Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska Demographics 2026

Name: Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska has a population of 95,460, the 3rd most populous county in Alaska. The median household income is $88,267 and the median home value is $298,200. The poverty rate is 6.1%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Fairbanks North Star Borough Quick Facts

Population 95,460

Median Household Income $88,267

Median Home Value $298,200

Poverty Rate 6.1%

Unemployment Rate 5.3%

Median Age 32.5 years

Homeownership Rate 61.7%

Affordability Ratio 3.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 33.1%

High School Graduation 94.8%

Cities/Places 17

Population 95,460 3rd of 30

Median Income $88,267 5% lower than state

Poverty Rate 6.1%

Unemployment 5.3%

How Fairbanks North Star Borough Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	95,555	95,460	-0.1%
Median household income	$84,722	$88,267	+4.2%
Median home value	$282,500	$298,200	+5.6%

Median Household Income

Fairbanks North Star Borough

$88,267

$92,788

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Fairbanks North Star Borough

$298,200

$352,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 9.3%

$25K-$50K 14.3%

$50K-$100K 32.8%

$100K+ 43.6%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.5%

$10K-$15K

1.9%

$15K-$20K

2.0%

$20K-$25K

1.9%

$25K-$30K

1.6%

$30K-$35K

2.4%

$35K-$40K

3.1%

$40K-$45K

2.8%

$45K-$50K

4.5%

$50K-$60K

6.9%

$60K-$75K

10.4%

$75K-$100K

15.5%

$100K-$125K

13.0%

$125K-$150K

6.4%

$150K-$200K

11.7%

$200K+

12.6%

Employment

5.3% Unemployment Rate State: 5.9%|National: 5.2%

68.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 61.7%

Renter 38.3%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,459/mo 19.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.7%

18-34

29.7%

35-54

23.9%

55-74

18.5%

75+

4.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 63 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Fairbanks North Star Borough

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Fairbanks	32,083	$73,534	8.7%	$268,400
Badger	18,677	$97,183	4.2%	$310,600
College	11,924	$83,895	6.5%	$297,500
Steele Creek	5,928	$121,364	3.3%	$348,400
Chena Ridge	5,881	$133,775	2.8%	$395,500
Farmers Loop	4,954	$109,950	1.8%	$279,800
Goldstream	3,294	$103,589	4.7%	$289,600
Eielson AFB	3,155	$68,199	3.9%	N/A
Ester	2,752	$53,272	11.9%	$255,400
North Pole	2,370	$92,273	4.9%	$289,400
Salcha	829	$87,803	8.8%	$311,200
Pleasant Valley	790	$218,389	0.0%	N/A
South Van Horn	572	$73,214	9.8%	$41,500
Moose Creek	507	$91,250	10.4%	N/A
Two Rivers	451	$78,155	0.0%	$315,600
Harding-Birch Lakes	277	$100,125	21.7%	N/A
Fox	80	$76,198	21.3%	N/A

Explore Alaska Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Fairbanks North Star Borough is located in Alaska with a total population of 95,460. It is the 3rd most populous county out of 30 in Alaska. The county encompasses 17 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fairbanks North Star Borough is 32.5 years. This is 9% lower than the state median of 35.8 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fairbanks North Star Borough is $88,267. This is 5% lower than the state median of $92,788. It is also 9% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.1%. This is 40% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.1%. The unemployment rate is 5.3%. This is 9% lower than the state rate of 5.9%. The median home value is $298,200. Housing costs are 16% lower than the state median of $352,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.4x. 61.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% lower than the state average of 66.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Fairbanks North Star Borough is White (non-Hispanic), making up 66.8% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 8.5%. The Asian population (2.9%) is well below the state average of 6.3%.

Education

33.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 4% higher than the state rate of 31.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Fairbanks North Star Borough come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Alaska and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska?

Fairbanks North Star Borough has a population of 95,460, making it the 3rd most populous county in Alaska.

What is the median income in Fairbanks North Star Borough?

The median household income in Fairbanks North Star Borough is $88,267 with a poverty rate of 6.1%.

How many cities are in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska?

Fairbanks North Star Borough contains 17 Census-designated places.