Fairbanks, AK Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Fairbanks, AK Summary
Cost of living in Fairbanks research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Fairbanks is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Alaska, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Fairbanks is 133, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Fairbanks is 1.3x higher than the national average.
Fairbanks ranks as the #15 cheapest in Alaska out of 22.
Fairbanks ranks as the #5,125 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Fairbanks is $287,837.
The median income in Fairbanks is $72,077.
Table Of Contents
Fairbanks's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Fairbanks, AK?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fairbanks has an overall cost of living index of 133, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Alaska, Fairbanks has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Alaska's index of 131.
The standard of living in Fairbanks ranks as #15 most affordable out of the 22 places we measured in Alaska. By definition, that implies Fairbanks ranks as the #7 most expensive place in the Last Frontier.
For more reading on life in Fairbanks, check out:
In Alaska
In America
Fairbanks Cost Of Living Vs. Alaska
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Fairbanks. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Fairbanks is 120.
The Groceries index in Fairbanks is 125.
The Health index in Fairbanks is 154.
The Housing index in Fairbanks is 123.
The Transportation index in Fairbanks is 111.
The Utilities index in Fairbanks is 222.
| Living Expense | Fairbanks | Alaska | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 133 | 131 | 100 | |
| Services | 120 | 120 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 125 | 123 | 100 | |
| Health | 154 | 150 | 100 | |
| Housing | 123 | 136 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 111 | 116 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 222 | 158 | 100 | |
Fairbanks, AK Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Alaska, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Fairbanks is $287,837.
The Median Rent in Fairbanks is $1,470.
The Median Income in Fairbanks is $72,077.
The Home Value To Income in Fairbanks is 4.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Fairbanks is 0.24x.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Fairbanks, AK Costs By Category
Detailed Fairbanks Services Costs Vs. Alaska
Detailed Fairbanks Groceries Costs Vs. Alaska
Detailed Fairbanks Health Costs Vs. Alaska
Detailed Fairbanks Transportation Costs Vs. Alaska
Detailed Fairbanks Utilities Costs Vs. Alaska
Fairbanks SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Fairbanks
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Fairbanks. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Badger, AK has a cost of living index of 137, 1.0x Fairbanks.
College, AK has a cost of living index of 138, 1.0x Fairbanks.
Chena Ridge, AK has a cost of living index of 134, 1.0x Fairbanks.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Fairbanks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Badger, AK | 19,033 | 137 | 1.0x |
| College, AK | 11,730 | 138 | 1.0x |
| Chena Ridge, AK | 5,927 | 134 | 1.0x |
| Steele Creek, AK | 5,861 | 136 | 1.0x |
