Fairbanks – USA

Mayor Grier Hopkins

Gier Hopkins is the current mayor of Fairbanks, Alaska.

Mayor Grier Hopkins was born and raised in Fairbanks, Alaska. He grew up in Goldstream and currently resides in Fairbanks with his wife Kristina Miller and daughter, Isabella. Mayor Hopkins is a graduate of West Valley High School and received his Bachelors in Anthropology from the University of Washington. Mayor Hopkins served as an Alaskan Legislator for the House of Representatives from 2019-2023. He most recently worked as the UniServ Director at NEA-Alaska. His first experience in politics was as a legislative aide to Senator Ted Stevens. Mayor Hopkins’ civic activities included volunteering with youth soccer, as well Fairbanks’ fine arts. Mayor Hopkins is serving his first three-year term as Borough Mayor and was sworn in on October 24, 2024.

An aerial view of Fairbanks looking south toward the confluence of the Chena and Tanana Rivers with the airport on the left and Mt. McKinley on the horizon.

Fairbanks is the largest city in the interior region of Alaska and serves as a key hub for commerce, education, and government services in the state’s Arctic and sub-Arctic areas. Its economy is shaped by a mix of public sector employment, military presence (notably Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base), and resource extraction industries such as mining and oil services. The city is also home to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, a major center for Arctic research. Fairbanks has a diverse population and an active cultural scene that includes Indigenous arts, community festivals, and educational institutions. Its geographic location just south of the Arctic Circle gives it a strong seasonal identity, with long summer days and extreme winter cold defining much of life in the city.

The goal for Arctic Mayors’ Forum cooperation is collaboration with other Arctic communities.

Fairbanks North Star Borough
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Quick Facts

Population

  • English name: Fairbanks North Star Borough
  • Name local languages: Fairbanks North Star Borough
  • Population: 100 000
  • Largest city/town: Fairbanks
  • Population Fairbanks: 32 000

Language and culture

  • Traditional territory of: Denaʼina
  • Languages spoken: English

Work and education

  • Mayor industries: Mining, Military
  • Higher education: University of Alaska Fairbanks

Arctic Mayors’ Forum

  • Joined: 2022

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