Fairbanks, AK vs Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY is 6.0% more expensive than Fairbanks, AK (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Fairbanks works out to about $79,500 in Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 25.1% more in Poughkeepsie-Newburgh. Goods are 2.7% higher and other services 3.1% higher.
- Typical asking rent is $2,259 a month in Poughkeepsie-Newburgh and $1,839 in Fairbanks, $5,040 a year more in Poughkeepsie-Newburgh (Zillow, September 2026).
- The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Poughkeepsie-Newburgh was 8.5% more expensive than Fairbanks.
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Housing drives the gap: 25.1% higher in Poughkeepsie-Newburgh than in Fairbanks
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Fairbanks, AK
- Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Fairbanks, AK | Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.2 | 109.4 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 110.3 |
| Housing (rents) | 92.6 | 115.8 |
| Utilities | 119.8 | 136.8 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 106.5 |
| Category | Fairbanks | Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | Poughkeepsie-Newburgh vs Fairbanks |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.2 | 109.4 | +6.0% |
| Goods | 107.3 | 110.3 | +2.7% |
| Housing (rents) | 92.6 | 115.8 | +25.1% |
| Utilities | 119.8 | 136.8 | +14.2% |
| Other services | 103.3 | 106.5 | +3.1% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,839 | $2,259 | +22.8% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Fairbanks | $75,000 | $79,500 | +6.0% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Fairbanks and Poughkeepsie-Newburgh has been fairly stable since 2008
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Fairbanks, AK
- Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Fairbanks, AK | Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 104.7 | – |
| 2009 | 102.7 | – |
| 2010 | 102.2 | – |
| 2011 | 102.7 | – |
| 2012 | 97.9 | – |
| 2013 | 97.7 | – |
| 2014 | 101.3 | – |
| 2015 | 100.6 | – |
| 2016 | 100.4 | 109.8 |
| 2017 | 103.8 | 109.5 |
| 2018 | 104.6 | 110.7 |
| 2019 | 103.1 | 111.9 |
| 2020 | 99.4 | 109.7 |
| 2021 | 104.6 | 110.2 |
| 2022 | 98.7 | 109.9 |
| 2023 | 101.2 | 109.7 |
| 2024 | 103.2 | 109.4 |
Goods
- Fairbanks, AK
- Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Fairbanks, AK | Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 103.3 | – |
| 2009 | 100.8 | – |
| 2010 | 99.7 | – |
| 2011 | 99.2 | – |
| 2012 | 96.2 | – |
| 2013 | 95.1 | – |
| 2014 | 96.6 | – |
| 2015 | 102.8 | – |
| 2016 | 104.2 | 109.0 |
| 2017 | 103.7 | 109.2 |
| 2018 | 103.3 | 109.4 |
| 2019 | 98.9 | 108.2 |
| 2020 | 99.7 | 108.5 |
| 2021 | 109.1 | 104.3 |
| 2022 | 104.2 | 107.6 |
| 2023 | 104.5 | 108.2 |
| 2024 | 107.3 | 110.3 |
Housing (rents)
- Fairbanks, AK
- Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Fairbanks, AK | Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 120.5 | – |
| 2009 | 118.6 | – |
| 2010 | 122.7 | – |
| 2011 | 120.8 | – |
| 2012 | 103.3 | – |
| 2013 | 93.5 | – |
| 2014 | 118.2 | – |
| 2015 | 96.7 | – |
| 2016 | 98.4 | 124.9 |
| 2017 | 112.7 | 123.8 |
| 2018 | 102.1 | 119.3 |
| 2019 | 100.8 | 127.0 |
| 2020 | 75.9 | 112.6 |
| 2021 | 96.7 | 117.0 |
| 2022 | 79.6 | 121.2 |
| 2023 | 79.7 | 119.0 |
| 2024 | 92.6 | 115.8 |
Utilities
- Fairbanks, AK
- Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Fairbanks, AK | Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 97.9 | – |
| 2009 | 100.5 | – |
| 2010 | 111.2 | – |
| 2011 | 117.7 | – |
| 2012 | 116.1 | – |
| 2013 | 115.7 | – |
| 2014 | 120.6 | – |
| 2015 | 122.6 | – |
| 2016 | 130.7 | 132.8 |
| 2017 | 132.0 | 136.6 |
| 2018 | 137.0 | 137.2 |
| 2019 | 138.4 | 134.3 |
| 2020 | 129.7 | 139.8 |
| 2021 | 119.0 | 139.1 |
| 2022 | 115.0 | 131.9 |
| 2023 | 120.6 | 136.8 |
| 2024 | 119.8 | 136.8 |
Other services
- Fairbanks, AK
- Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Fairbanks, AK | Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 102.5 | – |
| 2009 | 100.4 | – |
| 2010 | 98.6 | – |
| 2011 | 99.7 | – |
| 2012 | 96.9 | – |
| 2013 | 99.8 | – |
| 2014 | 99.8 | – |
| 2015 | 99.8 | – |
| 2016 | 98.2 | 105.9 |
| 2017 | 101.2 | 105.4 |
| 2018 | 105.0 | 108.3 |
| 2019 | 105.0 | 109.5 |
| 2020 | 105.6 | 108.5 |
| 2021 | 103.9 | 111.2 |
| 2022 | 100.8 | 107.3 |
| 2023 | 104.9 | 107.1 |
| 2024 | 103.3 | 106.5 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $2,259 in Poughkeepsie-Newburgh vs $1,839 in Fairbanks
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Fairbanks, AK
- Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Fairbanks, AK | Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | $1,163 | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | $1,178 | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | $1,210 | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | $1,209 | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | $1,225 | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | – | $1,237 | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | – | $1,246 | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | – | $1,228 | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | – | $1,273 | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | – | $1,309 | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | – | $1,301 | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | – | $1,307 | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | – | $1,350 | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | – | $1,352 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | – | $1,371 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | – | $1,386 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | – | $1,403 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | – | $1,425 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | – | $1,442 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | – | $1,448 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | – | $1,484 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | – | $1,522 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | – | $1,566 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | – | $1,634 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | – | $1,665 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | $1,449 | $1,721 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | $1,474 | $1,791 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | $1,482 | $1,814 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $1,494 | $1,887 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $1,599 | $1,923 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $1,590 | $1,934 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $1,563 | $1,939 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $1,649 | $1,976 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $1,640 | $2,026 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,652 | $2,011 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,639 | $2,050 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,668 | $2,073 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,698 | $2,100 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,724 | $2,131 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,699 | $2,124 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,736 | $2,174 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,763 | $2,168 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,756 | $2,180 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,752 | $2,170 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,782 | $2,223 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,859 | $2,255 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,839 | $2,259 | $1,932 |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.