Jobs, pay and daily life in Badger, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Badger is a city in Alaska with 18,677 residents. The median household earns $97,183 a year and the median rent is $1,629 a month, which is 20.1% of the median household income. It is part of the Fairbanks-College, AK metropolitan area, where BLS counts 36,430 jobs.
How Badger compares. Among the 30 largest places in Alaska, Badger is #5 by population, #26 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #24 for remote work (#1 = most), #23 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Fairbanks North Star Borough, is #10 of 30 counties for average pay ($69,700).
Badger has 18,677 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 2.5% of the population of Alaska. It covers 66 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 284 people per square mile. The median age is 35.1, about the same as the state median (35.1 against 35.8). It is a census-designated place: a community the Census Bureau counts as a unit, without a city government of its own, so services such as police, roads and zoning usually come from the county.
The median gross rent is $1,629 a month (rent plus utilities), 15% above the state median ($1,629 against $1,419). Over a year that is 20.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $310,600, which is 3.2 times the median household income ($97,183); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 80.6% of households own their home, 21% above the state average (80.6% against 66.8%).
The Fairbanks-College, AK metropolitan area has 36,430 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $61,810 a year, 21% above the national median ($61,810 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (4,280 jobs, median $54,080); food preparation and serving related (3,470 jobs, median $35,150); transportation and material moving (3,070 jobs, median $49,850). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Fairbanks North Star Borough was 3.5%. 60.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Fairbanks North Star Borough; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 83.2% drive alone, 0.4% use public transit, 0.2% walk, 5.3% work from home. 4.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 49% below the state average (4.3% against 8.4%).
23.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 26% below the state share (23.6% against 31.7%). 3.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 60% below the state share (3.0% against 7.7%). The poverty rate is 4.2%, 58% below the state rate (4.2% against 10.1%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 59°F (15.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at -4°F (-19.9°C). About 556 mm (22 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (101 mm) and Mar the driest (20 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Fairbanks (8 miles, rent 8% lower); Steele Creek (9 miles, rent 25% lower); Farmers Loop (12 miles, rent 14% lower); College (14 miles, rent 11% lower). Rent differences are against Badger; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Alaska (324) →State guide: AlaskaCountry guideFairbanks North Star BoroughAlaska rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 324 federal postings open in Alaska (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 630 | 0.77 | $114,990 | $61,370 | $214,210 | +9% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 590 | 1.21 | $76,560 | $57,050 | $78,810 | +31% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 540 | 1.59 | $73,620 | $50,720 | $97,910 | +6% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 630 | 1.58 | $47,860 | $35,360 | $62,380 | +1% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 500 | 0.97 | $43,420 | $28,520 | $60,480 | +18% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 590 | 0.59 | $42,550 | $36,510 | $50,390 | +19% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 840 | 1.27 | $40,850 | $36,830 | $57,430 | +9% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,040 | 1.14 | $37,550 | $30,070 | $54,960 | +6% |
| Cashiers | 670 | 0.92 | $37,340 | $31,610 | $49,320 | +14% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 800 | 0.89 | $30,170 | $24,770 | $45,300 | -3% |
These figures are for the whole Fairbanks-College, AK metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $61,810 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.5% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.0% |
| Construction | 13.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 9.6% |
| Retail trade | 8.6% |
| Public administration | 8.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 5.2% |
| Other services | 3.8% |
| Information | 3.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.8% |
| Manufacturing | 2.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Badger lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks North Star Borough | 95,460 | $7,891 million | $82,666 | 37,015 | 2,441 | $69,700 | +2.4% | 3.5% | 45,010 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 5,403 | 20.6% | $76,996 | 1.02 |
| Retail trade | 4,581 | 17.5% | $44,032 | 1.24 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,866 | 14.7% | $31,662 | 1.15 |
| Construction | 2,884 | 11.0% | $112,504 | 1.48 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,023 | 7.7% | $76,526 | 1.29 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,212 | 4.6% | $76,170 | 0.47 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,184 | 4.5% | $60,126 | 1.06 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,102 | 4.2% | $64,481 | 0.51 |
| Manufacturing | 684 | 2.6% | $56,503 | 0.22 |
| Wholesale trade | 624 | 2.4% | $76,829 | 0.43 |
| Real estate and rental | 573 | 2.2% | $60,162 | 1.00 |
| Finance and insurance | 524 | 2.0% | $70,332 | 0.35 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 501 | 1.9% | $28,900 | 0.81 |
| Utilities | 469 | 1.8% | $107,642 | 3.33 |
| Information | 282 | 1.1% | $90,684 | 0.41 |
| Educational services | 224 | 0.9% | $34,865 | 0.29 |
| Management of companies | 113 | 0.4% | $120,549 | 0.18 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 83.2% |
| Public transit | 0.4% |
| Walk | 0.2% |
| Work from home | 5.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $97,183 |
| Income per person | $54,127 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,629 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.1% |
| Median home value | $310,600 |
| Homeowners | 80.6% |
| Poverty rate | 4.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 103.2 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $61,810 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 93.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 23.6% |
| Born abroad | 3.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 60.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -19.9 | -4 | 25 |
| Feb | -16.1 | 3 | 24 |
| Mar | -14.0 | 7 | 20 |
| Apr | -2.8 | 27 | 25 |
| May | 8.1 | 47 | 37 |
| Jun | 14.1 | 57 | 75 |
| Jul | 15.0 | 59 | 101 |
| Aug | 12.0 | 54 | 86 |
| Sep | 5.7 | 42 | 60 |
| Oct | -3.8 | 25 | 38 |
| Nov | -15.1 | 5 | 35 |
| Dec | -17.8 | -0 | 30 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks | AK | 8 mi | 32,083 | $73,534 | $1,496 |
| Steele Creek | AK | 9 mi | 5,928 | $121,364 | $1,223 |
| Farmers Loop | AK | 12 mi | 4,954 | $109,950 | $1,406 |
| College | AK | 14 mi | 11,924 | $83,895 | $1,454 |
| Chena Ridge | AK | 19 mi | 5,881 | $133,775 | $1,110 |
| Fishhook | AK | 220 mi | 5,819 | $111,375 | $1,837 |
| Tanaina | AK | 226 mi | 9,646 | $105,536 | $1,398 |
| Palmer | AK | 228 mi | 6,268 | $72,201 | $1,125 |
| North Lakes | AK | 228 mi | 10,223 | $101,679 | $1,441 |
| Meadow Lakes | AK | 229 mi | 8,689 | $81,699 | $1,377 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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18,677 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,629 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.1% of the median household income.
$97,183 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.5% (BLS county, Fairbanks North Star Borough (latest month 2026M09)).
Alaska. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.