--- title: >- PCS to Fort Wainwright: A 2027 Guide for Military Families in Fairbanks, Alaska slug: pcs-to-fort-wainwright-fairbanks-2026-guide description: >- Planning a PCS to Fort Wainwright in 2027? Get a plain-language guide to housing, BAH, schools, healthcare, and life in Fairbanks, Alaska. Start here. publishedAt: '2026-05-11T09:00:00.000Z' updatedAt: '2026-06-22T00:00:00.000Z' author: VeteranPCS categories: - PCS Help - US Military Bases canonical: 'https://www.veteranpcs.com/blog/pcs-to-fort-wainwright-fairbanks-2026-guide' componentSlug: us-military-bases stateSlug: alaska --- # PCS to Fort Wainwright: A 2027 Guide for Military Families in Fairbanks, Alaska If you have orders for a PCS to Fort Wainwright, you are heading to one of the most distinctive duty stations in the U.S. Army. PCS stands for Permanent Change of Station, the military term for an official move from one duty station to another. Fort Wainwright sits in Fairbanks, Alaska — in the heart of the state's interior — and it is home to the 11th Airborne Division, the "Arctic Angels." This 2027 guide covers the post's mission, where to live, how housing pay works, schools, healthcare, and what daily life looks like in one of the coldest and most spectacular places in the country. Alaska is not like any other PCS. The distance, the climate, and the logistics require real planning. Our goal is to make the Fort Wainwright part of that plan feel manageable before you arrive. For the big picture on military installations in the state, start with [what military bases are in Alaska](/blog/what-military-bases-are-in-alaska). ## What and Where Is Fort Wainwright? Fort Wainwright is a U.S. Army installation located just east of Fairbanks, Alaska, in the interior of the state. It is operated by the [U.S. Army Garrison Alaska](https://home.army.mil/wainwright/about), whose mission is to enable the readiness of Army forces in Alaska by integrating resources and delivering installation services that support Arctic Warriors, families, civilians, and the broader community. The post is home to the [11th Airborne Division](https://home.army.mil/wainwright/Tenant-Units/11th-airborne-division), reactivated June 6, 2022, with the 1st Brigade headquartered at Fort Wainwright. When the division stood up, the Army's Chief of Staff called its soldiers future masters of Arctic Warfare — trained not merely to operate in extreme cold and mountainous terrain, but to build and demonstrate mastery of it. Other units and tenants include the 1st Battalion, 52nd General Support Aviation Battalion; the 1-25th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion; and the Northern Warfare Training Center. ## Where to Live When PCSing to Fort Wainwright Most families live in on-post housing or settle in one of the communities surrounding Fairbanks. Your decision comes down to commute, schools, budget, and how much space you want. One PCS reality unique to Alaska: shipping a vehicle here requires advance planning. Whether you use the Alaska Marine Highway or a commercial carrier, build the cost and lead time into your budget early. ![Approximate drive times from communities near Fort Wainwright, Alaska, including Fairbanks, North Pole, Fox, and Salcha.](/images/blog/pcs-to-fort-wainwright-fairbanks-2026-guide/where-to-live.png) *Approximate one-way drive times to Fort Wainwright. Times vary with traffic and which gate you use.* ### Fairbanks Fairbanks is the largest city in interior Alaska, about 10 minutes from the post. It offers the widest selection of housing, shopping, restaurants, and services in the region. Most families new to Fort Wainwright start here, with options ranging from established neighborhoods to newer construction. ### North Pole North Pole is a small city southeast of Fairbanks, about 20 minutes from the post. It is popular with Fort Wainwright families for its community feel, newer single-family homes, and reasonable prices. The highway location keeps shopping within easy reach. ### Fox Fox is a small community north of Fairbanks along the Steese Highway, roughly 20 minutes from the post. It draws families who want a quieter, more rural setting with more land, while staying within a short drive of the city. ### Salcha Salcha sits about 30 minutes southeast of the post along the Richardson Highway. It is more spread out, with larger lots and lower entry costs for some properties. The trade-off is a longer commute and more distance from services. ## Fort Wainwright BAH and the Cost of Living If you live off post, the military helps cover your housing through BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing), a monthly, tax-free payment. The amount depends on your rank, whether you have dependents, and your duty station's Military Housing Area (MHA). Fort Wainwright falls within the Fairbanks, Alaska MHA. Because rates change each year and vary by rank and dependent status, we do not publish a rate table here. Use the official DoD calculator — [travel.dod.mil BAH Rate Lookup](https://www.travel.dod.mil/Allowances/Basic-Allowance-for-Housing/BAH-Rate-Lookup/) — to find your exact figure. Always confirm your rate before signing a lease or making an offer. For a sense of buying costs, the typical home value in Fairbanks was about $305,527 in May 2026, according to [Zillow](https://www.zillow.com/home-values/38465/fairbanks-ak/). That is a typical value, not a median sale price. As of the week of June 18, 2026, [Freddie Mac](https://www.freddiemac.com/pmms) reported the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 6.47 percent. Alaska also has a higher cost of living than most of the continental United States, particularly for groceries. Factor that into your monthly budget alongside housing. Read [what are the benefits of a VA loan](/blog/what-are-the-benefits-of-a-va-loan) if you plan to use your VA loan benefit — a home loan backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. ## Schools Near Fort Wainwright The schools your children attend depend on where you live. Most families off post are served by the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District (FNSBSD), which the [National Center for Education Statistics](https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/district_detail.asp?ID2=0200600) identifies as the primary public school district in the region. The FNSBSD operates a wide range of schools, including Lathrop High School and Tanana Middle School in Fairbanks proper, as well as Salcha Elementary for families farther out along the Richardson Highway. The district's website is [k12northstar.org](https://www.k12northstar.org/), where you can find school locators, calendars, and enrollment information. Attendance boundaries depend on your specific address. Confirm the assigned school for any home before you commit. If your child has special needs, contact the district's Exceptional Student Services office early in your PCS planning — Alaska's size means specialty services can require more lead time to arrange. ## Healthcare: Bassett Army Community Hospital On-post medical care at Fort Wainwright is centered at [Bassett Army Community Hospital](https://bassett-wainwright.tricare.mil/), located at 4076 Neely Road on the installation. Bassett ACH provides primary care through family medicine and internal medicine clinics, urgent and emergency care, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, mental health services, pharmacy, radiology, and a walk-in clinic. Your military health coverage runs through TRICARE, the health care program for service members and their families. Set up your TRICARE plan early in your PCS. Update your information in DEERS, choose or transfer your plan, and request any referrals before you arrive so there is no gap in care. You can review services and book appointments at the [Bassett ACH website](https://bassett-wainwright.tricare.mil/Getting-Care/Appointments-Referrals). ## Climate, Winter Prep, and Things to Do Fairbanks has a subarctic climate — one of the most extreme in any U.S. city. Winters are long and genuinely cold. According to the [National Weather Service Fairbanks office](https://www.weather.gov/afg/localclimate), temperatures regularly fall well below zero Fahrenheit from November through February. In January 2026, recorded lows reached minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the area. Summers are short but can be surprisingly warm, with highs occasionally reaching the 70s. Daylight swings dramatically. In late June, Fairbanks gets nearly 22 hours of daylight. In late December, fewer than four. Both extremes require adjustment — good blackout curtains and layered cold-weather clothing are necessities, not extras. Budget for proper cold-weather gear before you move: base layers, insulated boots rated to at least minus 40 degrees, and a vehicle block heater. Block heaters are standard in Fairbanks — vehicles often will not start in deep winter without one. Despite the winters, the area offers outdoor experiences that are hard to find anywhere else in the country. The [Chena River State Recreation Area](https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/northern/chenariversra.htm), just east of Fairbanks, covers 397 square miles of boreal forest, alpine tundra, and river terrain. It has more than 100 miles of trails for hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, and dog mushing, plus access to Chena Hot Springs — a natural hot spring resort open year-round. [Denali National Park](https://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm) — home to the highest peak in North America at 20,310 feet — is roughly a two-hour drive southwest. Many Fort Wainwright families make it a regular destination. And then there is the aurora borealis. Fairbanks sits directly under the auroral oval, one of the best aurora-viewing positions on Earth. On clear nights from late August through April, the sky can fill with curtains of green, purple, and white light. Cleary Summit along the Steese Highway is a popular spot. ## Plan Your PCS to Fort Wainwright For other Alaska installations, see our guides to [PCS to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage](/blog/pcs-to-joint-base-elmendorf-richardson-anchorage-2026-guide) and [PCS to Eielson AFB](/blog/pcs-to-eielson-afb-fairbanks-2026-guide). To stay on track with your move timeline, use [the ultimate PCS checklist and timeline for active-duty military personnel](/blog/the-ultimate-pcs-checklist-and-timeline-for-active-duty-military-personnel). If you are thinking about buying, our [complete guide to buying your first home with a VA loan](/blog/complete-guide-to-buying-your-first-home-with-a-va-loan) is a good place to start. When you are ready to look at specific neighborhoods and listings in the Fairbanks area, ask Dino DeAngelis, a VeteranPCS agent in the Fairbanks area, for current listings and prices. If you plan to finance with a VA loan, [connect with a VeteranPCS lender](https://www.veteranpcs.com/contact-lender) to understand your options before you shop. Know another family with orders to Fort Wainwright? Share this guide with your military network so they can plan their move too. For agents and lenders across the state, [connect with our VeteranPCS network in Alaska](https://www.veteranpcs.com/alaska). ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What MHA is Fort Wainwright in for BAH? Fort Wainwright falls within the Fairbanks, Alaska Military Housing Area. Look up your exact rate with the official [DoD BAH calculator](https://www.travel.dod.mil/Allowances/Basic-Allowance-for-Housing/BAH-Rate-Lookup/) using your rank and ZIP code. ### Where do military families live near Fort Wainwright? Common choices are Fairbanks (closest, most amenities), North Pole (community feel, newer homes), Fox (quieter and more rural), and Salcha (most rural, larger lots, longer commute). On-post housing is also available. ### How cold does it get in Fairbanks? Very cold. The [NWS Fairbanks office](https://www.weather.gov/afg/localclimate) shows temperatures regularly below zero Fahrenheit in winter, with recorded lows reaching minus 50 degrees. Prepare with proper gear and a vehicle block heater. ### What school district serves Fort Wainwright families? Most off-post families are served by the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District (FNSBSD). Visit [k12northstar.org](https://www.k12northstar.org/) to find schools by address. Confirm the assigned school for any specific home before you commit. ### Where do I get healthcare at Fort Wainwright? On-post care is at [Bassett Army Community Hospital](https://bassett-wainwright.tricare.mil/), 4076 Neely Road. Set up your TRICARE plan early, update DEERS, and arrange referrals before you arrive. ### Can I see the northern lights from Fort Wainwright? Yes. Fairbanks sits under the auroral oval and is one of the best places on Earth for aurora viewing. Clear nights from late August through April offer regular opportunities. Cleary Summit along the Steese Highway is a popular spot. This content is for informational purposes. Consult a professional for personal financial decisions.