City · Missouri
Gainesville, Missouri
Gainesville, city, in Ozark County, Missouri. Gainesville had 784 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 6.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 745 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,010 (±207). GEOID 2926218.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
784
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 745 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,010 ±207
Median household income
$32,391
±$6,496 (90% margin)
Missouri: $70,702
Median home value
$119,500
±$37,551 (90% margin)
Missouri: $230,300
Median gross rent
$457
±$179 (90% margin)
Missouri: $1,033
Where is Gainesville and what county is it in?
Gainesville is a city in Ozark County, Missouri. It covers 2.9 square miles of land, 259 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Gainesville, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 784 people lived in Gainesville on July 1, 2025, up 6.5% since 2020, faster than Missouri (+1.9%). The 2020 Census counted 745 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,010 (±207).
| Measure | Gainesville | Ozark County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,010 ±207 | 8,873 | +402 |
| Households | 394 ±76 | 3,709 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.43 ±0.34 | 2.38 | +0.48 |
| Housing units | 466 ±82 | 5,030 | no clear change |
Gainesville's population since 2000
From 632 in 2000 to 784 in 2025: up 24.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Gainesville as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Gainesville?
The median resident of Gainesville is 40.4 years old; 23.7% are under 18 and 25.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 91.8%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.2%.
| Measure | Gainesville | Ozark County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.4 ±13.4 | 51.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.7% ±5.2 pts | 19.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 25.6% ±6.6 pts | 29.3% | – |
| Male | 46.0% ±5.0 pts | 50.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.7% ±2.0 pts | 2.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 91.8% ±4.5 pts | 93.7% | −6.6 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.4% ±2.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.2% ±2.5 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±3.4 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.7% ±3.6 pts | 10.1% | – |
| With a disability | 30.0% ±9.0 pts | 24.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 21.5% ±9.2 pts | 13.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 78.2% ±7.6 pts | 85.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 15.6% ±6.0 pts | 15.3% | +10.7 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.0% ±4.3 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.4% ±6.1 pts | 91.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.8% ±4.9 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Gainesville earn?
Half of Gainesville's 394 households earn less than $32,391 a year (±$6,496), against $44,163 in Ozark County and $70,702 in Missouri. 29.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Gainesville | Ozark County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $32,391 ±$6,496 | $44,163 | – |
| Mean household income | $51,203 ±$10,465 | $69,510 | – |
| Per capita income | $22,557 ±$6,188 | $30,178 | +$8,197 |
| People below the poverty line | 29.0% ±11.8 pts | 21.5% | −26.9 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 46.9% ±23.4 pts | 27.3% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 37.1% ±10.5 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 84.3% ±8.0 pts | 89.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 71.1% ±10.8 pts | 78.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Gainesville?
Owners occupy 50.3% of Gainesville's occupied homes and renters 49.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $119,500 by its owner (±$37,551). The median renter pays $457 a month including utilities, and 24.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Gainesville | Ozark County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $119,500 ±$37,551 | $168,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $457 ±$179 | $631 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 24.1% ±14.7 pts | 33.2% | −26.7 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,142 ±$66 | $1,119 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 50.3% ±10.9 pts | 82.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 49.7% ±10.9 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Housing units | 466 ±82 | 5,030 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±16.1 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 10.3% ±10.2 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 60.3% ±8.8 pts | 76.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.3% ±4.3 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±7.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.5% ±4.3 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 7.5% ±5.3 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.2% ±8.1 pts | 6.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Gainesville building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Gainesville in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 1.3 per 1,000 residents against 2.8 across Missouri.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Gainesville work and get to work?
74.4% of Gainesville's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 21.9 minutes.
| Measure | Gainesville | Ozark County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 47.7% ±7.5 pts | 44.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.4% ±6.9 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 74.4% ±17.6 pts | 72.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.2% ±8.8 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±9.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 2.0% ±2.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.8% ±7.8 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.9 min ±5.9 | 29.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Gainesville?
No census tract lies mostly in Gainesville; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 4701.01Ozark County | 2,508 | $42,670 |
| Tract 4702Ozark County | 4,527 | $46,667 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Gainesville) · Census block assignment files
How does Gainesville compare with other places in Missouri?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Gainesville is the 11,313th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 381st-most populous of 936 in Missouri.
Gainesville is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 381st | 936 |
Gainesville's figures with every place in Missouri (CSV)
Every place in Missouri, sortable · Compare Gainesville with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Gainesville?
21 of the 57 figures for Gainesville on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Gainesville are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Gainesville.