Jobs, pay and daily life in Fairbanks, 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.
Fairbanks is a city in Alaska with 32,083 residents. The median household earns $73,534 a year and the median rent is $1,496 a month, which is 24.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Fairbanks-College, AK metropolitan area, where BLS counts 36,430 jobs.
How Fairbanks compares. Among the 30 largest places in Alaska, Fairbanks is #2 by population, #29 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #26 for household income (#1 = highest), #23 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Fairbanks North Star Borough, is #10 of 30 counties for average pay ($69,700).
Fairbanks has 32,083 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 4.4% of the population of Alaska. It covers 32 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,009 people per square mile. The median age is 29.0, 19% younger than the state median (29.0 against 35.8).
The median gross rent is $1,496 a month (rent plus utilities), 5% above the state median ($1,496 against $1,419). Over a year that is 24.4% 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 $268,400, which is 3.7 times the median household income ($73,534); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 39.8% of households own their home, 40% below the state average (39.8% against 66.8%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
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%. 52.0% 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, 65.7% drive alone, 1.1% use public transit, 9.2% walk, 5.3% work from home. 3.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 61% below the state average (3.3% against 8.4%).
26.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 17% below the state share (26.2% against 31.7%). 7.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 3% below the state share (7.5% against 7.7%). The poverty rate is 8.7%, 15% below the state rate (8.7% 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: Farmers Loop (5 miles, rent 6% lower); College (5 miles, similar rent); Badger (8 miles, rent 9% higher); Steele Creek (9 miles, rent 18% lower). Rent differences are against Fairbanks; 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 | 26.6% |
| Retail trade | 14.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 12.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 9.7% |
| Public administration | 8.0% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.9% |
| Other services | 4.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.7% |
| Construction | 4.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.7% |
| Manufacturing | 1.6% |
| Information | 1.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.1% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Fairbanks 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 | 65.7% |
| Public transit | 1.1% |
| Walk | 9.2% |
| Work from home | 5.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 3.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,534 |
| Income per person | $36,912 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,496 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 24.4% |
| Median home value | $268,400 |
| Homeowners | 39.8% |
| Poverty rate | 8.7% |
| 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 | 29.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 26.2% |
| Born abroad | 7.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 52.0% |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers Loop | AK | 5 mi | 4,954 | $109,950 | $1,406 |
| College | AK | 5 mi | 11,924 | $83,895 | $1,454 |
| Badger | AK | 8 mi | 18,677 | $97,183 | $1,629 |
| Steele Creek | AK | 9 mi | 5,928 | $121,364 | $1,223 |
| Chena Ridge | AK | 12 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 |
| North Lakes | AK | 228 mi | 10,223 | $101,679 | $1,441 |
| Palmer | AK | 228 mi | 6,268 | $72,201 | $1,125 |
| Meadow Lakes | AK | 229 mi | 8,689 | $81,699 | $1,377 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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32,083 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,496 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 24.4% of the median household income.
$73,534 (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.