Population 95,460 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Fairbanks North Star Borough: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Fairbanks North Star Borough
Household size in Fairbanks North Star Borough
| Period | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.79 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.73 | 2.88 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.68 | 2.91 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.61 | 2.72 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
At 2.61 people per household, Fairbanks North Star Borough sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in Alaska as a whole, where it has 2.72 people. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.73, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Fairbanks North Star Borough
| Period | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.6 | 35.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.2 | 35.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.7 | 35.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.5 | 37.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.5, Fairbanks North Star Borough is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults and children. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 33.6, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Fairbanks North Star Borough
| Period | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 14.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 13.4% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.5% | 12.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −2.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Fairbanks North Star Borough: 8.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 3.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Fairbanks North Star Borough
Renters in Fairbanks North Star Borough
| Period | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.2% | 35.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 41.5% | 36.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.1% | 35.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.3% | 33.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in Fairbanks North Star Borough rent their homes (38.3%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. About half of owners (50.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the north. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 1.9 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Fairbanks North Star Borough
| Period | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.2% | 14.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 15.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.2% | 16.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.7% | 15.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +1.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 13.7% of the housing in Fairbanks North Star Borough, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 0.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Fairbanks North Star Borough
| Period | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1980 | 1982 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1984 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1985 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Fairbanks North Star Borough are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1986, versus 1980 across the U.S. The picture is much the same across Alaska. The median year built has moved up from 1980 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Fairbanks North Star Borough
| Period | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,141 | $1,067 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,309 | $1,192 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,298 | $1,322 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,489 | $1,518 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$348 | +$451 | +$606 |
Rent in Fairbanks North Star Borough runs $1,489 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $348 a month from 2006–10, a 31% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.1% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the center and lowest in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Fairbanks North Star Borough
Bachelor's degrees in Fairbanks North Star Borough
| Period | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.0% | 26.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 30.0% | 26.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.4% | 29.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 32.4% | 31.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +4.9 pts | +7.2 pts |
About a third of adults 25 and older in Fairbanks North Star Borough (32.4%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 5.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Fairbanks North Star Borough
| Period | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.3% | 90.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.6% | 91.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.5% | 92.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.9% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +2.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Fairbanks North Star Borough: 94.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Fairbanks North Star Borough has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Alaska counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Fairbanks North Star Borough
| Period | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Alaska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.4% | 9.1% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 7.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 6.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −3.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Fairbanks North Star Borough is the same as the national rate: 5.4% of the labor force. The rate is lower than in Alaska overall (6.2%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.1 points, mirroring the country.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Fairbanks North Star Borough compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks North Star Borough | 2.61 | 35.5 | 8.1% | 38.3% | 13.7% | 1986 | $1,489 | 32.4% | 94.9% | 5.4% |
| Denali Borough | 2.12 | 43.4 | 2.1% | 35.0% | 56.6% | 1989 | $898 | 26.1% | 92.8% | 1.0% |
| Southeast Fairbanks Census Area | 2.49 | 39.3 | 8.7% | 25.3% | 27.5% | 1990 | $1,369 | 22.2% | 93.8% | 5.8% |
| Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area | 2.06 | 38.3 | 19.2% | 30.1% | 37.3% | 1984 | $1,009 | 16.1% | 87.6% | 6.4% |
| Copper River Census Area | 2.18 | 48.5 | 8.6% | 31.5% | 46.9% | 1986 | $1,100 | 23.7% | 90.8% | 4.5% |
| Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 2.80 | 37.5 | 10.4% | 22.8% | 15.6% | 1998 | $1,462 | 24.1% | 94.0% | 5.8% |
| Anchorage Municipality | 2.70 | 36.6 | 12.0% | 36.1% | 10.3% | 1983 | $1,728 | 38.5% | 93.9% | 4.6% |
| Chugach Census Area | 2.26 | 39.2 | 7.3% | 36.2% | 26.1% | 1979 | $1,481 | 33.1% | 96.4% | 9.5% |
| Kenai Peninsula Borough | 2.43 | 42.2 | 8.1% | 23.0% | 23.2% | 1991 | $1,228 | 29.8% | 94.8% | 7.0% |
| Northwest Arctic Borough | 3.91 | 27.5 | 29.8% | 35.6% | 33.1% | 1987 | $1,152 | 9.5% | 84.5% | 19.2% |
| North Slope Borough | 3.46 | 32.0 | 29.4% | 50.9% | 14.0% | 1984 | $1,252 | 13.8% | 85.9% | 10.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Wicomico County, MD · Elmore County, AL · St. Clair County, AL · Island County, WA · Josephine County, OR · Christian County, MO · Campbell County, KY · Calvert County, MD · Burke County, NC · Bowie County, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Fairbanks North Star Borough. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.