Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska

Geography

The borough has a total area of 7444 sqmi, of which 7338 sqmi is land and 105 sqmi (1.4%) is water.

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.

Though a somewhat urban county with a notable student population, the borough is generally as Republican as Alaska as whole. As of 2025, Democratic candidates have not won Fairbanks North Star Borough since Alaska's first two presidential elections. That said, Joe Biden in 2020 won forty percent of the vote for the first time since Lyndon Johnson's 1964 landslide victory. In 2024, Kamala Harris lost a percentage point, but still did better than a half-century's worth of Democrats. As with the rest of Alaska, the borough is also friendlier to third parties than most of the United States. George Wallace, Roger MacBride, Ed Clark, Ross Perot, Ralph Nader, and Gary Johnson each received over ten percent of the vote in their candidacies despite campaigning on radically different platforms.

Downballot, Fairbanks North Star Borough is a bellwether county. Fairbanks North Star Borough has voted for the winner of Alaska's governorship since its founding: which has included multiple victories for both major parties, multiple victories for independents, and one victory the Alaskan Independence Party.

;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.

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 95,655. The median age was 32.6 years. 23.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 11.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 114.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 117.0 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 69.0% White, 4.2% Black or African American, 7.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.2% Asian, 0.6% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.3% from some other race, and 12.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.7% of the population.

74.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 25.4% lived in rural areas.

There were 36,521 households in the county, of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 20.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 42,659 housing units, of which 14.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 58.9% were owner-occupied and 41.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.1%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 82,840 people, 29,777 households, and 20,516 families were residing in the borough. The population density was 11 /mi2. There were 33,291 housing units at an average density of 4 /mi2. 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.

Sister cities

• India Pune, India
• Russia Yakutsk, Russia

References

References

1. (January 1996). "1996 Alaska Municipal Officials Directory". Alaska Municipal League/[[Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development.
2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
4. (February 12, 2011). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". [[United States Census Bureau]].
5. Elections, RRH. "RRH Elections".
6. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
11. "Alaska: 1980, General Social and Economic Characteristics, Table 59: Persons by Race, Hispanic Origin, and Sex".
12. "Alaska: 1990, General Population Characteristics, Table 5: Race and Hispanic Origin".
13. "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska".
14. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska".
15. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska".
16. included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
17. included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
18. not an option in the 1980 Census
19. not an option in the 1990 Census
20. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
21. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
22. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
23. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK". [[United States Census Bureau]].
24. [http://co.fairbanks.ak.us/meetings/Resolutions/2004/2004-03.pdf] {{webarchive. link. (March 3, 2012)
25. [http://www.gov.state.ak.us/trade/2005/sister_states.php] {{webarchive. link. (February 5, 2012)