State rank#24 of 67
Smallest county285,492 residentsMiami-Dade County
Published county profile · Official data · FIPS 12001
Alachua County, Florida
County-level income, housing, jobs, education, health, and population with transparent statewide comparisons and source periods.
Population285,492
Household income$61,949
Unemployment3.8%
Life expectancy77.7 years
County overview
Living metrics at a glance
Alachua County has 285,492 residents and ranks #24 by population among Florida county equivalents. Median household income is $61,949. The annual-average unemployment rate is 3.8%. Its clearest relative strength is primary care access. Its county population is above the state county median. Every figure below stays at county scope.
Within Florida
County population range
The marker places this county between the smallest and largest county populations in the state.
Relocation guide
Moving to Alachua County: what to check
Data narrows the search; municipality, neighborhood, commute, schools, and current listings complete the decision.
Before moving
Before moving, compare municipalities inside Alachua County, because county averages do not describe every neighborhood. Review current housing inventory, commute destinations, school districts, healthcare access, and job locations. Its clearest relative strength is primary care access.
Cost and housing
Housing benchmarks are $288,800 median home value and $1,339/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $61,949, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
Who it may suit
Alachua County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing primary care access, mental health access, and bachelor’s degree or higher. College attainment is 48.8% and life expectancy is 77.7 years.
Potential advantages
- Primary care access: 1 per 643 residents, rank #1 of 65 available Florida counties.
- Mental health access: 1 per 144 residents, rank #1 of 67 available Florida counties.
- Bachelor’s degree or higher: 48.8%, rank #3 of 67 available Florida counties.
Trade-offs to check
- Median household income: $61,949, rank #43 of 67; investigate local variation before moving.
- Median gross rent: $1,339/mo, rank #36 of 67; investigate local variation before moving.
- Unemployment rate: 3.8%, rank #36 of 67; investigate local variation before moving.
Income, housing, jobs, education & health
County metrics within Florida
Rank and range use only counties in Florida with that field available. A lower rank number is stronger when the metric has a clear direction.
Median household income
$61,949
$61,949; below the state county median of $67,500.
State rank #43 of 67 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median home value
$288,800
$288,800; above the state county median of $276,000.
State rank #35 of 67 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median gross rent
$1,339/mo
$1,339/mo; above the state county median of $1,302/mo.
State rank #36 of 67 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Unemployment rate
3.8%
3.8%; above the state county median of 3.7%.
State rank #36 of 67 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics
Bachelor’s degree or higher
48.8%
48.8%; above the state county median of 27%.
State rank #3 of 67 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Life expectancy
77.7 years
77.7 years; above the state county median of 75.3 years.
State rank #20 of 67 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Poor or fair health
17.6%
17.6%; below the state county median of 19%.
State rank #25 of 67 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Uninsured
10.2%
10.2%; below the state county median of 14%.
State rank #4 of 67 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Primary care access
1 per 643 residents
1 per 643 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 1,955 residents.
State rank #1 of 65 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Mental health access
1 per 144 residents
1 per 144 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 766 residents.
State rank #1 of 67 · County Health Rankings & RoadmapsCommon questions
Alachua County FAQ
Is Alachua County a good place to live?
Alachua County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing primary care access, mental health access, and bachelor’s degree or higher. College attainment is 48.8% and life expectancy is 77.7 years.
What should I know before moving to Alachua County?
Start with housing, employment, commute, schools, healthcare access, and the specific municipality. Housing benchmarks are $288,800 median home value and $1,339/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $61,949, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the population of Alachua County?
Alachua County has 285,492 residents in the 2020–2024 ACS 5-year dataset.
What is the FIPS code for Alachua County?
The five-digit county FIPS code is 12001; the parent state FIPS is 12.
What is the median household income in Alachua County?
The ACS median household income is $61,949.
How much does housing cost in Alachua County?
Housing benchmarks are $288,800 median home value and $1,339/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $61,949, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the unemployment rate in Alachua County?
The BLS LAUS annual-average unemployment rate is 3.8%.
Similar population
Nearby counties in the state ranking
Source and gate
Methodology and source periods
All records join by five-digit FIPS. Profiles publish when ACS county population is at least 100,000 or the county is the state’s largest. Missing source values remain unavailable and are excluded from ranks. Runtime data was generated 2026-07-26.
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