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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Fairbanks

Alaska · 30,843 residents · 31.7 sq mi
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The short version

Fairbanks is a city of 30,843 people in Alaska. Owners hold 31% of the housing stock. This skews young, with a median age of 27.0. Households here earn about 23% less than in Alaska as a whole. The average commute runs 14 minutes. About 18% of adults have finished a four-year degree.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 27.0
US median: 33.0
Average education
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 11%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
30,843
+2%vs 2000
vs 30,224 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
27.0
−2%vs 2000
vs 27.6 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
31.7 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
30K31K32K34K35K19902000201020202024Fairbanks
202432K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 510.9%(3,351)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 98.8%(2,719)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.4%(1,979)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.3%(1,928)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2413%(4,003)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3422.8%(7,020)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4414.4%(4,428)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 547.5%(2,302)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 645.1%(1,567)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 743.1%(971)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 841.6%(488)
US avg: 4%
85 and over0.3%(87)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$32,033
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $40,577 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$14,665
−26%vs 2000
vs $19,814 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
10.4%
−0.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 10.5% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$85,800
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $127,000 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$523
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $680 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
31.1%
−3.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 34.9% in 2000
68.9% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic64.2%(19,406)
Black10.9%(3,291)
Hispanic / Latino6.1%(1,854)
Asian2.7%(805)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic72.5%(22,366)
Black12.9%(3,992)
Hispanic / Latino5%(1,533)
Asian3.2%(972)
Other11.4%(3,513)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican6.9%(2,224)
Puerto Rican2.2%(705)
Ecuadorian0.4%(136)
Salvadoran0.4%(135)
Dominican0.3%(105)
Cuban0.1%(45)
Panamanian0.1%(35)
Spaniard0.1%(32)
Costa Rican0.1%(21)
Uruguayan0%(12)
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data
Asian origin
Filipino1.4%(445)
Korean1.3%(410)
Chinese0.9%(280)
Asian Indian0.3%(89)
Hmong0.1%(33)
Laotian0.1%(30)
Japanese0.1%(21)
Thai0.1%(20)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.6%(186)
Chamorro0.3%(106)
Tongan0.3%(89)
Marshallese0.1%(17)
Ancestry
German9.4%(3,030)
English9%(2,891)
Irish8.5%(2,730)
Italian3.5%(1,132)
Scottish3.2%(1,011)
American3%(959)
Norwegian2.3%(752)
French2.2%(701)
Swedish1.4%(440)
Polish1%(335)
Welsh1%(319)
+ 30 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.9%(291)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(276)
Jamaican0.6%(184)
Danish0.5%(170)
Canadian0.4%(126)
Finnish0.4%(122)
Haitian0.4%(119)
Romanian0.4%(116)
Serbian0.3%(110)
Austrian0.2%(60)
Russian0.2%(55)
British0.1%(47)
Czech0.1%(42)
Portuguese0.1%(34)
Swiss0.1%(32)
Belgian0.1%(29)
Lithuanian0.1%(25)
Iranian0.1%(20)
Slovak0.1%(20)
Hungarian0.1%(18)
Arab0%(16)
Egyptian0%(14)
Ghanaian0%(14)
Nigerian0%(13)
Slovene0%(9)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
18.3%
−1.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 19.4% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
86.2%
−2.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 88.9% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
5.7%
−0.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 6.7% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
14.5 min
+63%vs 2000
vs 8.9 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married46.4%(6,503)
Married45.6%(6,390)
Widowed2%(283)
Divorced6%(844)
Women 15+
Never married26.9%(3,062)
Married51.8%(5,899)
Widowed6.9%(791)
Divorced14.4%(1,634)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
10.0%
−5.6 ptssince 2013
from 15.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
52.0%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 51.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
10.6%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 8.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
14.3%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 13.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
24.5%
+5.2 ptssince 2020
from 19.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 3.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
73.3%
−3.9 ptssince 2020
from 77.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
37.6%
+6.0 ptssince 2020
from 31.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)54.4%(1,235)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)31.2%(709)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era25.8%(585)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.9%(65)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(1)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,271 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Fairbanks to nearby cities

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Income$83,895+162%
Home value$297,500+247%
Population11,924−62%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FAIRBANKS VS
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Income$97,183+203%
Home value$310,600+262%
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Fairbanks, Alaska?

Fairbanks, Alaska has about 30,843 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Fairbanks, Alaska?

The typical household in Fairbanks, Alaska earns about $32,033 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Fairbanks, Alaska expensive?

In Fairbanks, Alaska, the median home is worth about $85,800, and the typical rent is about $523 a month.

How educated are people in Fairbanks, Alaska?

About 18.3% of adults age 25 and over in Fairbanks, Alaska hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Fairbanks, Alaska?

About 10.4% of people in Fairbanks, Alaska live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →