Can A Police Officer Afford Rent in Fairbanks, AK?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 24.4% of gross income.
Fairbanks rent: July 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Alaska state estimate).
About rent and a police officer salary
The gap between a police officer's base pay and the rent in the city they patrol is a widely tracked local affordability question. Many large-city departments now publish recruitment materials that include a local-rent comparison, because affordability has become a recruiting issue. At the national-average officer base pay, the 30% rule supports about $1,932 a month in rent. The per-city pages combine local rent with local officer-pay estimates to show where rent stays within that range.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Alaska cities have lower median rent than Fairbanks, which improves the affordability math on a police officer salary:
Compare with full rent data for Fairbanks
View full rent data for Fairbanks, AK →Frequently asked questions
Can a police officer afford rent in Fairbanks, AK?
Median rent in Fairbanks is $1,762 a month. A typical police officer in Alaska earns about $86,542 a year, which makes that rent 24.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a police officer afford in Fairbanks?
Using the 30% rule, a police officer salary in Alaska (~$86,542/yr) supports up to $2,164 a month in rent. Fairbanks's current median rent is $1,762/mo, which leaves a $402/mo buffer.
How many hours does a police officer work to cover rent in Fairbanks?
At an hourly equivalent of about $42 an hour, a police officer in Alaska works roughly 42.3 hours a month to cover Fairbanks's median rent of $1,762.
Where is rent cheaper than Fairbanks for a police officer?
Nearby Alaska cities with lower median rent include Wasilla ($1,760/mo), Wasilla ($1,730/mo), Anchorage ($1,730/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a police officer salary.