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City · 32,083 residents · Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska

Fairbanks , Alaska

In Fairbanks, a typical home is worth $268,400 and typical rent is $1,496 a month. Compared with all of Fairbanks North Star Borough, typical household income is 17% lower, the typical home value is 10% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 22 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $268,400

    10% below the borough

    24% below Alaska

    • Fairbanks
    • Fairbanks North Star
    • Alaska

  • Typical rent

    $1,496a month

    3% above the borough

    5% above Alaska

    • Fairbanks
    • Fairbanks North Star
    • Alaska

  • Typical household income

    $73,534a year

    17% below the borough

    21% below Alaska

    • Fairbanks
    • Fairbanks North Star
    • Alaska

  • Households that own their home

    40%

    22 points below the borough

    27 points below Alaska

    • Fairbanks
    • Fairbanks North Star
    • Alaska

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$307,947
5.4% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,907 a month
4.8% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Fairbanks is in Fairbanks North Star Borough. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Fairbanks North Star Borough. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Fairbanks apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Fairbanks has the lowest homeownership rate of the 21 cities in Alaska with more than 5,000 people: 40%.

  2. Fairbanks has the lowest typical home value of the 21 cities in Alaska with more than 5,000 people: $268,400.

  3. Nearby, in Chena Ridge, the typical rent is $1,110: 26% less than in Fairbanks ($1,496).

  4. The typical household income in Fairbanks is $73,534, 17% less than in Fairbanks North Star Borough as a whole ($88,267).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Fairbanks

What homes there are in Fairbanks, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

No kind of home is the majority in Fairbanks; the largest group, detached houses, adds up to 34%, less than in Fairbanks North Star Borough (60%).

Year built

The typical home in Fairbanks was built in 1979, 6 years before the typical one in Fairbanks North Star Borough.

In Fairbanks, 47% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, about the same as in Fairbanks North Star Borough.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

The FHA limit for Fairbanks North Star Borough is high ($541,287): at least 97% of owner-occupied homes in Fairbanks are worth less than $500,000.

Monthly rent with utilities

Measured against HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,553), about 53% of rented homes in Fairbanks cost less.

With a mortgage

$2,197 a month

Fairbanks North Star Borough: $2,194 a month

Without a mortgage

$769 a month

Fairbanks North Star Borough: $751 a month

Owners with a mortgage

59%

Fairbanks North Star Borough: 57%

In Fairbanks, 59% of owners have a mortgage; their typical cost is $2,197 a month, about the same as in Fairbanks North Star Borough.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Much as in Fairbanks North Star Borough, the typical home value in Fairbanks rose 27% since 2015–2019.

Rents in Fairbanks rose more slowly than in Fairbanks North Star Borough: 8% since 2015–2019, against 12%.

While home values in Fairbanks changed +27% and rent +8%, the typical household income rose 18%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureFairbanksFairbanks North Star BoroughAlaskaUnited States
Rental vacancy 9.2%8.9%7.0%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.9%0.9%
More than one person per room 3.5%4.0%5.7%3.4%
People per household 2.432.512.612.53
Drive alone 66%72%65%69%
Carpool 15%12%12%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike 12%7%8%3%
Work from home 5%7%10%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%4%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Open rentals in Fairbanks look like those in Fairbanks North Star Borough: the rental vacancy rate is 9.2%.

More than one person per room: that is how 3.5% of households in Fairbanks live, near the figure in Fairbanks North Star Borough (4.0%).

By size, households in Fairbanks look like those in Fairbanks North Star Borough: 2.43 people on average.

In Fairbanks, 12% of workers walk or bike to work; in Fairbanks North Star Borough, 7%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Fairbanks?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Fairbanks, worth $268,400, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 37% of the typical household income in Fairbanks, which is $73,534 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $98,184 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Fairbanks North Star Borough.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Fairbanks. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $9,394 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,291

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$263,539
Total interest
$379,170
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,533 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,716 a month

  • Tight

    $1,716 to $2,206 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,206 a month

    Your payment · 37%

Compared with the typical household income in Fairbanks ($73,534 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,291
Principal & interest$1,785
Property tax$275
Home insurance$112
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$119

You need at least $9,394 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Fairbanks and Fairbanks North Star Borough

Fairbanks is in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Fairbanks's own numbers

Typical home value
$268,400
Typical monthly rent
$1,496
Typical yearly household income
$73,534
Households that own their home
40%
Effective property tax rate
1.23%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Fairbanks North Star Borough

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$1,249,125
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,553
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+36%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
5.6%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Fairbanks North Star Borough.

Everything about Fairbanks North Star Borough

Buying

Buying a home in Fairbanks

A typical home in Fairbanks is worth $268,400: 10% below the borough and 24% below Alaska. With the typical household income in Fairbanks ($73,534 a year), a typical home costs 3.7 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Fairbanks 3.7 years
  • Fairbanks North Star 3.4 years
  • Alaska 3.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Fairbanks North Star Borough

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Fairbanks North Star Borough rose 55% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Fairbanks North Star Borough.

