Gainesville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Gainesville
Hammond
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 16%
vs35 · Bottom 13%
Growth
78 · Top 8%
vs75 · Top 11%
Climate
85 · Top 2%
vs77 · Top 11%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 25%
vs21 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 11%
vs84 · Bottom 25%
Access
73 · Bottom 44%
vs76 · Top 50%
Economic stability
34 · Bottom 25%
vs31 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Gainesville | Hammond | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 349,923 | 136,738 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,468 | $56,760 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,916 | $31,792 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 149/sq mi | 173/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $266,200 | $212,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,295 | $1,003 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.3% | 70.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.8% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.1% | 19.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,965 | 1,131 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.5 | 8.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 61.1% | 7.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 43°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.3" | 64.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 51 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 32.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.5 | 35.9 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Gainesville
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, wildfire.
Hammond
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Gainesville
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
Hammond
57
Your Score
54
Area Score
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Full profiles: Gainesville, FL Metro Area · Hammond, LA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology