City profile · Georgia · Census ACS 2023

Gainesville, GA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Gainesville - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

44,051
Residents
$64,636
Median income
$337,000
Median home
$1,514
Median rent (state)

Gainesville - the verdict

Gainesville ranks in the 42nd percentile for household income and the 18th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

42nd
percentile, household income
70th
percentile, home value
60th
percentile, median rent
18th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Gainesville, GA

Gainesville is a small city in Georgia, home to 44,051 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $64,636 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 16.9%. Gainesville's housing stock carries a median value of $337,000, and the median resident age is 33.1 years. 26.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 779 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 46% from five years earlier. Gainesville's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2788.9 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Gainesville's yearly average temperature at 59.9°F with 55.6 inches of precipitation per year and 1.6 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Georgia run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Georgia scores 96.3 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,514 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Georgia run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 84.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

44,051 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Georgia

Median Household Income

$64,636 /yr

Poverty 16.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Georgia average

How does Gainesville compare to other US cities?

Where Gainesville sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 42% higher than other cities
Home value 70% pricier than other cities
Median rent 60% pricier than other cities
Safety 18% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Georgia, Gainesville ranks #119 of 165 Georgia cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Gainesville's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Georgia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

42ndIncome percentile
18thSafety percentile

42nd percentile nationally for median household income · 18th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Gainesville's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Gainesville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 32 Avg. percentile National median
Gainesville's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Gainesville's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$337,000 30th percentile more affordable than 30% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Gainesville $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Gainesville, GA Gainesville, GA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Gainesville, GA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Gainesville, GA median $64,636/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Gainesville, GA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Gainesville, GA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 16.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
44,051
Median Income
$64,636
Median Home Value
$337,000
Median Age
33.1
Poverty Rate
16.9%
Labor force participation
57.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2788.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
488.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2300.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
59.9°F
Annual Precipitation
55.6"
Annual Snowfall
1.6"

Schools

Total Schools
34
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
40,000 residents45,000 residents50,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 42,145 residents 49,221 residents ▲ +16.8%
Gainesville's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
779
housing units authorized
Single-Family
322
detached homes
Multifamily
457
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
17.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 533
2020 445
2021 863
2022 915
2023 260
2024 779

Permit volume increased 46% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.2%
Carpool
13.6%
Public Transit
2.6%
Walk
3.3%
Work from Home
7.2%
Other
3.1%

Based on 19,343 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Georgia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$125
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Georgia state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Georgia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Gainesville sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,514/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
84.3 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Georgia

Newnan
43,510 people
Mableton
42,403 people
Peachtree Corners
42,184 people
Milton
41,305 people
Peachtree City
38,977 people
East Point
38,233 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Gainesville's 44,051 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Saratoga Springs, UT
44,070 people
Oakland Park, FL
44,015 people
Freeport, NY
44,102 people
Columbia, TN
43,971 people
El Centro, CA
44,186 people
North Fort Myers, FL
44,189 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Gainesville's $64,636 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Marshall, MN
$64,636 median income
Southgate, MI
$64,635 median income
McConnell AFB, KS
$64,632 median income
Wildwood, IN
$64,643 median income
Royalton, MN
$64,643 median income
Fillmore, NY
$64,643 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Gainesville, GA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Gainesville, GA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 54.1% 13.5% 11.4% 17.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 35.7% White 54.1% Black or African American 13.5% Asian 3.1% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 11.4% Two or more races 17.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Gainesville compares to nearby Georgia cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Gainesville (this city) 44,051 $64,636
Newnan 43,510 $80,299
Mableton 42,403 $84,662
Peachtree Corners 42,184 $81,413
Census ACS 5-year FIPS GA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Gainesville, GA?

What is the population of Gainesville, GA? +

44,051 people live in Gainesville, GA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Gainesville, GA? +

Median annual household income in Gainesville runs $64,636, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Gainesville? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Gainesville; the closest available measure is the Georgia state average, a cost of living index of 96.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Georgia vary by metro area.

Is Gainesville, GA safe? +

Gainesville has a total crime rate of 2788.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Gainesville, GA? +

Homes in Gainesville carry a median value of $337,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Gainesville? +

Climate normals put Gainesville's yearly average temperature at 59.9°F, 55.6 inches of precipitation, and 1.6 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.