Period Borough Alaska U.S.
Last year (2025) +5.0% +4.1% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +36% +39% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +55% +52% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Fairbanks next to Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Fairbanks $268,400
  • Fairbanks North Star $298,200
  • Alaska $352,900
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Fairbanks $1,496
  • Fairbanks North Star $1,459
  • Alaska $1,419
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Fairbanks $73,534
  • Fairbanks North Star $88,267
  • Alaska $92,788
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Fairbanks next to Fairbanks North Star Borough and Alaska
Measure Fairbanks Fairbanks North Star Borough Alaska U.S.
Typical home value $268,400 $298,200 $352,900 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,496 $1,459 $1,419 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $73,534 $88,267 $92,788 $80,734
Households that own their home 40% 62% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,313 $3,550 $3,901 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.23% 1.19% 1.11% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 50% 46% 45% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Fairbanks North Star Borough. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Fairbanks

For a typical $268,400 home in Fairbanks, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Fairbanks's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,291a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $9,394
    Cash to close
    $17,446
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $119

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,242a month

    Down payment
    $13,420
    Cash to close
    $21,472
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $127

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,842a month

    Down payment
    $53,680
    Cash to close
    $61,732
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,090a month

    Down payment
    $40,260
    Cash to close
    $48,312
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Fairbanks and for Fairbanks North Star Borough.

Property tax

Effective rate in Fairbanks

1.23%of the home’s value each year

$3,313 a year for the typical owner in Fairbanks.

  • Fairbanks 1.23%
  • Fairbanks North Star 1.19%
  • Alaska 1.11%

What Alaska publishes Optional municipal residential exemption (Alaska State Legislature (Alaska Statutes 2025))

Exemptions and deadlines in Alaska

Flood risk in Fairbanks North Star Borough

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Fairbanks North Star Borough.

Homes in the high-risk zone
5.6%
1,707
Of those, with NFIP insurance
26%
Borough Alaska U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 5.6% 1.2% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 26% 49% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Fairbanks

Typical rent in Fairbanks is $1,496 a month: 3% above the borough. In Fairbanks, 50% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Fairbanks North Star Borough, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,553 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $29.87 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Fairbanks North Star Borough

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,081 $20.79 $43,240
1 bedroom $1,187 $22.83 $47,480
2 bedrooms $1,553 $29.87 $62,120
3 bedrooms $2,150 $41.35 $86,000
4 bedrooms $2,596 $49.92 $103,840

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Fairbanks

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Fairbanks has 3 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,510 in 99701 to $2,250 in 99703.

1 of the 3 is above the fair market rent for Fairbanks North Star Borough ($1,553).

  • 99701 $1,510$2,100
  • 99703 $2,250$3,120
  • 99712 $1,510$2,100

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Fairbanks when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Fairbanks

HUD lists 19 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Fairbanks. These are the largest.

  • Lacey Street Apts (northward) 455 3rd Ave, Fairbanks 99701 184 homes, 174 low-income · Studio: 101 · 1 bd: 73 · 2 bd: 10 · In service since 2001
  • Fairbanks 401 7th Ave, Fairbanks 99701 165 low-income homes · Run by Alaska Housing Finance Corporation · Average payment: $839 a month (907) 330-8432
  • Executive Estates 1620 Washington Dr, Fairbanks 99709 108 low-income homes · For families (907) 479-3655
  • Golden Towers Apartments 330 3rd Ave, Fairbanks 99701 96 low-income homes · For older adults (907) 456-1852
  • Park West Apts 2012 Sandvik St, Fairbanks 99709 84 homes, 82 low-income · 1 bd: 41 · 2 bd: 42 · In service since 1989 · For families (907) 479-4918

See all 20 buildings in Fairbanks North Star Borough Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Fairbanks

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Fairbanks North Star Borough. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

An older woman smiles in front of her apartment building.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Fairbanks

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Fairbanks or Fairbanks North Star Borough. The ones below are statewide in Alaska: they work in Fairbanks the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Alaska

  • Closing Cost Assistance Program (CCAP)

    Statewide in Alaska

    Alaska state authority help of 3% or 4% of the loan, paid at closing and not repaid, for the down payment, closing costs or to reduce the principal; with 30-year fixed-rate FHA, VA or USDA mortgages. Offered by Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC).

    Grant

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Fairbanks

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Fairbanks, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Rural Alaska Community Action Program

    130 E Redoubt Ave, Soldotna · 319 miles away

    • Budget and credit workshops
    • Home improvement and repairs
    • and 1 more
    (907) 260-3451

All counseling agencies in Alaska

Help in Spanish near Fairbanks

None of the 1 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Fairbanks

HUD lists no housing authority with an office in Fairbanks North Star Borough. One in a neighboring county or the state’s may serve the area.

All housing agencies in Alaska Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Fairbanks North Star Borough

These cities are also in Fairbanks North Star Borough. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Fairbanks North Star Borough Housing in Alaska

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Fairbanks, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Fairbanks North Star Borough is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Fairbanks.

All guides
Three generations of a family gather on the porch of their home.

Questions

Housing questions about Fairbanks

Short answers with the numbers for Fairbanks and all of Fairbanks North Star Borough. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Fairbanks?

The typical home value in Fairbanks is $268,400, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Fairbanks North Star Borough it is $298,200.

How much does it cost to rent in Fairbanks?

Typical rent in Fairbanks is $1,496 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Fairbanks North Star Borough is $1,553.

What is the FHA loan limit in Fairbanks?

Fairbanks uses the FHA limit for all of Fairbanks North Star Borough (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Fairbanks?

The typical homeowner in Fairbanks pays $3,313 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.23% of the home’s value; in Fairbanks North Star Borough, the rate is 1.19%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Fairbanks?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Fairbanks North Star Borough; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).