What it's like to live in Alachua
Alachua is a small city in Florida with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Alachua deals with larger class sizes than the national average, hot summers, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- High student-teacher ratio
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Alachua compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Alachua
Based on Alachua's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,568
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $51,360 a year
- 36% of Alachua renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$59,840
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $29,920
- Homes cost 3.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,284/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,284 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $299,200. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $299,200 · 36% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in Alachua County is 4.5%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Alachua County (county-wide)
SafetyNear US average
400 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 2511/100k · Alachua Police Department · 2020 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 21% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 91°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 41°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 14% above US
41% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 41% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Castillo de San Marcos National Monument (71 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Alachua's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are hot summers and above-average rainfall. A year of median rent ($1,284/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (21% of workers here already work from home) and college-educated professionals.
Other places near Alachua
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