Metro area profile · Alaska
Fairbanks-College, AK metro area market data
How the Fairbanks-College metro area compares with other metro areas for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 93,972
- −1.4% since 2020
- Households
- 36,359
- Median household income
- $88,267
- +14.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $298,200
- Jobs located here
- n/a
- Highest market score
- 73
- Mortgage brokers and lenders, #20 of 373 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Fairbanks-College metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Fairbanks-College metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Fairbanks-College metro area has an estimated 93,972 people and 36,359 households. Population estimates show the Fairbanks-College metro area declined 1.4% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. Median household income in the Fairbanks-College metro area is $88,267, 9% above the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 14.6%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Fairbanks-College metro area runs highest on child care and other personal services (an index of 127, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on clothing, shoes and related services (93).
Of the business types scored in the Fairbanks-College metro area, mortgage brokers and lenders (73), grocery and convenience stores (71) and tire shops (69) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For mortgage brokers and lenders, that ranks #20 of 373 scored metro areas.
The Fairbanks-College metro area is made up of one county, Fairbanks North Star Borough. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for coffee shops and cafes (73% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for clothing and shoe stores (59% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Fairbanks-College metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Fairbanks-College metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 73 | #20 of 373 | 6 | 1.7 | Index only | 293 | 3 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 71 | #52 of 387 | 55 | 15.1 | $4.2M | 123 | 12 |
| Tire shops | 69 | #65 of 386 | 6 | 1.7 | $6.5M | 261 | 5 |
| Grocery stores | 68 | #72 of 387 | 18 | 5.0 | $12.8M | 137 | 11 |
| Car washes and detailing | 67 | #64 of 387 | 10 | 2.8 | $3.9M | 156 | 5 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 67 | #76 of 387 | 24 | 6.6 | $2.9M | 227 | 20 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 67 | #92 of 385 | 6 | 1.7 | $8.4M | 287 | 27 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 67 | #93 of 387 | 45 | 12.4 | $3.4M | 112 | 59 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 66 | #82 of 387 | 44 | 12.1 | $1.6M | 179 | 24 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 65 | #84 of 387 | 16 | 4.4 | $3.1M | 175 | 45 |
| Hair salons | 63 | #70 of 387 | 54 | 14.9 | $724K | 168 | 22 |
| Insurance agencies | 62 | #119 of 387 | 35 | 9.6 | $2M | 158 | 26 |
| Chiropractors | 61 | #101 of 386 | 11 | 3.0 | $4.5M | 189 | 11 |
| Child care and preschools | 61 | #103 of 387 | 14 | 3.9 | $1.9M | 191 | 25 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 59 | #91 of 387 | 120 | 33.0 | $326K | 153 | 47 |
| Convenience stores | 59 | #138 of 387 | 24 | 6.6 | $9.6M | 122 | Under 3 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 58 | #120 of 387 | 220 | 60.5 | $226K | 148 | 132 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 56 | #139 of 387 | 14 | 3.9 | $3.6M | 215 | 68 |
| Electricians | 56 | #141 of 383 | 6 | 1.7 | $18.3M | 152 | 28 |
| Pizza | 56 | #143 of 387 | 32 | 8.8 | $4.8M | 94 | 59 |
| Roofing and gutters | 53 | #164 of 381 | 8 | 2.2 | $13.7M | 162 | 11 |
| Veterinarians | 53 | #167 of 384 | 11 | 3.0 | $3.5M | 128 | 14 |
| Gas stations | 53 | #174 of 387 | 34 | 9.4 | $2.9M | 122 | 27 |
| Property management | 52 | #162 of 374 | 10 | 2.8 | Index only | 123 | 20 |
| Nail salons | 52 | #170 of 387 | 17 | 4.7 | $2.3M | 138 | 10 |
| Barbershops | 52 | #172 of 387 | 12 | 3.3 | $3.3M | 173 | 5 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 49 | #191 of 387 | 20 | 5.5 | $2.2M | 109 | 12 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 49 | #212 of 386 | 16 | 4.4 | $3.1M | 99 | 5 |
| Real estate | 48 | #194 of 387 | 124 | 34.1 | Index only | 128 | 106 |
| Spas and skin care | 48 | #203 of 387 | 37 | 10.2 | $1.1M | 121 | 10 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 47 | #204 of 387 | 39 | 10.7 | $1.3M | 130 | 44 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 47 | #212 of 387 | 65 | 17.9 | $674K | 102 | 27 |
| Home repair trades | 47 | #213 of 387 | 41 | 11.3 | $2.7M | 110 | 88 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 47 | #214 of 381 | 11 | 3.0 | $3.6M | 116 | 10 |
| Pet businesses | 46 | #223 of 387 | 46 | 12.7 | $833K | 95 | 23 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 46 | #231 of 387 | 31 | 8.5 | $5M | 120 | 39 |
| Auto repair and car care | 45 | #240 of 387 | 133 | 36.6 | $295K | 110 | 66 |
| Gyms | 45 | #242 of 387 | 34 | 9.4 | $1.3M | 99 | 15 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 44 | #236 of 387 | 219 | 60.2 | $701K | 106 | 70 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 44 | #245 of 386 | 17 | 4.7 | $2.3M | 89 | 9 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 42 | #258 of 387 | 106 | 29.2 | Index only | 119 | 69 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 41 | #252 of 387 | 424 | 116.6 | $362K | 98 | 168 |
