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Living in
Alachua.
About
Life in Alachua
Alachua is a community of 10,638 people in Florida. The median household income is $83,464, median rent runs about $1,284 per month, and median home values are around $299,200. Unemployment is low at 4.5%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Alachua at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.5%
Foreign-Born
6.4%
Broadband Internet
86.0%
of households
Population Growth
+0.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.4% foreign-born, most often from Germany
Who lives in Alachua: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Alachua, the largest foreign-born group is from Germany (17.0%), and 7.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.8%
of residents
65 and Older
19.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.5%
of households
Married Couples
46.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.36
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 23% below FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Alachua
In Alachua, rent runs 23% below the FL average, and home values are 17% below the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
35.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
96.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,834
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
74.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1996
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $322,431 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts above FL average
Unemployment in Alachua
Unemployment in Alachua County, which includes Alachua, is 0.6 percentage points higher than the FL average.
Unemployment rate
Alachua: Alachua County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Alachua County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Alachua is about 4% of Alachua County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Alachua Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.3 min avg
How Alachua residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Alachua, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 65% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 15 mi
Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV)
Regional airport · few flights289k passengers boarded in 2025
- 68 mi
Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)
Medium hub3.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 117 mi
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Major hub28.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2020
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2020. It's compared with the national rate for 2020.
Violent crime in Alachua is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
400.1
per 100,000 residents
About average (399 national, 2020)
Property Crime Rate
2,510.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,955 national, 2020)
Alachua Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 11 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
90.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Alachua County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Alachua County, which includes Alachua, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 11 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,500 |
| 2024 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $12,600 |
| 2023 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3,100 |
| 2022 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.0M |
| 2021 | 13 | Heavy Rain | None reported |
| 2020 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $34,000 |
| 2019 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $6,200 |
| 2018 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3,260 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Alachua County, county-wide
Alachua is about 4% of Alachua County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Alachua County, which includes Alachua, is typically good — 323 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
37
Good Days
323
per year
Moderate Days
41
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Alachua County, county-wide
Alachua is about 4% of Alachua County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate91°F summers, 41°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Alachua has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 41°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
82°/54°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/70°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
82°/58°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
69°/41°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
56.5"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
101
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
20
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
112
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°F | 40°F | 3.68" |
| Feb | 70°F | 42°F | 3.14" |
| Mar | 76°F | 47°F | 3.90" |
| Apr | 82°F | 52°F | 2.77" |
| May | 88°F | 62°F | 3.43" |
| Jun | 90°F | 69°F | 6.74" |
| Jul | 92°F | 70°F | 7.10" |
| Aug | 91°F | 71°F | 7.19" |
| Sep | 89°F | 68°F | 5.45" |
| Oct | 82°F | 58°F | 3.46" |
| Nov | 75°F | 48°F | 2.18" |
| Dec | 69°F | 42°F | 2.64" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Alachua
Uninsured
5.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Alachua's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
HCA Florida North Florida Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.2 mi away · Gainesville
Uf Health Shands Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.7 mi away · Gainesville
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education19.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Alachua
Alachua's student/teacher ratio is 19.4:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 41.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
41.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Alachua (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 35,629 students · in-state tuition $6,381 · 90% graduate · median earnings $78,456 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 4-year · 4,627 students · in-state tuition $3,876 · 70% graduate · median earnings $78,456 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, 71 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Alachua
Alachua has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Castillo de San Marcos National Monument (71 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
National Monument
71 mi awayFort Matanzas National Monument
National Monument
75 mi awayTimucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve
Ecological & Historic Preserve
76 mi awayCumberland Island National Seashore
National Seashore
97 mi awayPublic Libraries in Alachua
Alachua Branch
14913 Nw 140th Street, Alachua
Cities Near Alachua
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Alachua?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Alachua FAQ
Is Alachua, Florida affordable?⌄
Alachua's median rent is $1,284/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $83,464/year. Median home value is $299,200.
Is Alachua, Florida safe?⌄
Alachua's violent crime rate was 400 per 100,000 residents in 2020, which is close to the national average of 399/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2511 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Alachua, Florida?⌄
Alachua County, which includes Alachua, has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Alachua, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Alachua is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,284/month and median household income is $83,464/year. The median home value is $299,200. About 36% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Alachua, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Alachua is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from