HomeAlaskaFairbanks North Star Borough
Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska: commercial real estate data.
Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska had an estimated 94,951 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 95,667, across 7,338 square miles. County output reached $7.89 bn in 2024, 2,576 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 79 7(a) approvals worth $47.5 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Fairbanks North Star Borough
How many people live in Fairbanks North Star Borough
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202495,460
- Households36,359
- Average household size2.63
- Median household income$88,267
- Median age32.5
- Median gross rent$1,459 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$298,200
- Home value to household income3.4 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher33.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree12.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over61,502
- Population under 1822,625
- Share under 1823.7 percent
- Population 65 and over12,160
- Share 65 and over12.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6460,675
- Civilian labor force42,757
- Unemployment rate5.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over58.7 percent
- Rank by population among Alaska boroughs3rd of 30
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included647th of 3,222
Fairbanks North Star Borough is the 3rd largest of 30 Alaska boroughs by population. A median home costs 3.4 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.7 percent against 12.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Fairbanks North Star Borough
Is Fairbanks North Star Borough's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202494,951
- Census 2020 base population95,667
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.75 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-749
- Births, 20241,375
- Deaths, 2024616
- Natural change, 2024759
- Net domestic migration, 2024-1,849
- Net international migration, 2024353
- Total net migration, 2024-1,496
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-4,427
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2105th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.75 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. More people left than moved in during 2024 and births over deaths did not make up the difference, so the population fell.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Fairbanks North Star Borough
Where are people moving to Fairbanks North Star Borough from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving3,762
- People arriving, from those returns7,258
- Tax returns filed by households leaving4,296
- Net household movement-534
- Adjusted gross income arriving$220.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-79.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$58,653
- Average income of a leaving household$69,955
- Largest single originAnchorage Municipality (182 households)
- Largest single destinationAnchorage Municipality (307 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage Municipality | 182 | 298 | $18.7 m |
| Foreign - APO/FPO ZIPs | 125 | 301 | $8.0 m |
| Matanuska-Susitna Borough | 91 | 149 | $5.4 m |
| Maricopa County | 82 | 164 | $4.7 m |
| El Paso County | 59 | 161 | $3.0 m |
| El Paso County | 58 | 151 | $3.4 m |
| Bell County | 56 | 142 | $2.7 m |
| Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area | 54 | 112 | $2.0 m |
Households arriving report $11,302 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Anchorage Municipality, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Fairbanks North Star Borough
What is the Fairbanks North Star Borough economy?
- County GDP, 2024$7.89 bn
- County GDP, 2023$7.20 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20249.5 percent
- GDP change over five years34.3 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Alaska areas BEA publishes3rd of 34
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes530th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$82,666
Output grew 9.5 percent in the latest year and 34.3 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Fairbanks North Star Borough
Employment by industry in Fairbanks North Star Borough
- Covered employment, annual average37,015
- Establishments reporting2,441
- Average annual pay$69,700
- Average weekly wage$1,340
- Health care and social assistance, employment5,403
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$76,996
- Retail trade, employment4,581
- Retail trade, average annual pay$44,032
- Accommodation and food services, employment3,866
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$31,662
- Construction, employment2,884
- Construction, average annual pay$112,504
- Transportation and warehousing, employment2,023
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment1,212
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 5,403 | 252 | $76,996 |
| Retail trade | 4,581 | 257 | $44,032 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,866 | 224 | $31,662 |
| Construction | 2,884 | 317 | $112,504 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,023 | 110 | $76,526 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 1,212 | 266 | $76,170 |
| Other services, except public administration | 1,184 | 217 | $60,126 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,102 | 170 | $64,481 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 5,403 jobs, 14.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Fairbanks North Star Borough
How many businesses are in Fairbanks North Star Borough?