| House cleaning | 41 | #258 of 375 | 7 | 1.9 | $7.2M | 113 | 36 |
| Physical therapy | 39 | #268 of 386 | 20 | 5.5 | $2.5M | 104 | 22 |
| Auto repair shops | 39 | #281 of 387 | 84 | 23.1 | $467K | 105 | 52 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 37 | #288 of 347 | 11 | 3.0 | $4M | 98 | 15 |
| Laundromats | 35 | #270 of 364 | 5 | 1.4 | $13.9M | 111 | 4 |
| Pet stores | 34 | #312 of 382 | 12 | 3.3 | $3.2M | 71 | Under 3 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 31 | #339 of 387 | 27 | 7.4 | $4.1M | 85 | 49 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 21 | #380 of 387 | 69 | 19.0 | $2.2M | 60 | 39 |
| Funeral homes | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.1 | $913K | 134 | 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.8 | $23.1M | 147 | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.6 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.6 | $19.6M | Too few | 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.3 | $50.5M | Too few | 5 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.3 | $49.8M | Too few | 5 |
Household spending in the Fairbanks-College metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $39.2M | $1,078 | 113 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $98.7M | $2,714 | 105 |
| Food away from home | $153.6M | $4,224 | 104 |
| Groceries | $230M | $6,326 | 100 |
| Personal care products and services | $39.1M | $1,076 | 107 |
| Child care and other personal services | $26.7M | $736 | 127 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $43.8M | $1,206 | 123 |
| Medical and dental services | $49.8M | $1,370 | 106 |
| Pets | $38.3M | $1,054 | 116 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $69.3M | $1,907 | 93 |
| Vehicle insurance | $69.5M | $1,913 | 98 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $109.7M | $3,017 | 100 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $50.5M | $1,388 | 98 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $686.1M | $18,870 | 113 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Fairbanks-College metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 93,972−1.4% since 2020
- Households
- 36,359
- Median age
- 35.0
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 62%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 7,335 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 13
- Median household income
- $88,267+14.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $112,548
- Median home value
- $298,200
- Jobs located here
- n/a
- Daytime population
- n/aResidents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Fairbanks-College metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Fairbanks-College metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Fairbanks-College metro area 1
- Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK95,460 people
Other markets based in Alaska 3
- Anchorage, AK metro area401,964 people
- Juneau, AK area31,794 people
- Ketchikan, AK area13,768 people
Questions
How fast is the Fairbanks-College, AK metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Fairbanks-College metro area at 93,972 people in 2025, down 1.4% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 36,359 households. Median household income rose 14.6% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the Fairbanks-College, AK metro area spend?
Households in the Fairbanks-College metro area spend about $686.1M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $230M on groceries and $153.6M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Fairbanks-College metro area spend the most on child care and other personal services (an index of 127, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on clothing, shoes and related services (93).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Fairbanks-College, AK metro area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Fairbanks-College metro area are for mortgage brokers and lenders (73), grocery and convenience stores (71) and tire shops (69). The Fairbanks-College metro area ranks #20 of 373 scored metro areas for mortgage brokers and lenders.
How does the Fairbanks-College, AK metro area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Fairbanks-College metro area is $88,267 a year, 9% above the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 1.4% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $298,200, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Fairbanks-College metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for coffee shops and cafes (73% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for clothing and shoe stores (59% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 50 of the 56 business types have a score in the Fairbanks-College metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Fairbanks-College metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Alaska · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Fairbanks-College metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Fairbanks-College metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.