Where to live

Where to live near Clear SFS

9 towns within about an hour of the main post area: drive time, rent, home values and the school district for each.

Town centers and the main post area. Dot size is population.

Quick answers

ClosestChena Ridge92 min drive
Biggest nearbyFairbanks32,083 people
Lowest median rentGoldstream$847 a month
Most E-5 BAH left overChena Ridge$1,723 over a 2-bedroom
9 towns, closest first

Towns around Clear SFS

The green or red number is an E-5 with dependents' 2026 BAH ($2,874) minus that town's median 2-bedroom rent. Check your own pay grade.

Chena Ridge, AK

92 min drive · 69.3 road mi
Median rent
$1,110
2 bedrooms
$1,151
3 bedrooms
-
Home value
$395,500
People
5,881
Homes rented
24%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,723 a month

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District: 34 schools, 12,541 students, 19.1 students per teacher. District facts

College, AK

96 min drive · 75.5 road mi
Median rent
$1,454
2 bedrooms
$1,512
3 bedrooms
$2,512
Home value
$297,500
People
11,924
Homes rented
39%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,362 a month

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District: 34 schools, 12,541 students, 19.1 students per teacher. District facts

Fairbanks, AK

103 min drive · 80.4 road mi
Median rent
$1,496
2 bedrooms
$1,465
3 bedrooms
$2,043
Home value
$268,400
People
32,083
Homes rented
60%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,409 a month

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District: 34 schools, 12,541 students, 19.1 students per teacher. District facts

Ester, AK

104 min drive · 73.8 road mi
Median rent
$1,208
2 bedrooms
-
3 bedrooms
-
Home value
$255,400
People
2,752
Homes rented
44%

E-5 BAH left over after the median rent: +$1,666 a month

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District: 34 schools, 12,541 students, 19.1 students per teacher. District facts

Farmers Loop, AK

107 min drive · 80.9 road mi
Median rent
$1,406
2 bedrooms
-
3 bedrooms
-
Home value
$279,800
People
4,954
Homes rented
18%

E-5 BAH left over after the median rent: +$1,468 a month

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District: 34 schools, 12,541 students, 19.1 students per teacher. District facts

Goldstream, AK

116 min drive · 81.3 road mi
Median rent
$847
2 bedrooms
-
3 bedrooms
-
Home value
$289,600
People
3,294
Homes rented
18%

E-5 BAH left over after the median rent: +$2,027 a month

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District: 34 schools, 12,541 students, 19.1 students per teacher. District facts

Badger, AK

117 min drive · 90 road mi
Median rent
$1,629
2 bedrooms
$1,566
3 bedrooms
$2,081
Home value
$310,600
People
18,677
Homes rented
19%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,308 a month

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District: 34 schools, 12,541 students, 19.1 students per teacher. District facts

North Pole, AK

118 min drive · 91.4 road mi
Median rent
$1,304
2 bedrooms
$1,415
3 bedrooms
$1,750
Home value
$289,400
People
2,370
Homes rented
44%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,459 a month

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District: 34 schools, 12,541 students, 19.1 students per teacher. District facts

Steele Creek, AK

120 min drive · 89.5 road mi
Median rent
$1,223
2 bedrooms
$1,776
3 bedrooms
-
Home value
$348,400
People
5,928
Homes rented
10%

E-5 BAH left over after the median 2-bedroom rent: +$1,098 a month

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District: 34 schools, 12,541 students, 19.1 students per teacher. District facts

Where these numbers come from

  • Towns: every town, city and census place of 1,000 or more people within about an hour's drive, from the U.S. Census Bureau.
  • Drive time: from each town's center to the main post area on OpenStreetMap roads, without traffic, so rush hour runs longer.
  • Rent, home value, renters: Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 medians. They include long-time renters and utilities, so new leases usually cost more. Use them to compare towns, and the HUD rent on the BAH page for today's level.
  • Schools: the public district that covers each town's center, with size from the NCES Common Core of Data (2023-24). Confirm the school for a specific address with the district.

Updated October 12, 2026. How we get our numbers.

Clear SFS base guide   Clear SFS BAH   Other bases

FAQ

Living near Clear SFS

What is the closest town to Clear Space Force Station?

Chena Ridge, AK is about 92 minutes from the main post area (69.3 road miles) without traffic.

What is the biggest town near Clear Space Force Station?

Fairbanks, AK, with about 32,083 people, 103 minutes from the main post area. Bigger towns usually mean more rentals, schools and jobs to choose from.

Which town near Clear Space Force Station has the lowest rent?

Goldstream, AK, where the Census median rent is $847 a month (rent plus utilities, 2020-2024 average). New leases usually cost more than the median, so check current listings too.

Does BAH cover rent near Clear Space Force Station?

For an E-5 with dependents the 2026 DoD BAH is $2,874 a month. That is at or above the Census median 2-bedroom rent in 6 of the 6 towns here with a Census figure for that size, with the most left over in Chena Ridge, AK.

What school district serves Chena Ridge?

Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, with 34 schools and 12,541 students (19.1 students per teacher), from the NCES Common Core of Data. Always confirm the school for a specific address with the district.