Living Cost Compare
Fairbanks

Alaska

$1,350/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,250/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 $1,250 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Wilmington, DE is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fairbanks, AK, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $72,077 in Fairbanks, AK and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 23% higher in Fairbanks, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Fairbanks, AK
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$883
$1,103
+25% in Wilmington, DE
1 Bedroom
$1,076
$1,024
+5% in Fairbanks, AK
2 Bedroom
$1,428
$1,213
+15% in Fairbanks, AK
3 Bedroom
$2,019
$1,394
+31% in Fairbanks, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$255,700
$224,500
+12% in Fairbanks, AK

Income

Median Household Income
$72,077
$55,269
+23% in Fairbanks, AK
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$61,810
$54,310
+12% in Fairbanks, AK

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
28.6 yr
37.0 yr
+8.4 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
40.5%
46.0%
+5.5 pp in Wilmington, DE
Bachelor's+ (25+)
26.5%
33.1%
+6.6 pp in Wilmington, DE
Avg Commute
14.1 min
23.0 min
+8.9 min in Wilmington, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
726.1
1,138.2
+57% in Wilmington, DE
Property Crime
3,504.2
3,182.4
+9% 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
54.9°F
+27.2°F in Wilmington, DE
Annual Precipitation
10.8 in
43.1 in
+32.3 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.21/gal
$3.94/gal
+24% in Fairbanks, AK

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
28.2
19.3
+32% in Fairbanks, AK
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.35
$29.73
+71% in Wilmington, DE

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Fairbanks, AK
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Fairbanks, AK
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Wilmington, DE
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Fairbanks, AK
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Fairbanks, AK
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Fairbanks, AK

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / DE)
None
None
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
None
6.60%
+6.6 pp in DE

Fairbanks vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fairbanks or Wilmington?
Wilmington, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,250 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Fairbanks, AK's $1,350, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fairbanks than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Fairbanks versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or Wilmington?
Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no 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).