Signature · 38.7% low-access (86th pct)
Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK
Fairbanks North Star Borough sits in the upper national band on low-access (38.7%, +16.6 pts vs U.S.), with SNAP/vehicle context from ACS 2024.
- 38.7%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 6.8%
- on SNAP
- 95K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK
LA-ELEVATED · ABOVE-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-MIXED
- LA-ELEVATED 38.7% low-access
- ABOVE-NATIONAL +16.6 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 6.8% SNAP
- VEH-OK 4.6% no vehicle
- DENSITY-MIXED 11% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Aleutians East Borough (+ 0.3 pts)
Upper-band low-access
Fairbanks North Star Borough sits in the upper national band (38.7%, #452 of 3,079) with 2 LILA tracts.
- #452
- national by low-access %
- #11
- in AK
- 8
- low-access tracts
- 8K
- food-desert residents
Upper-band counties often pair elevated low-access with clustered LILA tracts. Low access = >1 mile urban / >10 miles rural.
Signature read: 38.7% low-access (86th pct) (+16.6 pts vs U.S. low-access).
How Fairbanks North Star Borough compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Fairbanks North Star Borough's 38.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 86% of them and ranked #454 most-affected nationwide.
Fairbanks North Star Borough's elevated USDA tier split
19 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Fairbanks North Star Borough has 13 urban and 6 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Fairbanks North Star Borough vs nearby high low-access peers
Poles + nearest peers in Alaska, not a full county-board reprint
- Lake and Peni…
Lake and Peni… 100%
100 % low-access
- Kodiak Island
Kodiak Island 42.7%
42.7 % low-access
- Aleutians East 39
Aleutians East 39%
39 % low-access
- Fairbanks Nor… 38.7
Fairbanks Nor… 38.7%
38.7 % low-access
- North Slope 37.9
North Slope 37.9%
37.9 % low-access
- Sitka City and 34.5
Sitka City and 34.5%
34.5 % low-access
- Kusilvak 0
Kusilvak 0%
0 % low-access
FARA 2019 · elevated low-access
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 19 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 97,581 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 8 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 37,788 |
| Low-Access Share | 38.7%well above the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 7,544 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 95,460 |
| Median Household Income | $88,267 |
| Poverty Rate | 6.1%well below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 2,467 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 6.8%well below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 4.6%well below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.3% |
Other Counties in Alaska
One of 29 counties in Alaska, 6 are shown here.
Compare Fairbanks North Star Borough vs Aleutians East Borough → · All Alaska counties →
Counties near Fairbanks North Star Borough's elevated low-access or SNAP band
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Fairbanks North Star Borough, both outside Alaska so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside AK (38.7% here).
- Bonneville County, ID · 38.7% low-access
- Bonneville County, ID · 38.7% low-access
- Chisago County, MN · 38.7% low-access
- Chisago County, MN · 38.7% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside AK (6.8% here).
- Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, CT · 6.8% SNAP
- Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, CT · 6.8% SNAP
- Gem County, ID · 6.8% SNAP
- Gem County, ID · 6.8% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Fairbanks North Star Borough inside a higher low-access state context
Fairbanks North Star Borough sits inside Alaska (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 02090. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Note: This page presents public USDA and Census data for informational purposes and is not professional advice. Figures reflect the cited dataset vintages and may differ from the most recent local conditions. How this data is sourced & verified.