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Fairbanks, AK

Government town · 25.9% of jobs are government, including public universities (U.S. 12.1%)Healthcare and research hub · Healthcare and science jobs 1.8x the U.S. share

Steele Creek is part of the Fairbanks area. This page covers the whole metro.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Fairbanks

Aerial view of Fairbanks Alaska skyline
Aerial view of Fairbanks Alaska skyline · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY-SA 4.0
Aerial view of Fairbanks International Airport
Aerial view of Fairbanks International Airport · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY-SA 4.0
Airport Way Fairbanks Alaska Eastbound
Airport Way Fairbanks Alaska Eastbound · Photo: RadioKAOS, CC BY-SA 3.0
Airport Way Fairbanks Alaska Westbound
Airport Way Fairbanks Alaska Westbound · Photo: RadioKAOS, CC BY-SA 3.0
Alaska Railroad yard in Fairbanks, AK
Alaska Railroad yard in Fairbanks, AK · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Constitutional Hall Fairbanks, AK
Constitutional Hall Fairbanks, AK · Photo: Durkeeco, CC BY-SA 3.0
Denali State Bank headquarters in Fairbanks, Alaska
Denali State Bank headquarters in Fairbanks, Alaska · Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
Downtown Fairbanks, Alaska
Downtown Fairbanks, Alaska · Photo: FairbanksMike, CC BY 2.0
Downtown street in Fairbanks Meyer
Downtown street in Fairbanks Meyer · Photo: Preus museum, CC BY 2.0
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks, Alaska · Photo: Enrico Blasutto, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fairbanks AK train station
Fairbanks AK train station · Photo: Ron Reiring, CC BY 2.0
Fairbanks Alaska City Hall
Fairbanks Alaska City Hall · Photo: RadioKAOS, CC BY-SA 3.0
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What locals say

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Where it is
Fairbanks
Fairbanks in Alaska
Alaska in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Fairbanks area.

8
grocery stores
64
restaurants
15
coffee shops
27
parks
78
playgrounds
1
library
1
movie theater
3
live theaters
11
museums
6
bookstores
2
gyms
17
bars
1
pharmacy
2
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Fairbanks area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
57 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
128 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 13,174 rented homes in the Fairbanks area, 79% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 23%
$1,000 to $1,499: 32%
$1,500 to $1,999: 23%
$2,000 to $2,499: 15%
$2,500 to $2,999: 5%
$3,000 or more: 1%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Fairbanks area rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $2,000 to $2,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Alaska

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Alaska DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Alaska voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

2 public school districts in this county, with about 15,803 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District · Fairbanks
12,703 students · 19.6 students per teacher · 33 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Yukon-Koyukuk School District · Fairbanks
3,100 students · 46.3 students per teacher · 10 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Alaska keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$395/week
about $20,500 a year
$316/week
about $16,400 a year
Toddler (2)$286/week
about $14,900 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$265/week
about $13,800 a year
$215/week
about $11,200 a year
School-age$162/week
about $8,400 a year

For an infant at a center: $395/week here, $318 across AK, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 20% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in Alaska →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

One college in the county around Fairbanks. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

University of Alaska Fairbanks · Fairbanks
Public, 4-year · 6,640 students · $10,016 in-state, $26,404 out-of-state

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$311,741
What a typical home sells for across the Fairbanks area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
20 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $1,397 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in AK. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Very Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
2 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
22.1 per 100,000 people a year
21 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. AK average: 40.3 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 20.1 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 907 people without housing in the Alaska Balance of State area (29 counties): 735 in shelters and 172 outside, down from 977 in 2024. AK: 35.9 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$84,722
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
1.26% of home value a year
About $1,260 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
No state income tax
AK's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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