City profile · Alaska · Census ACS 2023

Fairbanks, AK

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Fairbanks - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

32,242
Residents
$72,077
Median income
$255,700
Median home
$1,676
Median rent (state)

Fairbanks - the verdict

Fairbanks ranks in the 52nd percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

52nd
percentile, household income
57th
percentile, home value
66th
percentile, median rent
7th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Fairbanks, AK

Fairbanks is a small city in Alaska, home to 32,242 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $72,077 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.2%. Typical homes in Fairbanks are valued around $255,700, and the median resident age is 28.6 years. About 26.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 48.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 17 residential building permits were authorized in Fairbanks (Low Activity), per Census BPS data. Fairbanks's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 4160.9 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 28.3°F with 11.7 inches of precipitation per year and 64.6 inches of snowfall.

Alaska tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 102.4 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,676 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $271 across Alaska, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Fairbanks workers runs 13.3 minutes, with 66.1% driving alone and 5.2% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 88.5 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

32,242 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Alaska

Median Household Income

$72,077 /yr

Poverty 5.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

102.4 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Alaska average

How does Fairbanks compare to other US cities?

Where Fairbanks sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 52% higher than other cities
Home value 57% pricier than other cities
Median rent 66% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Alaska, Fairbanks ranks #20 of 20 Alaska cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Fairbanks's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Alaska, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

52ndIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

52nd percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Fairbanks's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Fairbanks's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Fairbanks's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Fairbanks's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$255,700 43rd percentile more affordable than 43% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Fairbanks $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Fairbanks, AK Fairbanks, AK's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Fairbanks, AK-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Fairbanks, AK median $72,077/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Fairbanks, AK's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Fairbanks, AK. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
32,242
Median Income
$72,077
Median Home Value
$255,700
Median Age
28.6
Poverty Rate
5.2%
Labor force participation
48.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4160.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
697.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3463.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
28.3°F
Annual Precipitation
11.7"
Annual Snowfall
64.6"

Schools

Total Schools
27
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
31,000 residents31,500 residents32,000 residents32,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 32,399 residents 31,468 residents ▼ -2.9%
Fairbanks's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Low Activity
Total Permits (2024)
17
housing units authorized
Single-Family
5
detached homes
Multifamily
12
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 0
2022 0
2023 0
2024 17

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
13.3 minutes
Drive Alone
66.1%
Carpool
15.4%
Public Transit
1.3%
Walk
9.3%
Work from Home
5.2%
Other
2.7%

Based on 16,517 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Alaska - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$131
avg/month
Natural Gas
$95
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$271
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Alaska state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Alaska state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Fairbanks sits in

Cost of Living Index
102.4
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,676/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
88.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Alaska

Juneau city and
31,969 people
Badger
19,033 people
Knik-Fairview
18,921 people
College
11,730 people
North Lakes
10,583 people
Tanaina
9,738 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Fairbanks's 32,242 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Spring Valley CDP (San Diego County), CA
32,215 people
Maryville, TN
32,196 people
Hutto, TX
32,188 people
Long Branch, NJ
32,184 people
Massillon, OH
32,177 people
Buenaventura Lakes, FL
32,310 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Fairbanks's $72,077 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Anderson Island, WA
$72,074 median income
Cañoncito, NM
$72,072 median income
Dutton, AL
$72,083 median income
Morristown, AZ
$72,083 median income
Davenport, CA
$72,083 median income
Ducor, CA
$72,083 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Fairbanks, AK Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Fairbanks, AK - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 60.7% 7.4% 7.8% 16.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10.6% White 60.7% Black or African American 7.4% Asian 4.0% American Indian 7.8% Native Hawaiian 0.7% Some other race 3.3% Two or more races 16.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Fairbanks compares to nearby Alaska cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Fairbanks (this city) 32,242 $72,077
Juneau city and 31,969 $100,513
Badger 19,033 $98,042
Knik-Fairview 18,921 $95,000
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AK FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Fairbanks, AK?

What is the population of Fairbanks, AK? +

The population of Fairbanks, AK stands at 32,242 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Fairbanks, AK? +

The median household income in Fairbanks is $72,077 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Fairbanks? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Fairbanks; the closest available measure is the Alaska state average, a cost of living index of 102.4 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Alaska vary by metro area.

Is Fairbanks, AK safe? +

Fairbanks has a total crime rate of 4160.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Fairbanks, AK? +

A typical home in Fairbanks is worth $255,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Fairbanks? +

Climate normals put Fairbanks's yearly average temperature at 28.3°F, 11.7 inches of precipitation, and 64.6 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.