Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska

The Fairbanks North Star Borough is a borough located in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2020 census, the population was 95,655, down from 97,581 in 2010.^[2] The borough seat is Fairbanks.^[3] The borough's land area is slightly smaller than that of the state of New Jersey.

Fairbanks North Star Borough
Borough
Fairbanks North Star Borough Administrative Center
Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Alaska
Alaska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 64°50′N 146°25′W
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Incorporated	January 1, 1964[1]
Named after	Fairbanks and Polaris, the North Star
Seat	Fairbanks
Largest city	Fairbanks
Area
• Total	7,444 sq mi (19,280 km2)
• Land	7,338 sq mi (19,010 km2)
• Water	105 sq mi (270 km2)  1.4%
Population  (2020)[2]
• Total	95,655
• Estimate  (2024)	94,951
• Density	13/sq mi (5.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC−9 (Alaska)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−8 (ADT)
Congressional district	At-large
Website	co.fairbanks.ak.us

Fairbanks North Star Borough comprises the Fairbanks, AK, Metropolitan Statistical Area, one of only two metropolitan areas in Alaska.

The borough is home to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base.

Geography

The borough has a total area of 7,444 square miles (19,280 km²), of which 7,338 square miles (19,010 km²) is land and 105 square miles (270 km²) (1.4%) is water.^[4]

Adjacent boroughs and census areas

• Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska – north
• Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska – southeast
• Denali Borough, Alaska – southwest

Government and politics

The assembly is the borough's governing body, or legislative branch. The assembly consists of nine members who are elected at-large (borough-wide), serving three-year terms. The borough operates under a "strong mayor" system. The mayor, along with his chief of staff, performs many of the job duties normally associated with a city manager.

Mayor

• Grier Hopkins (D)

Assembly members

• Seat A – David Guttenberg
• Seat B – Brett Rotermund
• Seat C – Mindy O'Neall
• Seat D – Liz Reeves-Ramos
• Seat E – Nick LaJiness
• Seat F – Savannah Fletcher
• Seat G – Kristan Kelly
• Seat H – Scott Crass
• Seat I – Barbara Haney

The borough operates a public library system; the main library is the Noel Wien Public Library.

United States presidential election results for Fairbanks North Star Borough^[5]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	24,857	56.90%	17,037	39.00%	1,791	4.10%
2020	24,917	55.10%	18,138	40.11%	2,165	4.79%
2016	22,012	53.86%	13,494	33.02%	5,364	13.12%
2012	23,755	58.60%	14,716	36.30%	2,068	5.10%
2008	27,302	61.50%	15,893	35.80%	1,198	2.70%
2004	20,268	64.40%	10,103	32.10%	1,101	3.50%
2000	25,526	61.50%	10,201	24.58%	5,780	13.93%
1996	18,521	52.40%	10,816	30.60%	6,009	17.00%
1992	15,224	39.60%	10,880	28.30%	12,341	32.10%
1988	18,728	60.50%	10,587	34.20%	1,640	5.30%
1984	18,806	66.30%	8,112	28.60%	1,447	5.10%
1980	11,601	50.70%	5,285	23.10%	5,995	26.20%
1976	10,279	54.00%	6,681	35.10%	2,075	10.90%
1972	7,706	53.70%	5,539	38.60%	1,106	7.71%
1968	4,270	47.00%	3,435	37.81%	1,381	15.20%
1964	3,526	42.30%	4,810	57.70%	0	0.00%
1960	3,818	48.40%	4,070	51.60%	0	0.00%

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1960	43,412		—
1970	45,864		5.6%
1980	53,983		17.7%
1990	77,720		44.0%
2000	82,840		6.6%
2010	97,581		17.8%
2020	95,655		−2.0%
2024 (est.)	94,951	[6]	−0.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010–2020[2]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 95,655 people.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 82,840 people, 29,777 households, and 20,516 families were residing in the borough. The population density was 11 people per square mile (4.2 people/km²). There were 33,291 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (1.5/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 77.79% White, 5.6% Black or African American, 6.90% Native American, 2.08% Asian, 0.30% Pacific Islander, 1.71% from other races, and 5.39% from two or more races. 4.15% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 29,777 households, 41.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.70% were married couples living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 23.60% of households were one person, and 3.60% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 30.10% under the age of 18, 12.20% from 18 to 24, 33.30% from 25 to 44, 19.80% from 45 to 64, and 4.60% 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.90 males.

Communities

Cities

• Fairbanks (Borough seat)
• North Pole

Census-designated places

• Badger
• Chena Ridge
• College
• Eielson AFB
• Ester
• Farmers Loop
• Fox
• Goldstream
• Harding-Birch Lakes
• Moose Creek
• Pleasant Valley
• Salcha
• South Van Horn
• Steele Creek
• Two Rivers

Unincorporated communities

• Chatanika
• Chena Hot Springs

Education

The entire borough is zoned to Fairbanks North Star Borough School District.^[11]

Sister cities

• Pune, India^[12]
• Yakutsk, Russia^[13]

See also

• Alaska portal

• List of airports in Fairbanks North Star Borough
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska