Neighborhood in Houston, Harris County

Living in Fairbanks, Houston

D

256th of 320areas in Houston
Overall score 17 of 100 vs Texas neighborhoods
Houston overall: D+

Fairbanks is a neighborhood in Houston, TX, home to about 4,800 people. It gets a D, in the bottom quarter of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 256th of 320 areas we score in Houston. It does best on schools and worst on health.

  • Lots of parks
  • Education levels scores low (13 of 100)
  • Health scores low (11 of 100)

Closest everyday places

Grocery store0.4 mi
Pharmacy1.4 mi
Park0.7 mi
Cafe0.4 mi
Restaurant0.3 mi
Gym0.7 mi
Hospital or urgent care0.8 mi
Childcare0.7 mi
Library1.2 mi

Straight-line distance from the middle of where people live. Overture Maps.

Population
4,820
Median rent
$1,400
Median home value
$264,000
Household income
$70,500
Average commute
32 min
Homes owned
52%
Loading map

What it's like to live in Fairbanks

Fairbanks is a neighborhood in Houston with about 4,800 residents, homes built around 1997, a mix of owners and renters and 40% of households with children.

Our grade for Fairbanks is D. That puts it 256th of 320 areas we grade in Houston, a city that gets a D+ overall.

Pros of living in Fairbanks

  • Groceries close by. The nearest grocery store is about 0.4 miles from the middle of the neighborhood.

Cons of living in Fairbanks

  • Longer commutes. The average commute is 32 minutes, against 27 for Houston as a whole.
  • Natural hazard risk. FEMA rates the risk of river flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes as very high in this part of town.

Fairbanks report card

Each grade compares Fairbanks with every neighborhood in Texas. Safety is not graded for single neighborhoods because police report crime for the whole city.

  • Cost of living: grade C

    Median rent $1,400, homes cost 3.7x income.

    41 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Jobs and income: grade C

    Median household income $70,500, 2.1% unemployed.

    41 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Schools: grade C

    Nearby schools average 80 of 100 on the state rating.

    47 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Safety: no grade

    Citywide, 884 violent crimes per 100k, 3,828 property crimes per 100k.

    No score vs TX areas

  • Errands and things to do: grade C

    Most everyday stores and services within a mile of homes.

    42 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Getting around: grade C-

    Average commute 32 min, 9.8% work from home.

    36 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Education levels: grade D-

    20% have a bachelor’s degree.

    13 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Health: grade D-

    33% of adults uninsured.

    11 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Home ownership: grade D

    52% of homes owner-occupied.

    20 of 100 vs TX areas

  • Internet access: grade C

    92% of homes have broadband.

    46 of 100 vs TX areas

Fairbanks compared with Houston

Better than Houston

  • Homes owned by the people living in them: 52%10 points higher than Houston (42%)
  • Home value to income: 3.7x13% lower than Houston (4.3x)
  • People below the poverty line: 15%5 points lower than Houston (20%)

Worse than Houston

  • Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher: 20%17 points lower than Houston (37%)
  • Adults 18 to 64 without health insurance: 33%9 points higher than Houston (24%)
  • Average commute: 32 min18% higher than Houston (27 min)

Closest public schools

Texas Education Agency 2025 ratings. Check the attendance zone for any address with the district.

  • BBane ElementaryElementary, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD0.7 mi
  • CDean MiddleMiddle, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD0.5 mi
  • BJersey Village High SchoolHigh, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD1.9 mi

Cost of living in Fairbanks

Median rent in Fairbanks is $1,400 a month, about the same as the Houston median. A household would need about $56,000 a year to keep that rent at 30% of income.

The median home is worth $264,000, 5% lower than the Houston median, which means a monthly payment of about $1,758 with property tax at today's mortgage rates.

MeasureHereHoustonTexas
Median rentAbout the same as Houston$1,400$1,361$1,403
Median home value5% lower than Houston$264,000$277,800$283,800
Home value to income13% lower than Houston3.7x4.3x3.6x
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent4 points higher than Houston58%54%52%
Homes owned by the people living in them10 points higher than Houston52%42%63%
Vacant homesAbout the same as Houston11%11%9.4%
Median year homes were builtAbout the same as Houston199719821992

Monthly cost to buy a median home

$1,758
Mortgage payment
$1,445
Property tax
$313
Median rent, for comparison
$1,400

Based on a $264,000 home in Fairbanks, 20% down and a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac average, week of 2026-10-01). Property tax is the median for the surrounding Census tract, or the county where that is not published. Insurance and fees are not included.

Work, income and getting around

MeasureHereHoustonTexas
Median household income9% higher than Houston$70,500$64,813$78,476
Unemployment rate5 points lower than Houston2.1%7.0%5.3%
People below the poverty line5 points lower than Houston15%20%14%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher17 points lower than Houston20%37%34%
Average commute18% higher than Houston32 min27 min27 min
Workers who work from home3 points lower than Houston9.8%13%14%
Workers who walk, bike or take transit2 points lower than Houston4.0%5.7%2.6%
Homes with broadband internet2 points higher than Houston92%90%91%

Natural hazard risk

FEMA National Risk Index for the Census tracts in this area.

  • River floodingVery high
  • Coastal floodingVery low
  • HurricanesVery high
  • TornadoesVery high
  • HailModerate
  • Heat wavesHigh
  • WildfiresModerate
  • Winter stormsLow
  • Strong windModerate

Who lives in Fairbanks

Under 1826%
18 to 3421%
35 to 6445%
65 and over7.6%
Race and ethnicity
White12%
Hispanic or Latino63%
Black18%
Asian5.3%
Other or more than one race2.0%

Shown for information only. It is never part of any grade.

Other neighborhoods in Houston

  1. 1A+Washington Avenue Coalition / Memorial ParkMedian rent $3,230
  2. 2A+Boulevard OaksMedian rent $1,940
  3. 3A+BraeswoodMedian rent $1,360
  4. 4A+Washington Avenue CorridorMedian rent $2,080
  5. 5A+Mandell PlaceMedian rent $1,210
  6. 6A+Westwood GroveMedian rent $2,100
  7. 7A+Kings Point
  8. 8A+Palisades ParkMedian rent $3,020

Similar neighborhoods in other cities

Areas elsewhere in Texas with the closest mix of grades.

  1. D-Central Haltom CityHaltom City
  2. DNorthwest MesquiteMesquite
  3. D-Central EnnisEnnis

Questions about Fairbanks

Is Fairbanks a good place to live?

Fairbanks is a neighborhood in Houston, TX, home to about 4,800 people. It gets a D, in the bottom quarter of Texas neighborhoods, and ranks 256th of 320 areas we score in Houston. It does best on schools and worst on health.

How much does it cost to live in Fairbanks?

Renters in Fairbanks pay a median of $1,400 a month, about the same as the Houston median. The median home is worth $264,000, 5% lower than the Houston median. A median home costs 3.7x the median household income, compared with 4.3x across Houston.

What schools serve Fairbanks?

The closest rated public schools are Bane Elementary (elementary, rated B), Dean Middle (middle, rated C) and Jersey Village High School (high, rated B). School zones can differ from the closest school, so check with the district.

This area is built from 3 Census block groups closest to the Fairbanks name on the map, so its edges are approximate. Sources: US Census Bureau 2020-2024 ACS 5-year, CDC PLACES 2025, Texas Education Agency, FEMA National Risk Index, Overture Maps. How we grade.