Census place 0224230

Fairbanks

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: Fairbanks city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in Fairbanks.

According to the 2025 estimate, Fairbanks has a population of 31,468 and 989 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 4 covered Alaska places are: population density is 989/sq mi, above the comparison median of 511/sq mi; median home value is $268,400, below the comparison median of $377,150; and median household income is $73,534, below the comparison median of $87,598. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

population density
989/sq mi
Above the comparison median of 511/sq mi
median home value
$268,400
Below the comparison median of $377,150
median household income
$73,534
Below the comparison median of $87,598

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare Fairbanks's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
31,468
2025 estimate
Annual change
-0.6%
Population estimate
Density
989/sq mi
31.8 sq mi land area
Median age
29 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$73,534
Median home value
$268,400
Median gross rent
$1,496
Bachelor’s degree or higher
26.2%
Typical commute
14.5 min
Drive-alone commute
65.7%
Public transit commute
1.1%
Walked to work
9.2%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
60.2%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
50.2%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
49.1%
Unemployed residents 16+
3%
Working from home
5.3%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
88.3%
Homes built 2020+
0.1%
Households without a vehicle
8%
Households with children
31.3%
Residents with a disability
16.7%
Residents without insurance
10%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for Fairbanks North Star Borough provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
12
Fire declarations
6
Severe Storm declarations
4
Earthquake declarations
1

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: FAIRBANKS INTL AP (6 mi from place center)
Average high
38.5°F
Average low
18.1°F
Annual rainfall
11.7"
Annual snowfall
64.6"

Month by month

A year in Fairbanks.

Typical high and low °F
-20°F0°F20°F40°F60°F80°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Williston, ND

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
29,522
Median home
$286,200

Bangor, ME

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
32,518
Median home
$219,600

Ramsey, MN

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
29,624
Median home
$359,600

Keep exploring

Compare Fairbanks with Williston