Alachua County, Florida Demographics 2026

Demographic data: ACS 2020–2024 five-year estimates. Sources and methodology

Alachua County, Florida has a population of 285,492, the 24th most populous county in Florida. The median household income is $61,949 and the median home value is $288,800. The poverty rate is 21.2%.

Alachua County Quick Facts

Population 285,492

Median Household Income $61,94990% MOE ±$1,676

Median Home Value $288,80090% MOE ±$7,665

Poverty Rate 21.2%90% MOE ±1.2 pts

Unemployment Rate 4.4%90% MOE ±0.6 pts

Median Age 32.3 years90% MOE ±0.2 years

Homeownership Rate 54.1%90% MOE ±1.0 pts

Affordability Ratio 4.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 48.8%90% MOE ±1.4 pts

Adults 25+ with high school education or higher 94.5%

Cities/Places 9

Population 285,492 24th of 67

Median Income $61,949 17% lower than state

Poverty Rate 21.2%

Unemployment 4.4%

How Alachua County Changed

Change from the non-overlapping 2015–2019 ACS period to 2020–2024. Earlier dollar figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars; changes marked “no clear change” are within the combined 90% margins of error.

Metric	2015–2019	2020–2024	Change
Population	265,443	285,492	+7.6%
Median household income	$61,153	$61,949	No clear change (+1.3%)
Median home value¹	$229,773	$288,800	+25.7%
Median gross rent	$1,210	$1,339	+10.7%

¹ The Census Bureau changed its home-value inflation adjustment beginning with the 2022 ACS; interpret that comparison with additional caution.

Median Household Income

Alachua

$61,949

$74,568

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Alachua

$288,800

$359,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 21.3%

$25K-$50K 20.2%

$50K-$100K 27.3%

$100K+ 31.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

8.6%

$10K-$15K

4.9%

$15K-$20K

4.0%

$20K-$25K

3.7%

$25K-$30K

4.6%

$30K-$35K

4.0%

$35K-$40K

4.3%

$40K-$45K

3.1%

$45K-$50K

4.2%

$50K-$60K

7.0%

$60K-$75K

8.9%

$75K-$100K

11.5%

$100K-$125K

8.5%

$125K-$150K

5.5%

$150K-$200K

7.6%

$200K+

9.6%

Employment

4.4% Unemployment Rate State: 4.8%|National: 5.2%

59.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 54.1%

Renter 45.9%

Affordability Index Moderate

4.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,339/mo 25.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

17.8%

18-34

35.7%

35-54

21.3%

55-74

19.0%

75+

6.2%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 65 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Alachua County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Gainesville	145,702	$46,195	30.8%	$247,500
Alachua	10,743	$83,464	9.5%	$299,200
Newberry	7,865	$89,552	9.8%	$288,100
High Springs	6,544	$94,421	13.6%	$320,700
Hawthorne	1,625	$55,406	15.4%	$177,800
Waldo	1,303	$29,894	28.0%	$113,600
Archer	958	$41,058	38.1%	$184,800
Micanopy	747	$74,038	11.2%	$233,200
La Crosse	124	N/A	40.3%	N/A

Explore Florida Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Alachua County is located in Florida with a total population of 285,492. It is the 24th most populous county out of 67 in Florida. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Alachua County is 32.3 years. This is 24% lower than the state median of 42.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Alachua County is $61,949. This is 17% lower than the state median of $74,568. It is also 23% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.2%. This is 68% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 4.4%. This is 10% lower than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $288,800. Housing costs are 20% lower than the state median of $359,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.7x. 54.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% lower than the state average of 67.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Alachua County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 57.6% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 19.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (12.6%) is well below the state average of 27.4%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (6.0% vs 2.9%).

Education

48.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Alachua County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 43% higher than the state rate of 34.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.5%. Notably, 25.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Alachua County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Florida and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Alachua County, Florida?

Alachua County has a population of 285,492, making it the 24th most populous county in Florida.

What is the median income in Alachua County?

The median household income in Alachua County is $61,949 with a poverty rate of 21.2%.

How many cities are in Alachua County, Florida?

Alachua County contains 9 Census-designated places.