Pittsfield receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fairbanks
Pittsfield
Opportunity
57 · Top 49%
vs49 · Bottom 34%
Growth
35 · Bottom 24%
vs35 · Bottom 25%
Climate
41 · Bottom 1%
vs59 · Bottom 11%
Physical resilience
30 · Bottom 24%
vs44 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
78 · Bottom 46%
vs90 · Top 32%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs83 · Bottom 27%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs51 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Fairbanks | Pittsfield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,083 | 43,457 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,534 | $70,582 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,912 | $45,178 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,009/sq mi | 1,074/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $268,400 | $256,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,496 | $1,134 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 39.8% | 62.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.2% | 34.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 14.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10 | 13 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.0% | -7.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | -17°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.7" | 44.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.8 min | 20.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.0 | 42.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.05 | 10.22 | 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.
Pittsfield
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fairbanks
56
Your Score
51
Area Score
Pittsfield
56
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fairbanks, AK · Pittsfield, MA · How this is calculated: methodology