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CITY · 2020 ACS

Fairbanks

Alaska · 32,515 residents · 31.7 sq mi
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The short version

Fairbanks is home to 32,515 people in Alaska. This skews young, with a median age of 28.3. 36% of homes are owner-occupied. 71% were living in the same home a year earlier. Getting to work takes 14 minutes on average. The foreign-born share is 6%.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 28.3
US median: 38.8
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

32,515
+8%since 2000
from 30,224 in 2000
1990 – 2025
28.3
+3%since 2000
from 27.6 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
31.7 sq mi
Population, 19902024
30K31K32K34K35K19902000201020202024Fairbanks
202432K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 57.8%(2,521)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.7%(2,168)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.8%(1,902)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196%(1,951)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2415.5%(5,043)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3420.2%(6,556)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.3%(3,675)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 548%(2,588)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 648.5%(2,776)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 746.3%(2,035)
US avg: 10%
75 to 842.8%(902)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.2%(398)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$64,397
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,577 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$31,455
+59%since 2000
from $19,814 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
43.0%
+11.0 ptssince 2009
from 32.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
9.3%
−1.2 ptssince 2000
from 10.5% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information14.4%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade7.2%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance6%
US avg: 5.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing5.5%
US avg: 1.7%
Other services4.9%
US avg: 6.6%
Professional, scientific, technical4.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Manufacturing3.6%
US avg: 0.5%
Arts, entertainment, food2.5%
US avg: 2%
Public administration2.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.2%
US avg: 2.5%
Construction1.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services1.5%
US avg: 0.8%
Retail trade1.4%
US avg: 10%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$217,700
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $127,000 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$1,327
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $680 in 2000
US average: $1,124
36.0%
+1.1 ptssince 2000
from 34.9% in 2000
64.0% rent
2.56 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.66 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
3.4
−8%since 2009
from 3.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic64.2%(19,406)
Black10.9%(3,291)
Hispanic / Latino6.1%(1,854)
Asian2.7%(805)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic53.1%(17,275)
Black7.7%(2,508)
Hispanic / Latino11.4%(3,720)
Asian4.7%(1,532)
Other17.2%(5,592)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican6.1%(1,905)
Ecuadorian0.5%(155)
Dominican0.4%(113)
Cuban0.2%(71)
Colombian0.2%(54)
Guatemalan0.1%(47)
Spaniard0.1%(36)
Panamanian0.1%(22)
Peruvian0%(15)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Filipino1.7%(528)
Korean1.6%(506)
Chinese0.3%(85)
Japanese0.2%(50)
Asian Indian0.1%(16)
Thai0%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0.9%(284)
Samoan0.1%(39)
Ancestry
German12.5%(3,933)
Irish10.5%(3,289)
English7.8%(2,466)
Italian4.4%(1,389)
American2.7%(854)
Norwegian2.4%(764)
Polish2.2%(698)
Scotch-Irish2.1%(650)
French1.8%(561)
Scottish1.7%(543)
Dutch1.6%(505)
+ 36 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish1.5%(461)
Welsh1.2%(389)
Russian1%(308)
West Indian0.8%(249)
British0.5%(157)
Danish0.5%(146)
Ethiopian0.5%(145)
Finnish0.4%(121)
Romanian0.4%(120)
Canadian0.4%(112)
Hungarian0.3%(94)
Czech0.3%(83)
Lithuanian0.2%(68)
Barbadian0.2%(58)
Jamaican0.2%(52)
Swiss0.2%(51)
Belgian0.2%(49)
Brazilian0.2%(49)
Croatian0.1%(45)
Portuguese0.1%(43)
Iranian0.1%(38)
Serbian0.1%(37)
Kenyan0.1%(37)
Palestinian0.1%(31)
Guyanese0.1%(31)
Nigerian0.1%(30)
Greek0.1%(27)
Haitian0.1%(22)
Lebanese0.1%(20)
Ukrainian0.1%(18)
Slovene0%(14)
Austrian0%(10)
Section 05

Education

26.8%
+7.5 ptssince 2000
from 19.4% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
93.2%
+4.3 ptssince 2000
from 88.9% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
9.3%
+2.6 ptssince 2000
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

14.1 min
+59%since 2000
from 8.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
69.0%
+4.9 ptssince 2009
from 64.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
7.8%
−3.2 ptssince 2009
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

8.3%
+0.2 ptssince 2011
from 8.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
70.9%
−0.8 ptssince 2011
from 71.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
67.0%
US average: 73.3%
32.2%
+5.0 ptssince 2009
from 27.2% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

53.1%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 53.9% in 2009
46.9%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 46.1% in 2009
6.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
7.1%
−8.5 ptssince 2013
from 15.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
94.9%
US average: 91.9%
71.5%
US average: 86.2%
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

7.1%
−8.5 ptssince 2013
from 15.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
51.9%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
8.7%
US average: 13.7%
13.0%
US average: 17.6%
19.3%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.8%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
77.2%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
31.6%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)52.2%(1,504)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)20.8%(600)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era22.2%(639)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War0.8%(22)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II1.3%(38)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 2,881 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Fairbanks, Alaska?

Fairbanks, Alaska has about 32,515 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Fairbanks, Alaska?

The typical household in Fairbanks, Alaska earns about $64,397 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 $217,700, and the typical rent is about $1,327 a month.

How educated are people in Fairbanks, Alaska?

About 26.8% 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 9.3% of people in Fairbanks, Alaska live below the federal poverty line.

Has Fairbanks, Alaska grown since 1990?

Yes, Fairbanks, Alaska has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,672 residents, a change of about 5 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →