, Renton and Talbot (near the present day Valley General Hospital).  As early as 1870, Martin Cavanaugh discovered coal in the area now bordered by 196th Avenue SE and the Maple Valley Highway just below Cedar Mountain.  A railroad was built up the Cedar River Valley and by 1884 James M. Colman began to mine the Cedar Mountain area.  The Lake Youngs coal mine was located where Petrovitsky Park and Woodside is today.  The Fire King Mine was located near what is known today as the Candlewood Ridge and Fairwood Greens. 

The first school in the area was opened on November 8, 1885, near the Elliott farm.  From 1906 to 1968, the Elliott Dairy Farm was in operation.  Near the farm, "Elliott Station" was the name of a stop on the railway owned by the Pacific Coast Coal Company.

The Fairwood Greens Golf course was completed in 1967.  Residential housing projects at Fairwood Greens, Fairwood West and Fairwood Crest began in 1968.  Lindbergh High School opened in 1973.

For more reading on the history of the area, visit the Fairwood Library and read the Chapter 13 (Coal) in the History of King County.