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City · 145,702 residents · Alachua County, Florida

Gainesville , Florida

In Gainesville, a typical home is worth $247,500 and typical rent is $1,296 a month. Compared with all of Alachua County, typical household income is 25% lower, the typical home value is 14% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 16 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $247,500

    14% below the county

    31% below Florida

    • Gainesville
    • Alachua
    • Florida

  • Typical rent

    $1,296a month

    3% below the county

    22% below Florida

    • Gainesville
    • Alachua
    • Florida

  • Typical household income

    $46,195a year

    25% below the county

    38% below Florida

    • Gainesville
    • Alachua
    • Florida

  • Households that own their home

    38%

    16 points below the county

    30 points below Florida

    • Gainesville
    • Alachua
    • Florida

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$291,789
1.3% less than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,618 a month
1.9% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Gainesville is in Alachua County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Alachua County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Gainesville apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Gainesville has the 12th lowest homeownership rate of the 481 cities in Florida with more than 5,000 people (38%).

  2. Nearby, in Starke, the typical rent is $840: 35% less than in Gainesville ($1,296).

  3. Gainesville has the 25th lowest typical household income of the 480 cities in Florida with more than 5,000 people ($46,195).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Gainesville

What homes there are in Gainesville, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Gainesville, the apartment is the most common kind of home: 44%, against 29% in Alachua County.

Year built

In Gainesville, half of the homes were built before 1983; in Alachua County, before 1988.

In Gainesville, 20% of homes have 1 bedroom or none (studios); 46% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 58% in Alachua County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

By price, most homes in Gainesville sit under the FHA limit for Alachua County ($541,287): about 93%.

Monthly rent with utilities

Measured against HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,471), about 61% of rented homes in Gainesville cost less.

With a mortgage

$1,599 a month

Alachua County: $1,730 a month

Without a mortgage

$615 a month

Alachua County: $627 a month

Owners with a mortgage

57%

Alachua County: 58%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Gainesville is $1,599 a month, less than in Alachua County ($1,730); without one, $615.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, home values in Gainesville rose at about the same pace as in Alachua County: 53% against 55%.

Much as in Alachua County, the typical rent in Gainesville rose 36% since 2015–2019.

Here income did not keep up with housing: it rose 24%, while home values changed +53% and rent +36%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureGainesvilleAlachua CountyFloridaUnited States
Rental vacancy 8.5%8.6%7.6%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy 2.3%1.7%1.4%0.9%
More than one person per room 2.0%2.0%3.3%3.4%
People per household 2.142.282.512.53
Drive alone 61%68%70%69%
Carpool 9%9%9%9%
Public transit 5%3%1%3%
Walk or bike 8%5%2%3%
Work from home 15%14%16%15%
Other means 3%2%2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Gainesville, the rental vacancy rate is 8.5%, about the same as in Alachua County.

Much as in Alachua County, 2.0% of households in Gainesville have more than one person per room.

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.14 on average, against 2.28 in Alachua County.

To get to work, 61% of workers in Gainesville drive alone; in Alachua County, 68%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Gainesville?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Gainesville, worth $247,500, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 53% of the typical household income in Gainesville, which is $46,195 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $88,152 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Alachua County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Gainesville. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $8,663 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,057

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$243,017
Total interest
$349,644
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,180 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,078 a month

  • Tight

    $1,078 to $1,386 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,386 a month

    Your payment · 53%

Compared with the typical household income in Gainesville ($46,195 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,057
Principal & interest$1,646
Property tax$198
Home insurance$103
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$109

You need at least $8,663 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Gainesville and Alachua County

Gainesville is in Alachua County, Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Gainesville's own numbers

Typical home value
$247,500
Typical monthly rent
$1,296
Typical yearly household income
$46,195
Households that own their home
38%
Effective property tax rate
0.96%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Alachua County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,471
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+55%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
4.8%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Alachua County.

Everything about Alachua County

Buying

Buying a home in Gainesville

A typical home in Gainesville is worth $247,500: 14% below the county and 31% below Florida. With the typical household income in Gainesville ($46,195 a year), a typical home costs 5.4 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Gainesville 5.4 years
  • Alachua 4.7 years
  • Florida 4.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Alachua County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Alachua County rose 112% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Alachua County.

