34788 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
32609
34788
Opportunity
29 · Bottom 7%
vs43 · Bottom 25%
Growth
74 · Top 10%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
85 · Top 9%
vs81 · Top 14%
Physical resilience
43 · Bottom 33%
vs49 · Bottom 41%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 28%
vs68 · Bottom 32%
Access
84 · Bottom 27%
vs84 · Bottom 27%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 9%
vs33 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | 32609 | 34788 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,752 | 22,137 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,406 | $54,147 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,276 | $33,468 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 168/sq mi | 612/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $178,900 | $169,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,258 | $1,438 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.2% | 83.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.4% | 5.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.1% | 18.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.8% | 11.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,009 | 265 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.8 | 8.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 102.1% | -46.9% | 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 | 33 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.6 | 56.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.20 | 15.20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 57.3% | 57.2% | 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
32609
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, wildfire.
34788
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Full profiles: 32609 — Gainesville, FL · 34788 — Leesburg, FL · How this is calculated: methodology