Gainesville, FL
Census place 1225175 · pop 145,702
Home of the University of Florida, where the sports drink Gatorade was invented in 1965.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
30.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
37.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
21.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.53 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
754 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$46,195 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
85.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2736 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
13.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
94/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.96% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,661/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$247,500 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
22.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
31.2% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
38 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+10.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
19 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
53.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Frequently asked
- Is Gainesville, FL a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Gainesville scores 42/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is bachelor's degree or higher and its weakest is poverty rate. Florida overall ranks #29 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Gainesville, FL?
- Gainesville reports 754 violent crimes per 100k and 2736 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Gainesville, FL expensive to live in?
- Gainesville has a median home value of $247,500 and typical rent around $1,661/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Gainesville, FL?
- Its weakest measured area is poverty rate (30.8%) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Gainesville, FL best at?
- Its strongest measured area is bachelor's degree or higher (53.7%) — 86/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of the University of Florida, where the sports drink Gatorade was invented in 1965.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.