The Town Files

Knik-Fairview, Alaska

Community in Matanuska-Susitna Borough · population 19,297 (2020 Census)

Map: where Knik-Fairview is in AlaskaKnik-Fairview
Median home
$340,200
Household income
$96,437
Jan low / Jul high
8° / 71°
Snow a year
60 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
33.2

Knik-Fairview is a community of 19,297 people in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska. The median home is worth $340,200, above the typical Alaska town ($289,500). It ranks better for families than 87% of Alaska towns, easier by car than 80% of Alaska towns, more vibrant than 72% of Alaska towns.

Knik-Fairview in our rankings:

How Knik-Fairview 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.

Knik-Fairview lifestyle rankings vs other Alaska townsRetirement37th pctFamilies87th pctQuiet26th pctWalkability59th pctFirst-time buyers67th pctYoung professionals40th pctVibrancy72nd pctHip & trendy10th pctCollege town67th pctUpscale59th pctVacation homes53rd pctSeaside character37th pctCyclingbottomTransit63rd pctDriving80th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Knik-Fairview is worth $340,200, above the typical Alaska town ($289,500). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $96,437, which is more affordable than 49% of Alaska towns. Median rent is $1,588 a month. 84.5% of households own their home.

Knik-Fairview vs Matanuska-Susitna Borough vs typical Alaska townKnik-FairviewMatanuska-Susitna BoroughTypical Alaska townHome value$340,200$346,600$289,500Household income$96,437$94,031$78,155Monthly rent$1,588$1,299$1,146
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Alaska towns with 500+ people.
HousingKnik-FairviewTypical Alaska town
Median home value$340,200$289,500
Median rent$1,588$1,146
Median household income$96,437$78,155
Home value ÷ income3.5×3.3×
Homeownership84.5%72.6%
Median year built20031989
Seasonal / vacation homes2.9%—

Who lives in Knik-Fairview

PeopleKnik-FairviewTypical Alaska town
Median age33.237.2
Age 65 and over10.9%13.2%
Under 1831.3%—
Bachelor's degree or higher20.9%22.4%
Below the poverty line9.2%11.9%
Veterans13.7%—
Born outside the U.S.3.0%—
Work from home9.9%7.4%
Average commute38.2 min12.5 min
Homes with broadband94.3%88.6%

Weather in Knik-Fairview

July highs average 70.5°F and January lows 7.6°F. About 16.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 60.3 inches of snow (typical Alaska town: 64.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 205 nights at or below freezing.

Knik-Fairview monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing21°8°Jan29°12°Feb36°15°Mar50°28°Apr62°36°May69°44°Jun71°50°Jul68°47°Aug58°39°Sep44°27°Oct28°15°Nov24°10°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.010.70.99.40.78.20.52.50.80.31.41.82.82.30.11.64.21.110.61.614.1
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Eklutna Wtp station (10.7 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Knik-Fairview since 1950.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on August 18, 2015.

Severe weather in Matanuska-Susitna Borough since 1996

Storm events in Matanuska-Susitna Borough since 1996 by typeWildfire2High Wind2Winter Storm3
NOAA Storm Events Database, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Matanuska-Susitna Borough has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 7, 2026Winter StormDR-4904: Severe Storm
March 14, 2022Severe StormDR-4646: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds
April 9, 2020BiologicalDR-4533: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3446: Covid-19
August 22, 2019FireFM-5290: Deshka Landing Fire

Jobs and pay in Matanuska-Susitna Borough

Matanuska-Susitna Borough had 29,515 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,329 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Knik-Fairview itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.

Largest industries in Matanuska-Susitna BoroughHealth care & social assistan…5,685 jobs · $59,532Retail4,350 jobs · $40,584Construction3,509 jobs · $96,570Hotels & restaurants3,146 jobs · $28,385Other services988 jobs · $44,342Transportation & warehousing911 jobs · $63,394
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Matanuska-Susitna Borough 4.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Knik-Fairview

Knik-Fairview questions

Is Knik-Fairview, Alaska a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Knik-Fairview scores better for retirees than 37% of Alaska towns and quieter than 26%. 10.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.2).

How much does a house cost in Knik-Fairview?

The median owner-occupied home in Knik-Fairview is valued at $340,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,437, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,588 a month.

What is the weather like in Knik-Fairview?

July highs average 70.5°F and January lows 7.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.6 inches of precipitation a year and 60.3 inches of snow.

Does Knik-Fairview get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Knik-Fairview in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Knik-Fairview's Census boundary (GEOID 0240645). Comparisons use the median of Alaska towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.