Population 285,492 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Alachua County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Alachua County
Household size in Alachua County
| Period | Alachua County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.34 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.46 | 2.73 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.32 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Alachua County are small: just 2.32 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Alachua County
| Period | Alachua County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5 | 40.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.1 | 42.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.3 | 43.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.9 | 43.5 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +2.7 | +2.3 |
Alachua County is young: half of its residents are under 35.9, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has climbed from 34.5 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only two of Florida's 67 counties are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Alachua County
| Period | Alachua County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.6% | 12.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.6% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Alachua County (9.6%), below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Alachua County
Renters in Alachua County
| Period | Alachua County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.1% | 30.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 46.5% | 33.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.0% | 34.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.9% | 32.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Alachua County than nationally: 45.9% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 45.5% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 0.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only two of Florida's 67 counties have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Alachua County
| Period | Alachua County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 17.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.3% | 17.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.8% | 15.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.7% | 12.5% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −4.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Alachua County is close to the national rate: 9.7% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in Florida as a whole (12.5%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.9 points, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Alachua County
| Period | Alachua County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1984 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1989 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Alachua County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1988, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1984 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the east.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Alachua County
| Period | Alachua County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $940 | $1,092 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $955 | $1,123 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,088 | $1,323 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,427 | $1,816 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$487 | +$724 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Alachua County costs $1,427 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $487 a month since 2006–10, up 52%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 36.6% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Alachua County
Bachelor's degrees in Alachua County
| Period | Alachua County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.7% | 26.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 42.1% | 27.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.1% | 30.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 50.5% | 34.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +8.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Alachua County: 50.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.7 points, as it has nationally. Only one other Florida county has a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Alachua County
| Period | Alachua County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.1% | 85.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.2% | 86.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.8% | 88.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.7% | 90.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +4.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Alachua County: 94.7% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 3.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other Florida county has a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Alachua County
| Period | Alachua County | Florida | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 8.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.0% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Alachua County runs below the national rate: 4.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Alachua County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alachua County | 2.32 | 35.9 | 9.6% | 45.9% | 9.7% | 1988 | $1,427 | 50.5% | 94.7% | 4.5% |
| Union County | 2.59 | 37.6 | 11.5% | 25.3% | 11.3% | 1991 | $942 | 12.6% | 82.4% | 5.5% |
| Gilchrist County | 2.55 | 43.6 | 12.9% | 14.3% | 8.4% | 1997 | $1,040 | 15.7% | 86.9% | 3.3% |
| Bradford County | 2.65 | 41.2 | 15.5% | 26.7% | 14.1% | 1985 | $958 | 14.9% | 83.5% | 4.4% |
| Levy County | 2.49 | 47.0 | 13.2% | 18.6% | 12.5% | 1993 | $823 | 15.7% | 87.7% | 4.6% |
| Columbia County | 2.50 | 42.1 | 14.4% | 27.5% | 10.6% | 1989 | $1,045 | 17.0% | 86.2% | 6.4% |
| Marion County | 2.45 | 47.3 | 10.9% | 22.5% | 12.4% | 1992 | $1,403 | 23.4% | 89.3% | 4.9% |
| Dixie County | 2.59 | 47.1 | 8.8% | 15.3% | 30.0% | 1989 | $788 | 10.6% | 85.3% | 3.7% |
| Putnam County | 2.42 | 44.2 | 14.1% | 24.6% | 14.7% | 1984 | $915 | 14.0% | 81.9% | 7.2% |
| Clay County | 2.75 | 41.3 | 10.5% | 24.1% | 6.7% | 1995 | $1,739 | 27.9% | 92.5% | 3.7% |
| Lafayette County | 2.91 | 42.0 | 9.4% | 22.8% | 16.1% | 1990 | $843 | 10.3% | 82.4% | 14.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Yuma County, AZ · Weber County, UT · Mohave County, AZ · Santa Cruz County, CA · Anoka County, MN · San Luis Obispo County, CA · Yolo County, CA · Davis County, UT · Horry County, SC · Marin County, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Alachua County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.