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Living in
Gainesville.
About
Life in Gainesville
Gainesville is a practical choice if you want small-city living with real job opportunities and Atlanta accessibility—your commute would average under 24 minutes to many employers. The economy is anchored by poultry processing, which provides stable work but also shapes the character of the place; that industry has attracted a large and established Latino community that's become woven into the city's identity. Housing is reasonably priced compared to metro Atlanta, with median home values around $382,000 and rents at $1,299 monthly, though you should know the unemployment rate is very low at 3.1%, suggesting a tight labor market.
Gainesville at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
33.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.1%
Foreign-Born
21.8%
Broadband Internet
91.5%
of households
Population Growth
+17.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics21.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Gainesville: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Gainesville, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (39.6%), and 31.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.6%
of residents
65 and Older
14.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.0%
of households
Married Couples
39.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.71
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 7% below GA average
Rent, home values, and income in Gainesville
In Gainesville, rent runs 7% below the GA average, and home values are 26% above the GA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
56.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
29.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
96.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,226
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
39.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1994
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $368,969 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for GA
Unemployment in Gainesville
Unemployment in Gainesville is close to the GA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Gainesville Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24 min avg
How Gainesville residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Gainesville, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 66% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 57 mi
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Major hub51.5M 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.
Safetyviolent crime 23% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Gainesville runs 23% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
404.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,676.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Gainesville Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 6 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
84.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Hall County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Hall County, which includes Gainesville, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 6 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $66,000 |
| 2024 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $55,000 |
| 2023 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $74,000 |
| 2022 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.8M |
| 2020 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $597,000 |
| 2019 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $227,000 |
| 2018 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $131,000 |
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.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Hall County, county-wide
Air Quality46 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Hall County, which includes Gainesville, is typically good — 210 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
46
Good Days
210
per year
Moderate Days
154
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Hall County, county-wide
Climate87°F summers, 35°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Gainesville has warm summers (avg high 87°F) and mild winters (avg low 35°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
87°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
53°/35°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
52.4"
Annual Snowfall
1.6"
Hot Days/Year
35
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
42
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
128
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 34°F | 4.95" |
| Feb | 55°F | 36°F | 4.65" |
| Mar | 63°F | 43°F | 4.78" |
| Apr | 72°F | 50°F | 3.98" |
| May | 79°F | 58°F | 4.01" |
| Jun | 85°F | 66°F | 4.23" |
| Jul | 88°F | 70°F | 4.42" |
| Aug | 87°F | 69°F | 4.73" |
| Sep | 81°F | 63°F | 3.89" |
| Oct | 72°F | 52°F | 3.85" |
| Nov | 62°F | 42°F | 4.18" |
| Dec | 53°F | 36°F | 4.71" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Gainesville
Gainesville has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
19.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
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.
Education14.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Gainesville
Gainesville's student/teacher ratio is 14.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 27.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
27.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Gainesville
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,029 students · in-state tuition $35,520 · 35% graduate · median earnings $54,638 (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: Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, 33 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Gainesville
Gainesville has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (33 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
33 mi awayMartin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park
National Historical Park
48 mi awayKennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
49 mi awayGreat Smoky Mountains National Park
National Park
92 mi awayChickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park
National Military Park
94 mi awayPublic Libraries in Gainesville
Hall County Library - Headquarters
127 Main Street Nw, Gainesville
Cities Near Gainesville
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Gainesville?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Gainesville FAQ
Is Gainesville, Georgia affordable?⌄
Gainesville's median rent is $1,299/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $66,974/year. Median home value is $382,200.
Is Gainesville, Georgia safe?⌄
Gainesville's violent crime rate was 404 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1677 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Gainesville, Georgia?⌄
Gainesville has an unemployment rate of 3.1%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Gainesville, Georgia?⌄
The cost of living in Gainesville is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,299/month and median household income is $66,974/year. The median home value is $382,200. About 57% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Gainesville, Georgia?⌄
The average commute in Gainesville 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