© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Badger.
Badger is an unincorporated community in Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Badger
Living in Badger means joining a growing suburban community of nearly 19,000 people just outside Fairbanks, where you're close enough to city amenities but far enough to feel like you've genuinely left town. The job market is stable—unemployment sits at 4%, and the local economy is supported by a mix of government, military, and private sector work across the broader Fairbanks region, though you should expect your commute to average about 22 minutes if you're working in the main city. The median household income of around $98,000 reflects a solidly middle-class demographic, though housing costs aren't cheap: homes median around $310,600 and rents hover near $1,629 a month, so this isn't an affordable-housing paradise, but it's reasonable for Alaska.
Badger at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.2%
Foreign-Born
3.1%
Broadband Internet
93.3%
of households
Population Growth
+0.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.1% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in Badger: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Badger, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (14.2%), and 1.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.7%
of residents
65 and Older
12.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.0%
of households
Married Couples
55.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.77
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 15% above AK average
Rent, home values, and income in Badger
In Badger, rent runs 15% above the AK average, and home values are 12% below the AK average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
22.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
12.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,548
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
80.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1985
median year built
Vacant Homes
11.6%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below AK average
Unemployment in Badger
Unemployment in Fairbanks North Star Borough, which includes Badger, is 0.6 percentage points lower than the AK average.
Unemployment rate
Badger: Fairbanks North Star Borough rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Fairbanks North Star Borough (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Badger Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.5 min avg
How Badger residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Badger, most residents drive alone to work (83%), and 74% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 mi
Fairbanks International Airport (FAI)
Small hub564k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safety
Crime rates
Crime data not available
No police agency in the FBI's crime data covers Badger, so there's no local crime rate to show.
Natural DisastersHeavy Snow most common — 2 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
88.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Fairbanks North Star County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Fairbanks North Star Borough, which includes Badger, the most common type is heavy snow, with 2 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2024 | 2 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
78 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Fairbanks North Star Borough, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Fairbanks North Star Borough, which includes Badger, is typically good — 206 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
206
per year
Moderate Days
139
per year
Unhealthy Days
10
per year
Fairbanks North Star Borough, county-wide
Climate69°F summers, -14°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Badger has cool summers (avg high 69°F) and very cold winters (avg low -14°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
44°/18°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
69°/47°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
32°/14°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
3°/-14°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
13.5"
Annual Snowfall
53.1"
Hot Days/Year
0
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
244
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
104
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -2°F | -18°F | 0.63" |
| Feb | 11°F | -11°F | 0.46" |
| Mar | 25°F | -1°F | 0.43" |
| Apr | 46°F | 20°F | 0.37" |
| May | 62°F | 34°F | 0.79" |
| Jun | 70°F | 47°F | 1.81" |
| Jul | 71°F | 50°F | 2.55" |
| Aug | 65°F | 44°F | 2.59" |
| Sep | 53°F | 33°F | 1.60" |
| Oct | 33°F | 15°F | 0.97" |
| Nov | 9°F | -7°F | 0.76" |
| Dec | 1°F | -14°F | 0.56" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Badger
Uninsured
12.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Badger's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Bassett Ach (ft Wainwright)
Acute Care - Department of Defense · ER available · 7.6 mi away · Fort Wainwright
Fairbanks Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.9 mi away · Fairbanks
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Badger
Badger's student/teacher ratio is 17.4:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 23.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
2
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
23.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Badger (within 15 miles)
University of Alaska Fairbanks
12.7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 4,207 students · in-state tuition $8,956 · 38% graduate · median earnings $52,180 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Badger
Data not yet available
Cities Near Badger
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Badger?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Badger FAQ
Is Badger, Alaska affordable?⌄
Badger's median rent is $1,629/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $97,183/year. Median home value is $310,600.
What is the job market like in Badger, Alaska?⌄
Fairbanks North Star Borough, which includes Badger, has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Badger, Alaska?⌄
The cost of living in Badger is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,629/month and median household income is $97,183/year. The median home value is $310,600. About 23% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Badger, Alaska?⌄
The average commute in Badger is 23 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from