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Gainesville, GA

Census place 1331908 · pop 45,032

D−41/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in GA
📍 Georgia ranks #30 of 50 states →
🏆 Jobs2.4% · top 4%
🚽 Own39.2% · bottom 4%
💡 Did you know?

Calls itself the Poultry Capital of the World for its huge chicken-processing industry.

Source ↗
Taxes
0.84% property · US 0.99%7.49% sales · US 7.00%5.19% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

Google Maps ↗Zillow ↗Wikipedia ↗

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership39.2%4

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

39.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Uninsured adults24.0%4

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

24.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Income inequality0.5010

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.50 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Physical inactivity32.5%16

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

32.5% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Poverty rate20.1%18

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

20.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Violent crime rate486/100k18

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

486 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Air quality (AQI)County-level52 AQI21

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

52 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property crime rate2321/100k22

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

2321 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Poor mental health18.3%32

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

18.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Housing cost$382,20032

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$382,200 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Adult smoking15.1%32

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

15.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Median household income$66,97439

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$66,974 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Bachelor's degree or higher27.1%43

U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities

27.1% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Commute time24 min49

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

24 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Broadband access91.5%49

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

91.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Rent$1,677/mo56

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,677/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Adult obesity33.6%58

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

33.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Property-tax burden0.84%59

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.84% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level81/10062

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

81/100 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.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

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.

Population growth (5yr)+12.6%86

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+12.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Unemployment rateCounty-level2.4%96

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

2.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Frequently asked

Is Gainesville, GA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Gainesville scores 41/100 — 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 unemployment rate and its weakest is homeownership. Georgia overall ranks #30 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, GA?
Gainesville reports 486 violent crimes per 100k and 2321 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Gainesville, GA expensive to live in?
Gainesville has a median home value of $382,200 and typical rent around $1,677/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Gainesville, GA?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (39.2%) — 4/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Gainesville, GA best at?
Its strongest measured area is unemployment rate (2.4%) — 96/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Calls itself the Poultry Capital of the World for its huge chicken-processing industry.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.