Sophie Plaza Apartments
1721 University Ave S,
Fairbanks, AK 99709
$1,306 - $1,603 | 1-2 Beds
Less than 120 miles from the Arctic Circle, Fairbanks offers the unique balance of city living on the edge of Alaska’s vast wilderness. While the great outdoors are all around, the urban core doesn’t look terribly different from any other small American city, with a collective of storefronts and mid-rise buildings downtown surrounded by charming homes and apartment communities. The city is home to thousands of students enrolled at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (whose campus can be found on the west end of town), as well as armed service personnel and civilian military employees working at nearby Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base. Being so far north, Fairbanks residents do have to contend with natural factors that are unique among American cities, mainly the extremely cold winters and the irregular daylight hours throughout the year (They don’t call it “the land of the midnight sun” for nothing), but most locals accept this tradeoff in exchange for the truly breathtaking natural surroundings.
The spectacular Northern Lights over Fairbanks
A dazzling sunset over the Tanana River
Fairbanks residents enjoy a rugged mountain landscape
The elevated hiking trail through Creamer's Field boreal forest
As of March 2025, the average apartment rent in Fairbanks, AK is $785 for a studio, $1,277 for one bedroom, $1,560 for two bedrooms, and $2,046 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Fairbanks has increased by 2.1% in the past year.
The cost of living in Fairbanks, AK is 23.3% higher than the national average. Generally, housing in Fairbanks is 0.5% more expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $785 - $2,046. You can expect to pay 25.8% more for groceries, 108.2% more for utilities, and 9.8% more for transportation.
Car-Dependent
out of 100 WalkScore® Rating
This area is considered a car-dependent area and most errands will require a car.
Minimal Transit
out of 100 TransitScore® Rating
You'll likely want a car when living in this area since it has few transit options.
Bikeable
out of 100 BikeScore® Rating
While there’s some bike infrastructure in this area, you’ll still need a car for many errands.
Public
Grades PK-5
467 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
467 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
411 Students
Public
Grades PK-5
341 Students
Public
Grades PK-8
437 Students
Public
Grades PK-8
437 Students
Public
Grades PK-8
307 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
545 Students
Public
Grades PK-8
426 Students
Public
Grades 6-8
407 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
906 Students
Public
Grades 9-12
886 Students
† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2025.