Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Gainesville, FL
VS
Yuma, AZ
🏆 Yuma leads 15 of 22 categories
Gainesville
Florida
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.9
Median Household Income
$43,783
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
142,414 ✓ Larger
Yuma
Arizona
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,312 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
96,314
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Gainesville, FL
Pros
More college-educated — 50.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (5.5%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 91°F vs 107°F
Smaller class sizes — 17.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Yuma by $15,529/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
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Yuma
Yuma, AZ
Pros
43% less violent crime than Gainesville
Households earn $15,529 more per year on average
Homes cost $30k less ($186,500 vs $216,600)
Rent averages $123/mo less ($1,028 vs $1,151)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.4)
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Gainesville
Cons
Higher unemployment (7.7% vs 5.5%)
Hot summers — July highs average 107°F
Key Differences at a Glance
Gainesville
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
5.5% vs 7.7% unemployment
Yuma
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 93.4 vs 96.9 (100 = US avg)
Yuma
Median Income
$15,529
$59,312 vs $43,783/yr
Yuma
Violent Crime
43% lower
423.6 vs 738.0 per 100k
Yuma
Median Home Value
$30k less
$186,500 vs $216,600
Yuma
Summer Heat
15.6°F warmer
July avg high 106.7°F vs 91.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Gainesville, FL | Yuma, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.9 | 93.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $216,600 | $186,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,151 | $1,028 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $43,783 | $59,312 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.8 min | 17.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.8% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 168⚠ High | 91 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 129⚠ High | 59 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (111) ✓ Better | C- (70) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.0% ✓ Higher | 20.3% |
| High School or Higher | 93.6% ✓ Higher | 83.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALACHUA | Yuma Elementary District (4499) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.1°F | 69.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.1°F | 106.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.6" | 3.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,414 ✓ Larger | 96,314 |
| Median Age | 26.0 | 32.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 38.5% | 64.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.1% | 16.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Gainesville's cost of living index is 96.9 vs Yuma's 93.4 (US average = 100).
Yuma is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Yuma leads 15 of 22 categories. Gainesville wins 7 and Yuma wins 15. 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 Yuma or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($216,600 vs $186,500 median home), income ($43,783 vs $59,312), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Gainesville, FL and Yuma, AZ are about 1,906 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.