Signals
Fairbanks
Badger
Opportunity
57 · Top 49%
vs64 · Top 34%
Climate
41 · Bottom 1%
vs38 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
30 · Bottom 24%
vs29 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
78 · Bottom 46%
vs93 · Top 25%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs88 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs71 · Top 28%
Measured values
| Metric | Fairbanks | Badger | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,083 | 18,677 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,534 | $97,183 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,912 | $54,127 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,009/sq mi | 284/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $268,400 | $310,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,496 | $1,629 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 39.8% | 80.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.2% | 23.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 4.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 73°F | 68°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | -17°F | -2°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.7" | 15.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.8 min | 23.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.0 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.05 | 18.55 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.8% | 30.8% | 2024-25 school 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
Fairbanks
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Badger
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: Fairbanks, AK · Badger, AK · How this is calculated: methodology