Fairbanks North Star Borough vs Matanuska-Susitna Borough
Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska versus Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Fairbanks North Star Borough and Matanuska-Susitna Borough score about the same overall (38 vs 38 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Matanuska-Susitna Borough |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $82k | $86k |
| Cost of Living | $58k | $58k |
| Home Value | $277k | $297k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.25% | 1.15% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 1.82% | 1.82% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 4.85% | 4.54% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 7.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | -3°F | 13°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 62°F | 60°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.6 in | 25.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 65.2 in | 62.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 160 days | 172 days |
| Summer Humidity | 50°F | 50°F |
| Comfortable Days | 45 days | 46 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 88.5 | 93.3 |
| Air Quality | 41 AQI | 14 AQI |
| School Quality | 63.8 | 68.8 |
| Violent Crime | 2284/100k | 1205/100k |
| Property Crime | 4376/100k | 2267/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 96,299 | 108,661 |
| Median Age | 32.1 | 36.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.47 | 0.36 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.19 | 1.10 |
| White (%) | 67.8% | 76.7% |
| Black (%) | 3.9% | 1.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.3% | 5.6% |
| Asian (%) | 3.1% | 1.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 16.8% | 14.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 35 min |
| Walkability | 5.7/20 | 5.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 280 mi | 81 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.5% | 90.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| 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 Matanuska-Susitna Borough more affordable?
- Matanuska-Susitna Borough has the lower cost of living: its index is $58k, compared with Fairbanks North Star Borough's $58k and Matanuska-Susitna Borough's $58k. Median rent is $1k in Fairbanks North Star Borough versus $1k in Matanuska-Susitna Borough.
- Is Fairbanks North Star Borough or Matanuska-Susitna Borough safer?
- Matanuska-Susitna Borough has the lower violent crime rate. Fairbanks North Star Borough reports 2284/100k and Matanuska-Susitna Borough reports 1205/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fairbanks North Star Borough or Matanuska-Susitna Borough?
- The median home value is $277k in Fairbanks North Star Borough and $297k in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, so homes are more affordable in Fairbanks North Star Borough.
Explore Fairbanks North Star Borough →Explore Matanuska-Susitna Borough →