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Alaska city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Fairbanks?

What it costs to live in Fairbanks, and how it compares with other Alaska cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

22

5th best value in Alaska

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Alaska cities.

Overall livability

16

5th overall in Alaska

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Fairbanks is home to about 33,018 people. A typical home runs $223,600 and a household earns around $66,600, a price-to-income ratio of 3.4. Among Alaska's cities, it ranks 5th for value and 5th overall.

Fairbanks at a glance

Median home price

$223,600

3rd in AK of 5

Median rent

$1,381/mo

Median household income

$66,600

Home price to income

3.4x

Unemployment

8.1%

5th in AK of 5

School rating

5/10

5th in AK of 5

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in AK of 5

Walk score

2/100

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‹ See all top Alaska cities ranked  ยท  Alaska state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Alaska only. Updated 2026.