Period County Florida U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.6% −0.5% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +55% +60% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +112% +127% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Gainesville next to Alachua County, Florida and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Gainesville $247,500
  • Alachua $288,800
  • Florida $359,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Gainesville $1,296
  • Alachua $1,339
  • Florida $1,669
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Gainesville $46,195
  • Alachua $61,949
  • Florida $74,568
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Gainesville next to Alachua County and Florida
Measure Gainesville Alachua County Florida U.S.
Typical home value $247,500 $288,800 $359,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,296 $1,339 $1,669 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $46,195 $61,949 $74,568 $80,734
Households that own their home 38% 54% 68% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,364 $2,773 $2,730 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.96% 0.96% 0.76% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 68% 63% 60% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Alachua County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Gainesville

For a typical $247,500 home in Gainesville, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Gainesville's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,057a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $8,663
    Cash to close
    $16,088
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $109

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,012a month

    Down payment
    $12,375
    Cash to close
    $19,800
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $118

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,642a month

    Down payment
    $49,500
    Cash to close
    $56,925
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,871a month

    Down payment
    $37,125
    Cash to close
    $44,550
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Gainesville and for Alachua County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Gainesville

0.96%of the home’s value each year

$2,364 a year for the typical owner in Gainesville.

  • Gainesville 0.96%
  • Alachua 0.96%
  • Florida 0.76%

What Florida publishes Homestead exemption (Florida Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Florida

Flood risk in Alachua County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Alachua County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
4.8%
4,050
Of those, with NFIP insurance
18%
County Florida U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 4.8% 13% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 18% 67% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Gainesville

Typical rent in Gainesville is $1,296 a month: 3% below the county. In Gainesville, 68% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Alachua County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,471 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $28.29 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Alachua County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,197 $23.02 $47,880
1 bedroom $1,241 $23.87 $49,640
2 bedrooms $1,471 $28.29 $58,840
3 bedrooms $1,806 $34.73 $72,240
4 bedrooms $1,933 $37.17 $77,320

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Gainesville

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Gainesville has 7 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,350 in 32653 to $1,760 in 32605.

2 of the 7 are above the fair market rent for Alachua County ($1,471).

  • 32601 $1,380$1,690
  • 32603 $1,370$1,690
  • 32605 $1,760$2,160
  • 32609 $1,450$1,780
  • 32610 $1,490$1,830
  • 32612 $1,460$1,800
  • 32653 $1,350$1,690

3 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Gainesville when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Gainesville

HUD lists 34 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Gainesville. These are the largest.

  • Scattered Sites 001 924 SW 61st St, Gainesville 32607 254 homes, 252 low-income · Run by Alachua County · Average payment: $449 a month · Average wait: 46 months · Homes at several sites (352) 372-2549
  • Pine, Lake, Forest, Caroline 2611 NE 1st Ln, Gainesville 32641 244 homes, 239 low-income · Run by Gainesville Housing Authority · Average payment: $446 a month · Average wait: 23 months · Homes at several sites (352) 872-5502
  • Harbor Cove 6815 W University Ave, Gainesville 32607 208 homes, 207 low-income · 1 bd: 48 · 2 bd: 96 · 3 bd: 48 · 4 bd: 16 · In service since 2002 · For families
  • Forest Green & Village Green 3501 NE 15th St, Gainesville 32609 200 low-income homes · 1 bd: 40 · 2 bd: 70 · 3 bd: 70 · 4 bd: 20 · In service since 2005 · For families
  • Majestic Oaks 5800 SW 20th Ave, Gainesville 32607 172 low-income homes · 1 bd: 36 · 2 bd: 136 · In service since 2017 · For families (352) 332-5800

See all 37 buildings in Alachua County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Gainesville

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Alachua County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A man shakes hands with the specialist who helped him with his loan, in the kitchen of his new home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Gainesville

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Gainesville or Alachua County. The ones below are statewide in Florida: they work in Gainesville the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Florida

Housing counselors near Gainesville

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Gainesville, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Neighborhood Housing & Development Corporation

    633 NW 8th Ave, Gainesville · 2 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (352) 380-9119

  • University of Florida/Florida Cooperative Extension

    1604 McCarty Drive, McCarty Hall D, Suit, Gainesville · 3 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 7 more
    (352) 392-1761

  • Ocala Housing Authority

    1629 NW 4th St, Ocala · 36 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 10 more
    (352) 369-2636

Every agency in Alachua County All counseling agencies in Florida

Help in Spanish near Gainesville

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Gainesville

HUD’s record names them for Gainesville or Alachua County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Gainesville Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (352) 872-5502
  • Alachua County Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (352) 372-2549

All housing agencies in Florida Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Alachua County

These cities are also in Alachua County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Alachua County Housing in Florida

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Gainesville, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Alachua County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Gainesville.

All guides
A mother holds her laughing daughter on a grey sofa.

Questions

Housing questions about Gainesville

Short answers with the numbers for Gainesville and all of Alachua County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Gainesville?

The typical home value in Gainesville is $247,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Alachua County it is $288,800.

How much does it cost to rent in Gainesville?

Typical rent in Gainesville is $1,296 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Alachua County is $1,471.

What is the FHA loan limit in Gainesville?

Gainesville uses the FHA limit for all of Alachua County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Gainesville?

The typical homeowner in Gainesville pays $2,364 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.96% of the home’s value; in Alachua County, the rate is 0.96%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Gainesville?

There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Alachua County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).