Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Gainesville, FL
VS
Riverview, FL
🏆 Gainesville leads 12 of 21 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 ✓ Larger
Riverview
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High
Median Household Income
$87,383 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
35 ✓ Safer
Population
102,467
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Gainesville, FL
Pros
Rent averages $606/mo less ($1,151 vs $1,757)
Homes cost $76k less ($216,600 vs $292,700)
Commutes run 16 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 50.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Riverview
Smaller class sizes — 17.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Riverview by $43,600/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
Riverview, FL
Pros
Households earn $43,600 more per year on average
82% less violent crime than Gainesville
Violent crime is well below the national average (131.1 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,757/mo
Longer commutes — 34.5 min average each way
Cost of living runs 7% higher than Gainesville
Key Differences at a Glance
Gainesville
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 96.9 vs 103.4 (100 = US avg)
Gainesville
Median Home Value
$76k less
$216,600 vs $292,700
Riverview
Median Income
$43,600
$87,383 vs $43,783/yr
Riverview
Violent Crime
82% lower
131.1 vs 738.0 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Gainesville, FL | Riverview, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.9 ✓ Cheaper | 103.4⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $216,600 ✓ Lower | $292,700 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,151 ✓ Lower | $1,757⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $43,783 | $87,383 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter | 34.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 10.8% | 17.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | 35 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | 21 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (111) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.0% ✓ Higher | 32.2% |
| High School or Higher | 93.6% ✓ Higher | 91.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALACHUA | HILLSBOROUGH |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.1°F | 71.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer | 90.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.6" | 54.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,414 ✓ Larger | 102,467 |
| Median Age | 26.0 | 36.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 38.5% | 72.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | 25.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.1% ✓ More | 10.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Gainesville's cost of living index is 96.9 vs Riverview's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Gainesville is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Gainesville leads 12 of 21 categories. Gainesville wins 12 and Riverview wins 9. 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 Riverview or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($216,600 vs $292,700 median home), income ($43,783 vs $87,383), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Gainesville, FL and Riverview, FL are about 128 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.