Cost of living in Ester, Alaska
Simple answer
Typical rent is $1,208 a month.
Ester is a Census community, not a separate city government in Alaska. That rent number includes utilities. A typical household earns $53,272 a year.
- People
- 2,752
- Census average, 2020–2024
- Typical rent
- $1,208
- Median gross rent, includes utilities
- Typical pay
- $53,272
- Median household income, yearly
- Typical home
- $255,400
- Median home value
- 2-bedroom fair rent
- $1,553
- Fairbanks-College, AK MSA
Ester, Alaska has about 2,752 people. That count is a 2020–2024 Census average, not a headcount from one day.
A typical home is worth about $255,400.
HUD's fair-market rent for a 2-bedroom in Fairbanks North Star Borough is $1,553 a month. That is the county number, not an apartment listing in Ester. It runs from October 2026 through September 2027.
In the Fairbanks-College, AK metro area, prices sit at 103.2 when the U.S. average is 100. That is a 2024 BEA index.
Alaska does not tax wages. A typical combined sales tax is 1.8% as of January 1, 2026. That mix is statewide, not Ester's exact store tax.
In July 2026, a typical Alaska home paid 28.83¢ per kilowatt-hour. That is a state average from EIA, not Ester's bill.
EIA did not publish a 2025 all-grades gas price for Alaska in the table we use.
Among 63 places we list in Alaska with a rent figure, 37 have higher typical rent than Ester.
Nearby places
- Goldstream
Typical rent $847
Compare with Ester - Chena Ridge
Typical rent $1,110
Compare with Ester - College
Typical rent $1,454
Compare with Ester - Farmers Loop
Typical rent $1,406
Compare with Ester - Fairbanks
Typical rent $1,496
Compare with Ester - Steele Creek
Typical rent $1,223
Compare with Ester - Badger
Typical rent $1,629
Compare with Ester - North Pole
Typical rent $1,304
EBT nearby
USDA has a live map of stores that take SNAP. We did not copy that store list here. The downloadable file is a history file for 2005 through 2025, so the live map is the one to use.
Locator page updated 2026-09-11. Last checked 2026-10-16.
Food stamps (SNAP) tools in Alaska
Bigger places in Alaska
Census 2020-2024. HUD rents for October 2026–September 2027. BEA prices for 2024. Taxes as of January 1, 2026. Checked 2026-10-16. 15,000 places are in this guide.