{
  "story": {
    "slug": "america-s-highest-power-bills",
    "headline": "america's highest power bills",
    "deck": "No city in America pays more to keep the heat on than Fairbanks, and a new state report proves it.",
    "url": "https://thedailyalaska.com/story/america-s-highest-power-bills",
    "section": "Energy",
    "area": "Fairbanks",
    "published_at": "2026-07-21T20:00:00+00:00",
    "updated_at": "2026-10-02T06:15:34.806432+00:00",
    "body_md": "The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development released a new report ranking 257 cities across the country on cost of living, and Fairbanks landed at the very top for utility costs, running about 113 percent above the national average. No other city in the study paid more to keep the lights on and the heat running.\n\nThe high utility costs come on top of grocery prices that also run well above the national average in Fairbanks, about 23 percent higher, adding to the financial strain for families already paying the most in the country to stay warm through an Interior winter.\n\nHousing is the one category where Fairbanks comes out ahead. The city's housing costs came in about 1 percent below the national average, a rarity anywhere in Alaska.\n\nOverall, Fairbanks costs run about 23 percent above the national average. Anchorage came in close behind at around 25 percent above the national average, and Juneau ranked as the priciest of Alaska's three largest cities.\n\nThe report offers a data-backed look at what residents across the Interior already feel day to day, from heating bills to grocery runs, even as housing remains comparatively affordable.",
    "sources": [
      {
        "url": "https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/07/08/urban-alaskas-high-costs-of-living-driven-by-health-care-and-groceries/",
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  "envelope": {
    "story_id": "6dcf98bf-3031-4a83-a951-80471ecf1029",
    "slug": "america-s-highest-power-bills",
    "summary": "A new Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development report ranking 257 U.S. cities found Fairbanks has the nation's highest utility costs, 113 percent above the national average, with groceries 23 percent higher and housing 1 percent lower than the national average.",
    "key_facts": [
      "Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development ranked 257 cities nationwide on cost of living",
      "Fairbanks utility costs ranked highest in the country, about 113 percent above the national average",
      "Fairbanks grocery costs run about 23 percent above the national average",
      "Fairbanks housing costs run about 1 percent below the national average",
      "Overall Fairbanks costs run about 23 percent above the national average",
      "Anchorage costs run about 25 percent above the national average, and Juneau is the priciest of Alaska's three largest cities"
    ],
    "faq": [
      {
        "a": "Fairbanks, according to a new Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development report ranking 257 cities, with utility costs about 113 percent above the national average.",
        "q": "Which U.S. city has the highest utility bills?"
      },
      {
        "a": "Actually no, housing in Fairbanks runs about 1 percent below the national average, which is rare for Alaska.",
        "q": "Is housing expensive in Fairbanks?"
      },
      {
        "a": "Fairbanks overall costs run about 23 percent above the national average, Anchorage runs about 25 percent above, and Juneau is the priciest of the three.",
        "q": "How do Fairbanks costs compare to Anchorage and Juneau?"
      },
      {
        "a": "The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, which analyzed data across 257 cities nationwide.",
        "q": "Who did this cost of living study?"
      }
    ],
    "claims": [
      {
        "claim": "Fairbanks has the highest utility costs of any city studied, about 113 percent above the national average.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/07/08/urban-alaskas-high-costs-of-living-driven-by-health-care-and-groceries/",
        "source_label": "alaskabeacon.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "Fairbanks grocery costs run about 23 percent above the national average.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/07/08/urban-alaskas-high-costs-of-living-driven-by-health-care-and-groceries/",
        "source_label": "alaskabeacon.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "Fairbanks housing costs run about 1 percent below the national average.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/07/08/urban-alaskas-high-costs-of-living-driven-by-health-care-and-groceries/",
        "source_label": "alaskabeacon.com"
      },
      {
        "claim": "Anchorage overall costs run about 25 percent above the national average, and Juneau is the priciest of Alaska's three largest cities.",
        "confidence": "sourced",
        "source_url": "https://alaskabeacon.com/2026/07/08/urban-alaskas-high-costs-of-living-driven-by-health-care-and-groceries/",
        "source_label": "alaskabeacon.com"
      }
    ],
    "locations": [
      {
        "area": "Fairbanks",
        "kind": "city",
        "name": "Fairbanks"
      },
      {
        "area": "Anchorage",
        "kind": "city",
        "name": "Anchorage"
      },
      {
        "area": "Southeast",
        "kind": "city",
        "name": "Juneau"
      }
    ],
    "people": [],
    "organizations": [
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        "name": "Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development"
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    "event_dates": [],
    "story_status": "reported",
    "what_changed": null,
    "keywords": [
      "fairbanks cost of living",
      "fairbanks utility costs",
      "alaska labor department report",
      "interior alaska heating costs",
      "fairbanks grocery prices",
      "anchorage cost of living",
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    ],
    "disclosure": "Produced with AI assistance, narrated with Slav Lund's voice clone with his consent, and reviewed by a person before publishing.",
    "generated_at": "2026-10-01T05:21:19.577+00:00",
    "reviewed_at": null,
    "updated_at": "2026-10-02T06:15:34.806432+00:00"
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    "description": "A new Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development report ranking 257 U.S. cities found Fairbanks has the nation's highest utility costs, 113 percent above the national average, with groceries 23 percent higher and housing 1 percent lower than the national average.",
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