Median Income
$163,942
household / year
Median Home Value
$632,300
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$2,135
gross / month
Cost of Living
109
national avg = 100

Is Gainesville, VA a Good Place to Live?

Gainesville is a small city of 16,972 in Virginia, with a median household income of $163,942 and a 2.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 109 (US average = 100), which is 9% above the national average.

Strengths: Gainesville stands out for solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices, longer commutes. 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: 108.6

Gainesville's overall cost of living index is 108.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Gainesville costs roughly 9% more than the average American city.

Metric Gainesville, VA National Avg
Median Home Value $632,300 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $2,135 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 85.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $163,942 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Gainesville's violent crime rate is 281.1 per 100,000 residents — 26% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
281.1 /100k
Property Crime
1400.7 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Gainesville is served primarily by Prince William County Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Gainesville, VA National Avg
School District Prince William County Public Schools —
Elementary Schools 65 —
Middle Schools 17 —
High Schools 13 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.2:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 55.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 96.1% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Gainesville sees average highs of 42.4°F in January and 87.5°F in July, with 46.5 inches of annual precipitation and 19.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricGainesville, VA
Average High — January42.4°F
Average High — July87.5°F
Annual Precipitation46.5"
Annual Snowfall19.8"

Demographics

MetricGainesville, VANational Avg
Population16,972—
Median Age36.838.9
Unemployment Rate2.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time37.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)58.1%59.3%
Black or African American13.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino7.4%18.9%
Asian15.7%6.3%
Under 1829.6%22.2%
65 and over8.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Haymarket, VA 1 mi Linton Hall, VA 5 mi New Baltimore, VA 5 mi Bull Run CDP (Prince William County), VA 7 mi Innovation, VA 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Gainesville

Gainesville, VA is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

20155 20169

Gainesville vs Other Cities

Gainesville, VA vs Haymarket, VA Gainesville, VA vs Linton Hall, VA Gainesville, VA vs New Baltimore, VA Gainesville, VA vs Bull Run CDP (Prince William County), VA Gainesville, VA vs Innovation, VA

Frequently Asked Questions

Gainesville's cost of living index is 109, where 100 is the national average. That puts Gainesville roughly 9% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $632,300 and median rent is $2,135/month.
Gainesville's violent crime rate is 281.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1400.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Gainesville are operated by Prince William County Public Schools. The district has 65 elementary, 17 middle, and 13 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.2:1. 55.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Gainesville, VA has a population of 16,972, a median household income of $163,942, and an unemployment rate of 2.9%. 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 42.4°F in January and 87.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 46.5 inches with about 19.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Gainesville, VA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 20155, 20169.
The population of Gainesville, Virginia is 16,972 with a median age of 36.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Gainesville: cost of living index 109 (100 = US average), median home $632,300, median household income $163,942, crime index 71 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. 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.