Best Small Places for Business and Careers 2019

Fairbanks, AK

Fairbanks, AK
the place image

Fairbanks, AK

Fairbanks, AK
gross metro product
$7.3B
population
99.0K
median household income
$78,555
median home price
$259,000
cost of living
9% above nat'l avg
college attainment
29.6%
net migration
-330 (year: 2018)
unemployment
5.6%
major industries
Defense, Education, Telecommunications
job growth
-0.1% (year: 2018)
As of October 2019
Fairbanks is home to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the oldest college in Alaska. The location of Fairbanks International Airport within the city has made it a central transportation hub for the interior of Alaska and to the rest of the world. Nearby Fort Wainwright and Eilson Air Force Base are both substantial influences in the region, employing more than one-third of the workforce in the area. Tourism, health care, oil and mining are also prominent areas for Fairbanks's economy.
On forbes lists
#197
In Cost of Doing Business
#184
In Job Growth
#54
In Education
By The Numbers
EmploymentHousingEducationQuality of Life
Job Growth
-0.1% (year: 2018)
Projected Annual Job Growth
-0.1%
Unemployment
5.6%
Median Household Income
$78,555
Household Income Growth
2.7%
High-Tech Employment
0.8%
  • Data is for the metro area
  • Sources: Moody's Analytics; Sperling's BestPlaces; U.S. Census.
  • Numbers as of October 2019


  • a - Value of 100 means that a family with the median income has exactly enough income to qualify for a typical mortgage on a median-priced single-family home. An index above 100 signifies that the family has surplus income.
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