32778 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
32608
32778
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 17%
vs51 · Bottom 42%
Growth
74 · Top 10%
vs69 · Top 17%
Climate
85 · Top 9%
vs81 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
43 · Bottom 33%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
51 · Bottom 14%
vs62 · Bottom 25%
Schools
44 · Bottom 41%
vs60 · Top 39%
Access
78 · Bottom 19%
vs87 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 29%
vs40 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | 32608 | 32778 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 54,566 | 25,042 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,588 | $63,472 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,520 | $40,226 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,227/sq mi | 986/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $358,200 | $266,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,412 | $1,514 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 41.3% | 78.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.4% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.5% | 26.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.7% | 9.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,009 | 215 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.8 | 10.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 102.1% | -20.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 49°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.3" | 43.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 31.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.3 | 53.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.03 | 18.01 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 50.3% | 60.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 50.0% | 57.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 52.0% | 45.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
32608
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, wildfire.
32778
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Full profiles: 32608 — Gainesville, FL · 32778 — Tavares, FL · How this is calculated: methodology