Fairbanks vs Juneau
Fairbanks, Alaska versus Juneau, Alaska: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Juneau edges out Fairbanks on overall objective livability (46 vs 42 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fairbanks | Juneau |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $70k | $96k |
| Cost of Living | $58k | $59k |
| Home Value | $262k | $405k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.27% | 0.94% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 1.82% | 1.82% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 5.37% | 4.56% |
| Unemployment | 7.0% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | -4°F | 28°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 62°F | 56°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.0 in | 88.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 57.8 in | 87.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 160 days | 98 days |
| Summer Humidity | 50°F | 51°F |
| Comfortable Days | 46 days | 28 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 92.8 | 57.0 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 29 AQI |
| School Quality | 70.5 | 84.5 |
| Violent Crime | 2376/100k | 1995/100k |
| Property Crime | 4334/100k | 1772/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 32,496 | 32,108 |
| Median Age | 28.1 | 39.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.58 | 0.55 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.15 | 1.05 |
| White (%) | 57.5% | 61.8% |
| Black (%) | 7.4% | 1.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 11.1% | 7.2% |
| Asian (%) | 4.2% | 6.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 19.8% | 23.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 14 min | 16 min |
| Walkability | 9.3/20 | 10.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 263 mi | 581 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.8% | 92.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 40.93 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 or Juneau more affordable?
- Fairbanks has the lower cost of living: its index is $58k, compared with Fairbanks's $58k and Juneau's $59k. Median rent is $1k in Fairbanks versus $1k in Juneau.
- Is Fairbanks or Juneau safer?
- Juneau has the lower violent crime rate. Fairbanks reports 2376/100k and Juneau reports 1995/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fairbanks or Juneau?
- The median home value is $262k in Fairbanks and $405k in Juneau, so homes are more affordable in Fairbanks.