Alachua County, Florida Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Alachua County is located in Florida with a total population of 281,751. It is the 24th most populous county out of 67 in Florida.

Age Demographics

The median age in Alachua County is 32.2 years. This is 24% lower than the state median of 42.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Alachua County is $59,659. This is 17% lower than the state median of $71,711. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 24% lower. The poverty rate stands at 19.7%. This is 56% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 4.3%. This is 10% lower than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $266,800. Housing costs are 18% lower than the state median of $325,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.5x. 54.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% lower than the state average of 67.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Alachua County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 58.3% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 19.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (12.2%) is well below the state average of 26.8%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (5.8% vs 2.8%).

Education

47.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Alachua County in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 44% higher than the state rate of 33.2%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.2%. Notably, 24.8% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.