32641 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
32641
33853
Opportunity
24 · Bottom 4%
vs35 · Bottom 13%
Growth
74 · Top 10%
vs68 · Top 19%
Climate
85 · Top 9%
vs79 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
43 · Bottom 33%
vs20 · Bottom 14%
Housing affordability
52 · Bottom 14%
vs57 · Bottom 19%
Schools
25 · Bottom 16%
vs22 · Bottom 13%
Access
79 · Bottom 20%
vs89 · Bottom 37%
Economic stability
20 · Bottom 3%
vs24 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | 32641 | 33853 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,963 | 12,674 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $35,223 | $44,474 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $20,107 | $25,161 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 203/sq mi | 1,465/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $144,000 | $209,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,006 | $1,059 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.0% | 53.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.4% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.4% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 30.7% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,009 | 329 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.8 | 19.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 102.1% | -30.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 52°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.3" | 46.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 27 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 37.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.51 | 18.40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 40.5% | 40.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.6% | 40.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.7% | 75.6% | 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.
33853
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hurricane.
Full profiles: 32641 — Gainesville, FL · 33853 — Lake Wales, FL · How this is calculated: methodology