Living Cost Compare
Fairbanks

Alaska

$1,350/mo est.

vs
Henderson

Nevada

$1,580/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,350 in Fairbanks, AK versus $1,580 in Henderson, NV. Overall, Fairbanks, AK is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Henderson, NV, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,077 in Fairbanks, AK and $88,654 in Henderson, NV — about 19% higher in Henderson, NV. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax.

Fairbanks, AK
Henderson, NV

Rent

Studio
$883
$1,442
+63% in Henderson, NV
1 Bedroom
$1,076
$1,437
+34% in Henderson, NV
2 Bedroom
$1,428
$1,694
+19% in Henderson, NV
3 Bedroom
$2,019
$1,982
+2% in Fairbanks, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$255,700
$465,000
+82% in Henderson, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$72,077
$88,654
+23% in Henderson, NV
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$61,810
$46,670
+24% in Fairbanks, AK

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
28.6 yr
42.5 yr
+13.9 yr in Henderson, NV
Homeownership
40.5%
65.6%
+25.1 pp in Henderson, NV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
26.5%
36.8%
+10.3 pp in Henderson, NV
Avg Commute
14.1 min
24.7 min
+10.6 min in Henderson, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
726.1
271.8
+63% in Fairbanks, AK
Property Crime
3,504.2
1,725.7
+51% in Fairbanks, AK

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
27.7°F
69.4°F
+41.7°F in Henderson, NV
Annual Precipitation
10.8 in
4.2 in
+6.6 in in Fairbanks, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.21/gal
$5.21/gal
about equal

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
28.2
13.1
+54% in Fairbanks, AK
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.35
$13.83
+20% in Fairbanks, AK

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

Average prices — West vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / NV)
None
6.85%
+6.8 pp in NV
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Fairbanks vs Henderson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fairbanks or Henderson?
Fairbanks, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Henderson, NV's $1,580, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fairbanks than in Henderson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Fairbanks versus $57,000 in Henderson.
Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or Henderson?
Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Henderson under Nevada's (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).