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
Covington
Opportunity
75 · Top 14%
vs66 · Top 29%
Growth
71 · Top 15%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
80 · Top 17%
vs79 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 45%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 22%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Schools
46 · Bottom 43%
vs40 · Bottom 36%
Access
65 · Bottom 9%
vs76 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 16%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Gainesville | Covington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,032 | 14,584 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,974 | $58,810 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,505 | $32,109 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,332/sq mi | 921/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $382,200 | $301,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,299 | $1,191 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 39.2% | 48.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.1% | 27.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.1% | 20.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 413 | 98 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.2 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.4% | -77.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.4" | 50.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 57 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 36.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.3 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 33 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.39 | 17.15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 29.5% | 26.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 29.6% | 34.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 65.7% | 84.4% | 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
Gainesville
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Covington
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Gainesville
63
Your Score
66
Area Score
Covington
62
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Gainesville, GA · Covington, GA · How this is calculated: methodology