Median Income
$76,052
household / year
Median Home Value
$275,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,341
gross / month
Cost of Living
102
national avg = 100

Is College, AK a Good Place to Live?

College is a small city of 12,376 in Alaska, with a median household income of $76,052 and a 1.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 102 (US average = 100), which is 2% above the national average.

Strengths: College stands out for solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether College is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All College city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 102.3

College's overall cost of living index is 102.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in College costs roughly 2% more than the average American city.

Metric College, AK National Avg
Median Home Value $275,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,341 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 62.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $76,052 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

College's violent crime rate is 235.4 per 100,000 residents — 38% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
235.4 /100k
Property Crime
1179.2 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

College is served primarily by Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.5:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric College, AK National Avg
School District Fairbanks North Star Borough School District —
Elementary Schools 20 —
Middle Schools 4 —
High Schools 7 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 19.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 45.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 94.4% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

College sees average highs of 2.2°F in January and 71.3°F in July, with 13.3 inches of annual precipitation and 64.3 inches of snow per year.

MetricCollege, AK
Average High — January2.2°F
Average High — July71.3°F
Annual Precipitation13.3"
Annual Snowfall64.3"

Demographics

MetricCollege, AKNational Avg
Population12,376—
Median Age32.938.9
Unemployment Rate1.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time17.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)65.1%59.3%
Black or African American4.2%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino10.1%18.9%
Asian7.2%6.3%
Under 1820.5%22.2%
65 and over18.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

South Van Horn, AK 4 mi Farmers Loop, AK 5 mi Fairbanks, AK 5 mi Ester, AK 7 mi Goldstream, AK 8 mi

ZIP Codes in College

College, AK is covered by 1 ZIP code:

99775

College vs Other Cities

College, AK vs South Van Horn, AK College, AK vs Farmers Loop, AK College, AK vs Fairbanks, AK College, AK vs Ester, AK College, AK vs Goldstream, AK

Frequently Asked Questions

College's cost of living index is 102, where 100 is the national average. That puts College roughly 2% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $275,100 and median rent is $1,341/month.
College's violent crime rate is 235.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1179.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in College are operated by Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. The district has 20 elementary, 4 middle, and 7 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.5:1. 45.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
College, AK has a population of 12,376, a median household income of $76,052, and an unemployment rate of 1.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
College averages 2.2°F in January and 71.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 13.3 inches with about 64.3 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
College, AK is covered by 1 ZIP code: 99775.
The population of College, Alaska is 12,376 with a median age of 32.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in College: cost of living index 102 (100 = US average), median home $275,100, median household income $76,052, crime index 60 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare College side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.