Below Average CostNear National AverageGainesville City
Downtown Gainesville, Georgia · ATLJonJon / CC BY 4.0Georgia - Dalton through Lumpkin - NARA - 23937127 (cropped) · Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided / Public domainRiver Forks Park · Mike Gonzalez (TheCoffee) / CC BY-SA 3.0Smithgall arts complex · Twasup / CC BY-SA 4.0
Gainesville is a small city of 42,780 in Georgia, with a median household income of $64,163
and a 4.3% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 99 (US average = 100), which is
1% below the national average.
Strengths:
Gainesville stands out for solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Gainesville is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Gainesville city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 99.4
Gainesville's overall cost of living index is 99.4,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Gainesville costs roughly 1% less than the average American city.
Metric
Gainesville, GA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$296,400
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$1,167
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
43.4%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$64,163
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Near National Average
Gainesville's violent crime rate is 488.3 per 100,000 residents
— 28% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
488.3 /100k
Property Crime
2300.6 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Gainesville is served primarily by Gainesville City.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.3:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Gainesville, GA
National Avg
School District
Gainesville City
—
Elementary Schools
6
—
Middle Schools
2
—
High Schools
2
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.3:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
25.2%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
76.8%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Gainesville sees average highs of 51.2°F in January
and 88.1°F in July,
with 52.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 1.6 inches of snow per year.
Gainesville's cost of living index is 99, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Gainesville roughly 1% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $296,400 and median rent is $1,167/month.
Gainesville's violent crime rate is 488.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2300.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Gainesville are operated by Gainesville City.
The district has 6 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.3:1. 25.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Gainesville, GA has a population of 42,780, a median household income of $64,163, and an unemployment rate of 4.3%.
Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Gainesville averages 51.2°F in January and 88.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 52.4 inches
with about 1.6 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Gainesville, GA is covered by 4 ZIP codes: 30501, 30507, 30504, 30506.
The population of Gainesville, Georgia is 42,780 with a median age of 32.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Gainesville: cost of living index 99 (100 = US average), median home $296,400, median household income $64,163, crime index 121 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Gainesville side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
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