The Town FilesFairbanks, Alaska
City in Fairbanks North Star Borough · population 32,515 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $268,400
- Household income
- $73,534
- Jan low / Jul high
- -15° / 73°
- Snow a year
- 58 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 29.0
Fairbanks is a city of 32,515 people in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska. The median home is worth $268,400, below the typical Alaska town ($289,500). It ranks more walkable than 98% of Alaska towns, more vibrant than 98% of Alaska towns, better transit than 92% of Alaska towns.
How Fairbanks ranks
Percentile among Alaska towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Alaska towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fairbanks is worth $268,400, below the typical Alaska town ($289,500). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $73,534, which is more affordable than 38% of Alaska towns. Median rent is $1,496 a month. 39.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fairbanks | Typical Alaska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $268,400 | $289,500 |
| Median rent | $1,496 | $1,146 |
| Median household income | $73,534 | $78,155 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.3× |
| Homeownership | 39.8% | 72.6% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1989 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Fairbanks
| People | Fairbanks | Typical Alaska town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.0 | 37.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.9% | 13.2% |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.2% | 22.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.7% | 11.9% |
| Veterans | 11.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.5% | — |
| Work from home | 5.3% | 7.4% |
| Average commute | 14.5 min | 12.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.3% | 88.6% |
Weather in Fairbanks
July highs average 72.9°F and January lows -14.8°F. About 13.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 57.8 inches of snow (typical Alaska town: 64.0 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 227 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Fairbanks since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on June 11, 2024.
Severe weather in Fairbanks North Star Borough since 1996
Fairbanks North Star Borough has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 6, 2025 | Fire | FM-5597: Nenana Ridge Complex |
| June 23, 2025 | Fire | FM-5596: Himalaya Road Fire |
| August 3, 2023 | Fire | FM-5473: Lost Horse Creek Fire |
| March 24, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4648: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| April 9, 2020 | Biological | DR-4533: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Fairbanks North Star Borough
Fairbanks North Star Borough had 37,015 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,700 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Fairbanks itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Fairbanks
27 public schools with 20,470 students, about 35.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior Distance Education of Alaska (IDEA) | PK-12 | 7,486 | 122.7 |
| Raven School | PK-12 | 3,273 | 130.9 |
| Fairbanks B.E.S.T. | PK-12 | 940 | 470.0 |
| Lathrop High School | 9-12 | 855 | 18.6 |
| West Valley High School | 9-12 | 818 | 18.6 |
| Tanana Middle School | 6-8 | 544 | 18.8 |
| Ryan Middle School | 6-8 | 480 | 16.6 |
| Weller Elementary | PK-5 | 459 | 20.0 |
| Arctic Light Elementary | PK-5 | 431 | 20.5 |
| Barnette Magnet School | PK-8 | 423 | 16.3 |
| Randy Smith Middle School | 6-8 | 407 | 17.7 |
| Pearl Creek Elementary | PK-5 | 394 | 17.1 |
Towns near Fairbanks
- Farmers Loop, AK5.1 mi · 4,704 people · home $279,800
- College, AK5.4 mi · 11,332 people · home $297,500
- Badger, AK7.9 mi · 19,031 people · home $310,600
- Steele Creek, AK8.8 mi · 6,437 people · home $348,400
- Chena Ridge, AK11.6 mi · 6,015 people · home $395,500
- Goldstream, AK13.2 mi · 3,299 people · home $289,600
- Eielson AFB, AK20.8 mi · 2,610 people · home —
Fairbanks questions
Is Fairbanks, Alaska a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fairbanks scores better for retirees than 9% of Alaska towns and quieter than 1%. 11.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.0).
How much does a house cost in Fairbanks?
The median owner-occupied home in Fairbanks is valued at $268,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,534, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $1,496 a month.
What is the weather like in Fairbanks?
July highs average 72.9°F and January lows -14.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.0 inches of precipitation a year and 57.8 inches of snow.
Does Fairbanks get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Fairbanks in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)