Living in Fairbanks, AK
Small city in Alaska
Fairbanks is a small city in Alaska, home to about 32,000 people, with 94,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Fairbanks a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Mild summers: highs around 70°F
- Low taxes: no state income tax, 1.3% property tax
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $365k and rents for $2,330 a month
👎 Cons
- Smaller job market: about 94,000 people live within 31 mi
- Cloudier than most places
- Fewer graduates: 27% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
- Few top-rated hospitals: no 4–5★ hospital within 31 mi
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Fairbanks ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Fairbanks: common questions
What is the cost of living in Fairbanks?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $365k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,330 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 103, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Fairbanks?
Alaska has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 1.3% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Fairbanks safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (2.1× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Fairbanks?
Fairbanks has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 5°F and summer days around 70°F, with roughly 58″ of snow a year.
Does Fairbanks get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is high, mainly from earthquakes and cold waves: 5 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 4.08 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Fairbanks?
The nearest major airport is ANC, about 263 mi away.
How Fairbanks scores
Each bar compares Fairbanks with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Fairbanks right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.