Anchorage receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Anchorage
Fairbanks-College
Opportunity
83 · Top 6%
vs68 · Top 26%
Growth
42 · Bottom 37%
vs40 · Bottom 34%
Climate
45 · Bottom 1%
vs38 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
18 · Bottom 8%
vs28 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
91 · Bottom 41%
vs92 · Bottom 42%
Access
51 · Bottom 13%
vs71 · Bottom 39%
Economic stability
76 · Top 18%
vs80 · Top 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Anchorage | Fairbanks-College | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 401,964 | 95,460 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $100,505 | $88,267 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,682 | $45,905 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 15/sq mi | 13/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $379,100 | $298,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,458 | $1,459 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.5% | 61.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.1% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.7% | 33.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 6.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 347 | 21 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -13.7% | 110.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 69°F | 68°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 5°F | -2°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 26.5" | 15.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 73 mi | 41 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 20.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 32.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Anchorage
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, avalanche.
Fairbanks-College
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Anchorage
58
Your Score
58
Area Score
Fairbanks-College
59
Your Score
56
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Anchorage, AK Metro Area · Fairbanks-College, AK Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology