Ester, Alaska
Ester is a community of 2,752 people in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska.
Why visit Ester
Townapedia lists 11 museums and landmarks, 14 parks and trails, 15 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 6 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Alaska Museum of the North, Chena Pump House and Pioneer Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 72°F; January lows average -15°F.
Weather in Ester
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Ester
Ester is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the Fairbanks, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, Ester had a population of 2,416. Although there are only around 12 houses located inside of the village, the rest are in the surrounding area.
From the Wikipedia article Ester, Alaska (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do6
Museums and landmarks11
University of Alaska Museum of the North
Museum · 6.0 mi
Museum on the campus of the University of Alaska Fairbanks
1962 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks
Sep 16-May 14: 09:00-17:30; May 15-Sep 15: Mo-Su 09:00-19:00; Nov...
Chena Pump House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.6 mi
Building in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
Constitution Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.6 mi
Listed in the NRHP
Nenana
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 8.4 mi
American steamboat built in 1933
Rainey's Cabin
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.3 mi
House in Alaska, United States of America
Pioneer Air Museum
Museum · 8.3 mi
Aviation museum in Fairbanks, Alaska
Steamboat Landing
Monument and historic site · 6.1 mi
Riverboat Cruises
1975 Discovery Drive, Fairbanks
Parks, trails and playgrounds14
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Georgeson Botanical Garden
Park · 5.6 mi
2180 West Tanana Drive, Fairbanks
2 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes15
Lemongrass Thai Cuisine
Restaurant · Thai · 5.5 mi
388 Old Chena Pump Road, Fairbanks
Mo-Sa 11:00-15:30; 17:00-21:00
Chena Eggspress
Restaurant · 5.5 mi
481 Chena Pump Road, Fairbanks
Mo-Sa 07:00-21:00
M3 Cafe
Restaurant · 5.9 mi
Offers healthy options, sweet snacks, hot espresso, iced coffee and much more
Mo-Th 07:30-16:00; Fr 07:30-15:00
sipping streams tea company
Cafe · Sandwich · 5.5 mi
374 Old Chena Pump Road, Fairbanks
3 more on the map.
Where to stay4
La Quinta Inn & Suites Fairbanks
Motel and hotel · 6.4 mi
4920 Dale Road, Fairbanks
Churches and places of worship5
Fairbanks Seventh-day Adventist Church
Church · Protestant · 6.4 mi
1811 Farmers Loop Road, Fairbanks
Hidden Hill Friends Center
Church · Quaker · 3.8 mi
2682 Goldhill Road, Fairbanks
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries14
International Arctic Research Center
School · 5.7 mi
2160 Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks
Map of Ester
75 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0°F | -15°F | 0.7 in |
| Feb | 11°F | -10°F | 0.6 in |
| Mar | 25°F | -5°F | 0.5 in |
| Apr | 45°F | 18°F | 0.4 in |
| May | 61°F | 34°F | 0.7 in |
| Jun | 71°F | 45°F | 2.1 in |
| Jul | 72°F | 49°F | 2.7 in |
| Aug | 65°F | 43°F | 2.8 in |
| Sep | 54°F | 31°F | 1.5 in |
| Oct | 33°F | 15°F | 0.9 in |
| Nov | 11°F | -5°F | 0.9 in |
| Dec | 3°F | -12°F | 0.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Ester (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Fairbanks North Star Borough has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2025-07-06: Nenana Ridge Complex (Fire)
- 2025-06-23: Himalaya Road Fire (Fire)
- 2023-08-03: Lost Horse Creek Fire (Fire)
- 2022-03-24: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-09: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- Goldstream 4 mi north, about 7 min by car
- Chena Ridge 6 mi south, about 9 min by car
- College 7 mi east, about 11 min by car
- South Van Horn 9 mi southeast, about 14 min by car
- Farmers Loop 10 mi east, about 16 min by car
- Fairbanks 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
- Steele Creek 18 mi east, about 29 min by car
- Badger 20 mi east, about 32 min by car
- North Pole 22 mi southeast, about 35 min by car
- Eielson AFB 32 mi southeast, about 52 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Ester Camp Historic District NRHP, Durkeeco, CC BY-SA 3.0
- University of Alaska Museum of the North1, Maureen amerune, CC BY 2.0
- Chena Pump House NRHP Fairbanks, AK, Durkeeco, CC BY-SA 3.0
- SS Nenana sternwheeler 2011, Nils Öberg, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rainey's Cabin - College NRHP Fairbanks, AK, Durkeeco, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Constitutional Hall NRHP Fairbanks, AK, Durkeeco, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Pioneer Park (Fairbanks, Alaska) ENBLA21, Enrico Blasutto, CC BY-SA 4.0
- University of Alaska Museum of the North ENBLA01, Enrico Blasutto, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sacred Heart Cathedral, Fairbanks, Alaska, RadioKAOS, CC BY-SA 3.0
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