Median Income
$69,914
household / year
Median Home Value
$262,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,404
gross / month
Cost of Living
102
national avg = 100

Is Fairbanks, AK a Good Place to Live?

Fairbanks is a small city of 32,496 in Alaska, with a median household income of $69,914 and a 7.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 102 (US average = 100), which is 2% above the national average.

Strengths: Fairbanks stands out for short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Fairbanks is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Fairbanks 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: 102.4

Fairbanks's overall cost of living index is 102.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Fairbanks costs roughly 2% more than the average American city.

Metric Fairbanks, AK National Avg
Median Home Value $262,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,404 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 37.6% 65.9%
Median Household Income $69,914 $74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Fairbanks's violent crime rate is 697.7 per 100,000 residents — 84% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
697.7 /100k
Property Crime
3463.2 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Fairbanks 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 Fairbanks, 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 26.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 94.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Climate data is sourced from NOAA 30-year normals (1991–2020) from the nearest weather station.

MetricFairbanks, AK
Average High — JanuaryN/A
Average High — July72.9°F
Annual Precipitation13.0"
Annual Snowfall57.8"

Demographics

MetricFairbanks, AKNational Avg
Population32,496—
Median Age28.138.9
Unemployment Rate7.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time13.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)62.0%59.3%
Black or African American7.7%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino6.6%18.9%
Asian4.2%6.3%
Under 1825.5%22.2%
65 and over10.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

South Van Horn, AK 4 mi Farmers Loop, AK 5 mi College, AK 5 mi Badger, AK 8 mi Steele Creek, AK 9 mi

ZIP Codes in Fairbanks

Fairbanks, AK is covered by 1 ZIP code:

99703

Fairbanks vs Other Cities

Fairbanks, AK vs South Van Horn, AK Fairbanks, AK vs Farmers Loop, AK Fairbanks, AK vs College, AK Fairbanks, AK vs Badger, AK Fairbanks, AK vs Steele Creek, AK

Frequently Asked Questions

Fairbanks's cost of living index is 102, where 100 is the national average. That puts Fairbanks roughly 2% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $262,000 and median rent is $1,404/month.
Fairbanks's violent crime rate is 697.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3463.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Fairbanks 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. 26.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Fairbanks, AK has a population of 32,496, a median household income of $69,914, and an unemployment rate of 7.0%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Climate data for Fairbanks is based on NOAA 30-year normals from the nearest weather station.
Fairbanks, AK is covered by 1 ZIP code: 99703.
The population of Fairbanks, Alaska is 32,496 with a median age of 28.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Fairbanks: cost of living index 102 (100 = US average), median home $262,000, median household income $69,914, crime index 176 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Fairbanks side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.