Fairbanks, AK

Fairbanks is a frontier town along the Chena River and supports a huge land area. As a crossroads of major highways and the northern terminus of the Alaska Railroad, Fairbanks plays a significant role as a transportation center and commerce headquarters for most of the northern half of the state. Additionally, the area serves as a military, education and health center for the region; the University of Alaska-Fairbanks is a large employer. Mining, forest products, the Alaska Pipeline, and tourism drive the economy and recent job growth has been fairly healthy. Tourism the rest of the year is mostly concentrated around the winter season, centered upon the northern lights, ice carving and winter sports.