32609 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
32641
32609
Opportunity
24 · Bottom 4%
vs29 · Bottom 7%
Growth
74 · Top 10%
vs74 · Top 10%
Climate
85 · Top 9%
vs85 · Top 9%
Physical resilience
43 · Bottom 33%
vs43 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
52 · Bottom 14%
vs64 · Bottom 28%
Schools
25 · Bottom 16%
vs35 · Bottom 29%
Access
79 · Bottom 20%
vs84 · Bottom 27%
Economic stability
20 · Bottom 3%
vs31 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | 32641 | 32609 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,963 | 19,752 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $35,223 | $49,406 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $20,107 | $27,276 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 203/sq mi | 168/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $144,000 | $178,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,006 | $1,258 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.0% | 51.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.4% | 6.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.4% | 27.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 30.7% | 27.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,009 | 2,009 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.8 | 13.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 102.1% | 102.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.3" | 48.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 33 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 22.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 36.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.51 | 19.20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 40.5% | 47.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.6% | 47.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.7% | 57.3% | 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
32641
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, wildfire.
32609
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, wildfire.
Full profiles: 32641 — Gainesville, FL · 32609 — Gainesville, FL · How this is calculated: methodology