Moving to Fort Wainwright
Housing, neighborhoods, schools, and 2026 BAH for families PCSing to Fairbanks, Alaska.
Fort Wainwright, in Fairbanks, is home to Arctic-focused units of the 11th Airborne Division in the interior of Alaska. Families PCSing here live on post or in Fairbanks and North Pole, drawn by no state income tax and an annual Permanent Fund Dividend, but facing extreme cold, long dark winters, and a high cost of goods.
Last updated: 2026-07-19
On-base vs off-base housing
On-base housing is heavily used given the extreme winters and limited local inventory. Off-base, Fairbanks is the main option with a range of neighborhoods, North Pole (a real town southeast of the city) offers a small-town feel, and the Badger Road area sits between them. Prices are moderate, but heating costs and the price of goods are high in interior Alaska.
Where military families live near Fort Wainwright
Families PCSing to Fort Wainwright most often settle in Fairbanks, North Pole, Badger Road area. The table below shows typical rents, home prices, and drive time to the gate for each.
| Area | 3-bed rent | Home prices | To gate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks | $1,400-$2,000 | $280k-$390k | 10-20 min | Main city with the most housing and amenities near post. |
| North Pole | $1,350-$1,900 | $270k-$380k | 15-25 min | Small town southeast of Fairbanks with a family feel. |
| Badger Road area | $1,400-$2,000 | $290k-$400k | 15-25 min | Between Fairbanks and North Pole with larger lots. |
2026 BAH near Fort Wainwright
Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) at Fort Wainwright is set by the AK405 (Fairbanks, AK) military housing area. Rates below are monthly, by pay grade, for 2026.
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-5 | $2,436 | $1,827 |
| E-7 | $2,610 | $1,989 |
| O-3 | $2,937 | $2,301 |
Source: DoD/DTMO 2026 BAH rate table (travel.dod.mil), effective January 1, 2026.
Schools near Fort Wainwright
| School | Level | District | Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Pole High School | High | Fairbanks North Star Borough | North Pole |
| Lathrop High School | High | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Fairbanks |
| Ladd Elementary | Elementary | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Fort Wainwright |
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How cold does it get at Fort Wainwright?
Extremely cold. Fairbanks sits in interior Alaska, where winter temperatures routinely drop far below zero for weeks and daylight is very limited around the solstice. Vehicles need engine block heaters, and families should plan for high heating costs and a serious cold-weather lifestyle for much of the year.
What are the perks of being stationed at Fort Wainwright?
Beyond the adventure of interior Alaska, there are financial upsides: Alaska has no state income tax and pays residents an annual Permanent Fund Dividend. The outdoor access is world-class in summer. Many families live on post to simplify the harsh winters, while others choose Fairbanks or North Pole for more space.
Related bases
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
Anchorage, Alaska
Air ForceMinot Air Force Base
Minot, North Dakota
Side-by-side comparisons: Fort Wainwright vs Joint Base Elmendorf-RichardsonFort Wainwright vs Minot Air Force Base
More: Army bases · Bases in Alaska