Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 18% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade F, better than 1% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 17% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 36% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 34% of US counties
- top 4% for sales tax
- top 7% for estimated total tax burden
- bottom 1% for property crime
Fairbanks North Star Borough is a county in Alaska with about 96,000 residents. It grades C for getting around and F for weather. Standout strengths include sales tax, estimated total tax burden, and income tax. It rates lower on sunny days and property crime.
Official websiteco.fairbanks.ak.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
frigid
freez.
v.cold
cool
comfortable
cool
cold
v.cold
frigid
53%23%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.7 in0.6 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$82k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$58kbetter than 7% of US counties
Home Value$277k85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 7% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 7% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.25%better than 24% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax1.82%better than 96% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden4.85%better than 93% of US counties
Unemployment5.5%better than 34% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)-3°F0th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)62°F1st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation15.6 in7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall65.2 inbetter than 7% of US counties
Sunny Days160 daysbetter than 1% of US counties
Summer Humidity50°Fbetter than 91% of US counties
Comfortable Days45 daysbetter than 9% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk88.5better than 11% of US counties
Air Quality41 AQIbetter than 61% of US counties
School Quality63.8better than 66% of US counties
Violent Crime2284/100kbetter than 4% of US counties
Property Crime4376/100kbetter than 1% of US counties
Community
Population96,29980th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age32.14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4774th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.1994th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)67.8%32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.9%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)8.3%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.1%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)16.8%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time19 minbetter than 85% of US counties
Walkability5.7/20better than 39% of US counties
Airport Distance280 mibetter than 7% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.5%better than 86% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 30% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Fairbanks North Star Borough an affordable place to live?
- Fairbanks North Star Borough is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $58k, better than 7% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Fairbanks North Star Borough?
- The median home value in Fairbanks North Star Borough is $277k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Fairbanks North Star Borough?
- Median household income in Fairbanks North Star Borough is $82k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Fairbanks North Star Borough?
- Median gross rent in Fairbanks North Star Borough is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Fairbanks North Star Borough safe?
- Fairbanks North Star Borough is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2284/100k (better than 4%). Property crime is 4376/100k.
- What is the weather like in Fairbanks North Star Borough?
- Fairbanks North Star Borough averages 62°F in July and -3°F in January, with 15.6 in of annual precipitation and about 160 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Fairbanks North Star Borough?
- Public-school quality in Fairbanks North Star Borough is above average, scoring better than 66% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Fairbanks North Star Borough?
- The average one-way commute in Fairbanks North Star Borough is 19 min.
Other counties in Alaska
Explore Alaska
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)