Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Gainesville, FL
VS
Hollywood, FL
🏆 Gainesville leads 12 of 19 categories
Gainesville
Florida
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$43,783
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
142,414
Hollywood
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,958 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
152,764 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Gainesville, FL
Pros
Homes cost $129k less ($216,600 vs $345,300)
Rent averages $312/mo less ($1,151 vs $1,463)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Hollywood
More college-educated — 50.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.5%)
Cons
Median income trails Hollywood by $18,175/yr
Violent crime (738.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2703.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Hollywood, FL
Pros
Households earn $18,175 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 67°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $345,300
Higher rents — median is $1,463/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Gainesville
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Key Differences at a Glance
Gainesville
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 96.9 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Gainesville
Median Home Value
$129k less
$216,600 vs $345,300
Gainesville
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.1% unemployment
Hollywood
Median Income
$18,175
$61,958 vs $43,783/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Gainesville, FL | Hollywood, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.9 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $216,600 ✓ Lower | $345,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,151 ✓ Lower | $1,463⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $43,783 | $61,958 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter | 30.4 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 10.8% ✓ Higher | 8.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (111) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.0% ✓ Higher | 31.7% |
| High School or Higher | 93.6% ✓ Higher | 88.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALACHUA | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.1°F | 76.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.6" ✓ Drier | 65.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,414 | 152,764 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 26.0 | 41.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 38.5% | 56.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | 19.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.1% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Gainesville's cost of living index is 96.9 vs Hollywood's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Gainesville is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Gainesville leads 12 of 19 categories. Gainesville wins 12 and Hollywood wins 7. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Gainesville to Hollywood or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($216,600 vs $345,300 median home), income ($43,783 vs $61,958), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Gainesville, FL and Hollywood, FL are about 285 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.