Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Ester, Alaska
A $242,000 home here costs
$2,089per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $89,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,319. The real number is $769 higher every month, 58% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Fairbanks North Star Borough with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Ester from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 2,784 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Fairbanks North Star Borough figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Ester against Fairbanks North Star Borough and Alaska
| Measure | Ester | Fairbanks North Star Borough |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $242,000 | $282,500 |
| Median property tax | $3,178 | $3,570 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.313% | 1.264% |
| Median gross rent | $1,232 | $1,424 |
| Population | 2,784 | 95,555 |
The weather behind that power bill
Ester sits in Fairbanks North Star Borough, which averages a high of 71.6°F in its hottest month and a low of -17.6°F in its coldest, with 12.88" of precipitation a year and 57% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 34 cooling and 13,878 heating degree days, which is what sets the $170 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Fairbanks North Star Borough , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Fairbanks North Star Borough
Full Fairbanks North Star Borough cost breakdown · Every county in Alaska
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Ester averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Ester every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Ester?
A $242,000 home in Ester, Alaska costs approximately $2,089 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,319 principal and interest, $265 property tax, $65 homeowners insurance, $238 utilities and $202 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Ester?
Ester has an effective property tax rate of 1.313%, based on a median home value of $242,000 and median real estate taxes of $3,178. That is higher than the Fairbanks North Star Borough average of 1.264%.
What is the average home price in Ester?
The median owner-occupied home value in Ester, Alaska is $242,000, against $282,500 across Fairbanks North Star Borough.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Ester?
Median gross rent in Ester is $1,232 a month, against $2,089 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Ester?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Ester, Alaska at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $89,500 a year. That covers the full $2,089 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Ester, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Alaska.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.