Population 137,391 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Gainesville
Household size in Gainesville
| Period | Gainesville | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.93 | 2.70 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.06 | 2.77 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.22 | 2.75 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.04 | 2.73 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.11 | +0.03 | −0.03 |
Gainesville is a place of big households: 3.04 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has climbed from 2.93 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 Gainesville
| Period | Gainesville | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.7 | 36.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.4 | 36.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.0 | 38.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.5 | 38.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Gainesville is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.5, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 34.7, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the north.
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 Gainesville
| Period | Gainesville | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.7% | 13.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 13.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.4% | 13.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.1% | 13.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in seven households in Gainesville (14.1%), above the national share of 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Georgia. The single-parent share is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Gainesville
Renters in Gainesville
| Period | Gainesville | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.4% | 32.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.4% | 35.8% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.3% | 36.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.4% | 34.3% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.0 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in Gainesville rent their homes (36.4%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 43.5% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northwest.
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 Gainesville
| Period | Gainesville | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.6% | 13.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.3% | 11.6% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 10.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Gainesville as nationally: 10.4%, against 9.6%. Vacancy is down 1.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Gainesville
| Period | Gainesville | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1986 | 1985 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1986 | 1987 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1987 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1992 | 1991 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Gainesville is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1992, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1986 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center.
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 Gainesville
| Period | Gainesville | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $852 | $910 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $889 | $977 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,013 | $1,112 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,360 | $1,520 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$508 | +$609 | +$606 |
The median renter in Gainesville pays $1,360 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $508 a month from 2006–10, a 60% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.4% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the southwest.
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 Gainesville
Bachelor's degrees in Gainesville
| Period | Gainesville | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.0% | 28.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.2% | 28.9% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.4% | 31.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.8% | 35.1% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Gainesville: 24.8% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the south.
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 Gainesville
| Period | Gainesville | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 73.2% | 84.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 74.0% | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 74.3% | 87.2% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 76.6% | 89.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | +5.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly a quarter of adults in Gainesville never finished high school, well above the national share: only 76.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.4 points, as it has nationally. Of the 282 Georgia cities with 5,000+ people, only 11 have a lower 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 Gainesville
| Period | Gainesville | Georgia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 10.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −3.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Gainesville runs below the national rate: 3.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Gainesville compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville | 3.04 | 38.5 | 14.1% | 36.4% | 10.4% | 1992 | $1,360 | 24.8% | 76.6% | 3.5% |
| Oakwood | 2.84 | 35.6 | 9.4% | 37.6% | 10.4% | 1998 | $1,488 | 28.9% | 81.2% | 2.6% |
| Sunset Heights | 2.77 | 36.2 | 15.5% | 39.2% | 11.5% | 1985 | $1,145 | 18.5% | 90.9% | 0.0% |
| White Sulphur | 2.60 | 44.9 | 12.2% | 12.4% | 10.1% | 1994 | $1,156 | 26.9% | 83.8% | 1.6% |
| Chestatee | 2.71 | 37.0 | 6.4% | 26.5% | 14.3% | 2005 | $1,669 | 29.8% | 83.9% | 1.4% |
| Flowery Branch | 2.89 | 40.1 | 9.0% | 20.4% | 8.3% | 2003 | $1,849 | 32.5% | 89.1% | 3.6% |
| Talmo | 3.64 | 30.6 | 10.4% | 25.4% | 4.6% | 2002 | $1,175 | 17.3% | 74.6% | 7.8% |
| Gillsville | 3.08 | 39.6 | 12.6% | 23.8% | 8.0% | 1994 | $1,147 | 10.1% | 70.9% | 2.9% |
| Braselton | 2.89 | 39.6 | 8.8% | 18.8% | 5.7% | 2008 | $1,884 | 38.4% | 92.8% | 3.0% |
| Lula | 2.78 | 40.7 | 8.3% | 24.8% | 6.9% | 1993 | $1,018 | 17.1% | 86.1% | 3.1% |
| Pendergrass | 3.18 | 36.1 | 8.5% | 20.3% | 5.1% | 2007 | $1,555 | 30.3% | 89.9% | 2.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Paterson, NJ · Parma, OH · Parker, CO · Pittsburg, CA · Plantation, FL · Pearland, TX · Perris, CA · Plant City, FL · Ponce, PR · Plainfield, IL
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 Gainesville. 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.
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