- Establishments, all industries2,576
- Employment at those establishments26,009
- Annual payroll$1.70 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents27.0
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Fairbanks North Star Borough
Building permits in Fairbanks North Star Borough
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202418
- Declared construction value permitted$5.8 m
- Single family units authorized6
- Multifamily units authorized12
- Multifamily share of units66.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$320,862
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.5
Multifamily is 66.7 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Fairbanks North Star Borough
SBA loans in Fairbanks North Star Borough (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded79
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$47.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$601,229
- Median 7(a) approval$230,000
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,704,000
- Largest single approval$4,700,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)643
- Jobs per approval8.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active19
- Distinct industries receiving approvals45
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer12.7 percent
- Loans on real estate terms10
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter66
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals2.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countLandscaping Services (7)
- Most active lenderNorthrim Bank (35)
- 504 approvals recorded24
- 504 gross approval dollars$20.5 m
- Average 504 approval$854,667
- Median 504 approval$404,500
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval9.2
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved10.7
- Most active CDCEvergreen Business Capital (24)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$68.0 m
The average approval of $601,229 sits well above the median of $230,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 12.7 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Fairbanks North Star Borough
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Fairbanks North Star Borough
Do SBA loans in Fairbanks North Star Borough get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded15
- Paid in full15
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure41
- Status: Paid in full15
- Status: Cancelled19
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed4
Only 15 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Fairbanks North Star Borough
SBA lending by place in Fairbanks North Star Borough
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Fairbanks, approvals59
- North Pole, approvals18
- Fort Wainwright, approvals1
- Anchorage, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks | 59 | $38,920,200 |
| North Pole | 18 | $8,326,900 |
| Fort Wainwright | 1 | $200,000 |
| Anchorage | 1 | $50,000 |
Fairbanks accounts for 59 approvals against 18 in North Pole. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Fairbanks North Star Borough
How large is Fairbanks North Star Borough?
- Land area7,338 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Alaska boroughs17th of 30
- Width, east to west140 mi
- Height, north to south82.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary3
- Residents per square mile of land13
- Establishments per square mile0.35
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Fairbanks North Star Borough
Flood risk in Fairbanks North Star Borough
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Fairbanks North Star BoroughParticipating, community 025009
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book1
- Of those, participating in the NFIP1
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Fairbanks North Star Borough, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, Fairbanks North Star Borough (community 025009), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Fairbanks North Star Borough in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Fairbanks North Star Borough site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Fairbanks North Star Borough site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202495,460
- Households36,359
- Average household size2.63
- Median household income$88,267
- Median age32.5
Common questions
Fairbanks North Star Borough questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska?
The Census Bureau estimates 94,951 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 95,460, in 36,359 households, ranking 3rd of 30 Alaska counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Fairbanks North Star Borough's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.75 percent since the 2020 census base of 95,667, to 94,951 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,375 births against 616 deaths, with net migration of -1,496. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Fairbanks North Star Borough?
$88,267. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $298,200, which is 3.4 times income, and median gross rent is $1,459 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Fairbanks North Star Borough?
2,576 establishments, employing 26,009 people with an annual payroll of $1.70 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Fairbanks North Star Borough?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 5,403 jobs, 14.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 37,015 jobs at an average annual pay of $69,700, or $1,340 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Fairbanks North Star Borough?
79 7(a) approvals totaling $47.5 m since FY2020, across 19 lenders, with a median approval of $230,000, plus 24 504 approvals worth $20.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Fairbanks North Star Borough?
18 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $5.8 m. Multifamily was 66.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Fairbanks North Star Borough?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Fairbanks North Star Borough come from?
The largest single origin is Anchorage Municipality, with 182 households. Arriving households report an average income of $58,653 against $69,955 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Fairbanks North Star Borough on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Fairbanks North Star Borough?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Fairbanks North Star Borough
Cities and places in Fairbanks North Star.
17 Census places lie wholly or partly in Fairbanks North Star Borough. All 17 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks | city | 32,083 | 59 | Wholly in this county |
| Badger | CDP | 18,677 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| College | CDP | 11,924 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Steele Creek | CDP | 5,928 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chena Ridge | CDP | 5,881 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Farmers Loop | CDP | 4,954 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Goldstream | CDP | 3,294 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Eielson AFB | CDP | 3,155 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ester | CDP | 2,752 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| North Pole | city | 2,370 | 18 | Wholly in this county |
| Salcha | CDP | 829 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pleasant Valley | CDP | 790 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| South Van Horn | CDP | 572 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Moose Creek | CDP | 507 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Two Rivers | CDP | 451 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Harding-Birch Lakes | CDP | 277 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Fox | CDP | 80 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 79 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Fairbanks North Star Borough, the largest being Fort Wainwright (1), Anchorage (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby