Borough Facts, History & Seal

Fairbanks North Star Borough Facts - By the Numbers

What is a "Borough?" In Alaska, the word "borough" is used instead of "county." Similar to counties, boroughs are administrative divisions of the state. The FNSB includes the City of Fairbanks and the City of North Pole. (Each city has its own elected Mayor and elected Council Members)

Borough History

Fairbanks was founded in 1903, long before Alaska was purchased from Russia. Statehood happened in 1959 and the Fairbanks North Star Borough was incorporated on January 1st, 1964. 

In 1963, the Alaska State Legislature passed the Mandatory Borough Act. By doing this, the Legislature fulfilled a constitutional provision that called for the division of the state into "boroughs". The word "borough" was used instead of "county".  The terms are similar and in Alaska, refers to the administrative divisions of the state.

Facts & Figures

• Form of Government: Second Class Borough
• Airports: Fairbanks International Airport FAI, 6 miles west of downtown Fairbanks
• Air Quality is extremely important here in the Tanana Valley.
• Alaska became a state on January 3, 1959; FNSB was incorporated on January 1, 1964.
• Area covered: 7,361 square miles or 19,065 square kilometers
• The assessed valuation of the borough: $10,293,697,692 as of 6/1/2020, includes City of Fairbanks & City of North Pole
• Average snowfall - inches per year
• Record Temperature - hottest - degrees / coldest - degrees
• FNSB Bus Lines:
  • MACS Transit, System map, and schedules
  • Van Tran - Van Tran paratransit service is the FNSB’s demand response ADA service
• Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce
• Churches: 82 Christian churches from Nenana, AK to Delta Junction, AK and 91+ faith communities
• Borough Budget: General Fund operating expenditures $ million, capital improvements $ million - Fiscal Year 2020-21
• COVID-19 Information: 
  • U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
  • State of Alaska COVID-19 
  • Testing Sites Locator
• FNSB's Community Research Quarterly: a social economic review
• Golden Valley Electric Association
• Elevation: 446' above sea level
• Employment: Workplace Alaska
• Hospitals/Public Health:
  • Foundation Health Partners - Fairbanks Memorial Hospital
  • Bassett Army Community Hospital/VA
  • Fairbanks Regional Public Health
  • Interior Neighborhood Health Center
• Indian Health Services: Tanana Chiefs Conference/Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center
• Libraries: 
  • Noel Wien Library and North Pole Branch Library
  • John Trigg Ester Library
  • University of Alaska Fairbanks - Elmer E. Rasmusen Library
• Military Bases:
  • Eielson Air Force Base - 354th Fighter Wing and 168th Air Refueling Wing
  • Fort Wainwright Army Post - U.S. Army Alaska
• Newspapers:
  • Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
  • University of Alaska Fairbanks - Polaris News
• Parks: 23
• Places to Stay: bed and breakfasts, hotels, motels, lodges, cabins, RV parks, vacation rentals
• Pools: Hamme, Westcott, Mary Siah
• Police and Fire Departments: 
  • Alaska State Troopers Fairbanks – “D” Detachment
  • Fairbanks Police Department
  • North Pole Police Department
  • Fairbanks International Airport Police & Fire
• Population estimate - 98,971
• Recycling: FNSB's Central Recycling Facility
• Schools: Fairbanks North Star Borough School District