Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Fairbanks, Alaska
A $256,000 home here costs
$2,194per 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 $94,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,396. The real number is $798 higher every month, 57% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Fairbanks North Star Borough with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Fairbanks against Fairbanks North Star Borough and Alaska
| Measure | Fairbanks | Fairbanks North Star Borough |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $255,700 | $282,500 |
| Median property tax | $3,336 | $3,570 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.305% | 1.264% |
| Median gross rent | $1,470 | $1,424 |
| Population | 32,242 | 95,555 |
The weather behind that power bill
Fairbanks 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 Fairbanks 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 Fairbanks every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Fairbanks I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Fairbanks?
A $256,000 home in Fairbanks, Alaska costs approximately $2,194 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,396 principal and interest, $278 property tax, $68 homeowners insurance, $238 utilities and $213 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Fairbanks?
Fairbanks has an effective property tax rate of 1.305%, based on a median home value of $255,700 and median real estate taxes of $3,336. That is higher than the Fairbanks North Star Borough average of 1.264%.
What is the average home price in Fairbanks?
The median owner-occupied home value in Fairbanks, Alaska is $255,700, against $282,500 across Fairbanks North Star Borough.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Fairbanks?
Median gross rent in Fairbanks is $1,470 a month, against $2,194 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 Fairbanks?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Fairbanks, Alaska at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $94,000 a year. That covers the full $2,194 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Fairbanks, 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.