Fairbanks North Star Borough vs Kenai Peninsula Borough
Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska versus Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Kenai Peninsula Borough edges out Fairbanks North Star Borough on overall objective livability (45 vs 38 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Kenai Peninsula Borough |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $82k | $76k |
| Cost of Living | $58k | $56k |
| Home Value | $277k | $281k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.25% | 0.66% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 1.82% | 1.82% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 4.85% | 3.03% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 7.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | -3°F | 16°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 62°F | 57°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.6 in | 22.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 65.2 in | 86.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 160 days | 184 days |
| Summer Humidity | 50°F | 49°F |
| Comfortable Days | 45 days | 32 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 88.5 | 93.0 |
| Air Quality | 41 AQI | 10 AQI |
| School Quality | 63.8 | 77.3 |
| Violent Crime | 2284/100k | 1240/100k |
| Property Crime | 4376/100k | 1659/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 96,299 | 59,235 |
| Median Age | 32.1 | 41.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.47 | 0.35 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.19 | 1.10 |
| White (%) | 67.8% | 78.0% |
| Black (%) | 3.9% | 0.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.3% | 4.4% |
| Asian (%) | 3.1% | 1.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 16.8% | 15.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 5.7/20 | 5.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 280 mi | 97 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.5% | 85.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 1.35 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Fairbanks North Star Borough or Kenai Peninsula Borough more affordable?
- Kenai Peninsula Borough has the lower cost of living: its index is $56k, compared with Fairbanks North Star Borough's $58k and Kenai Peninsula Borough's $56k. Median rent is $1k in Fairbanks North Star Borough versus $1k in Kenai Peninsula Borough.
- Is Fairbanks North Star Borough or Kenai Peninsula Borough safer?
- Kenai Peninsula Borough has the lower violent crime rate. Fairbanks North Star Borough reports 2284/100k and Kenai Peninsula Borough reports 1240/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fairbanks North Star Borough or Kenai Peninsula Borough?
- The median home value is $277k in Fairbanks North Star Borough and $281k in Kenai Peninsula Borough, so homes are more affordable in Fairbanks North Star Borough.
Explore Fairbanks North Star Borough →Explore Kenai Peninsula Borough →