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Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska
A shallow water table limits basements on 56% of Fairbanks North Star Borough's mapped land, a higher share than 71% of US counties and the 7th highest of 22 Alaska counties. Shrink-swell clay limits houses without basements on 0%.
The soil survey maps 51% of the county's land area; these shares describe the mapped part. None of the county is in drought on the November 3, 2026 Drought Monitor map. FEMA's flood data list 31 flood losses here since 2016. 38% of homes were built before 1980, against 50% nationally; the median home dates from 1985.
Data as of November 3, 2026 · sources
expansive clay: shrink-swell limits slab homes
high water table: limits basements
in drought, November 3, 2026
of homes built before 1980
Soil under Fairbanks North Star Borough
| Expansive clay (limits slab homes) | 0.0% |
| High water table (limits basements) | 55.5% |
| Septic fields very limited | 93.0% |
| Clay swell (LEP, by area) | 1.5% |
| High-swell land (LEP 6%+) | 0.0% |
| Mapped soil | 2,397,775 acres |
| Soil series | Share here | Series nationally: high water table |
|---|---|---|
| Gilmore | 14% | n/a |
| Steese | 6% | n/a |
| Ester | 4% | n/a |
| Goldstream | 4% | n/a |
| Chatanika | 4% | n/a |
| Saulich | 3% | n/a |
How we count · survey areas AK610 (2025-08-29), AK642 (2025-08-29), AK650 (2025-08-29), AK655 (2025-09-02)
What the numbers mean here
On 56% of Fairbanks North Star Borough's mapped land, soil stays saturated within about 6 feet of the surface for part of the year, which is basement depth.
Rain over the 12 months to August 2026: 18.97 in, 2.12 in above the 1991-2020 average year of 16.85 in.
USDA rates 93% of the land very limited for septic absorption fields.
Drought
0% of the county is in drought (D1 or worse) on the November 3, 2026 map. Part of the county was in drought in 3 of the last 52 weeks; the most was 25.7% of its area, in 2 weeks, most recently on the August 18, 2026 map.
| Category, November 3, 2026 | Share of county |
|---|---|
| D0 abnormally dry or worse | 0% |
| D1 moderate drought or worse | 0% |
| D2 severe or worse | 0% |
| D3 extreme or worse | 0% |
| D4 exceptional | 0% |
Flood losses since 2016
31 flood losses since 2016, $509,856 paid. The worst year was 2020, with 12.
| Year | Flood losses |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 4 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 to date | 0 |
Rain
| Average year, 1991-2020 | 16.85 in |
| 12 months to August 2026 | 18.97 in (+2.12) |
| 2025 | 19.23 in (+2.38) |
| Wettest year since 1925 | 1967: 24.45 in |
| Driest year since 1925 | 1969: 11.05 in |
| Days with 1 inch or more, normal at N POLE (25 mi away) | 0.6 |
Homes
| Housing units | 42,680 |
| Median year built | 1985 |
| Built before 1980 | 38% |
| Built 2000 or later | 24% |
| Owner-occupied | 62% |
| Median value, owner-occupied | $298,200 |
| Single-family detached | 60% |
What repairs cost
Published ranges from cost guides, not quotes. More sources, and where they disagree.
Nearby counties
| Place | Distance | Expansive clay | High water table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK | 113 mi | 0% | 62% |
| Denali Borough, AK | 126 mi | n/a | n/a |
| Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK | 160 mi | 0% | 62% |
| Matanuska-Susitna Borough, AK | 190 mi | n/a | n/a |
| Copper River Census Area, AK | 199 mi | 3% | 37% |
| Anchorage Municipality, AK | 257 mi | 0% | 28% |
| Chugach Census Area, AK | 289 mi | 0% | 29% |
| Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK | 350 mi | 0% | 39% |
Sources: USDA SSURGO (September 2, 2025) · US Drought Monitor (November 3, 2026) · FEMA NFIP v3 (September 9, 2026) · NOAA (August 2026) · Census ACS 2020-2024. Methods · Data status