County profile · Florida
Alachua County, FL market data
How Alachua County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 290,028
- +3.7% since 2020
- Households
- 116,786
- Median household income
- $61,949
- +24.7% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $288,800
- Jobs located here
- 139,721
- Highest market score
- 68
- Pet grooming and boarding, #281 of 1,461 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Alachua County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Alachua County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Alachua County has an estimated 290,028 people and 116,786 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Alachua County grew 3.7%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in Alachua County is $61,949, 23% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 24.7%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Alachua County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 109, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (70).
Of the business types scored in Alachua County, pet grooming and boarding businesses (68), HVAC and plumbing companies (66) and laundromats (63) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For pet grooming and boarding businesses, that ranks #281 of 1,461 scored counties.
Alachua County is part of the Gainesville metro area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for pet stores (80% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for dry cleaners (31% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Alachua County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Alachua County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pet grooming and boarding | 68 | #281 of 1,461 | 42 | 3.6 | $2.4M | 93 | 19 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 66 | #308 of 1,707 | 63 | 5.4 | $5.1M | 106 | 81 |
| Laundromats | 63 | #231 of 785 | 16 | 1.4 | $13.2M | 106 | 5 |
| Insurance agencies | 63 | #697 of 2,272 | 142 | 12.2 | $1.8M | 140 | 94 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 62 | #389 of 1,327 | 26 | 2.2 | $3.5M | 114 | 19 |
| Home repair trades | 62 | #504 of 2,057 | 134 | 11.5 | $2.4M | 98 | 156 |
| Grocery stores | 62 | #626 of 2,070 | 70 | 6.0 | $9.7M | 104 | 43 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 61 | #764 of 2,402 | 210 | 18.0 | $3.2M | 95 | 74 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 60 | #153 of 479 | 6 | 0.5 | $15.3M | 111 | 5 |
| Roofing and gutters | 60 | #366 of 1,177 | 36 | 3.1 | $8.8M | 105 | 22 |
| Convenience stores | 59 | #800 of 2,261 | 103 | 8.8 | $6.6M | 83 | 31 |
| Gas stations | 58 | #841 of 2,358 | 136 | 11.6 | $2.2M | 91 | 95 |
| Dry cleaners | 57 | #191 of 507 | 10 | 0.9 | $21.2M | 135 | 12 |
| Electricians | 57 | #433 of 1,160 | 35 | 3.0 | $9.1M | 76 | 53 |
| Funeral homes | 56 | #558 of 1,472 | 24 | 2.1 | $589K | 87 | 13 |
| Auto repair shops | 56 | #908 of 2,378 | 195 | 16.7 | $470K | 106 | 87 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 54 | #614 of 1,493 | 74 | 6.3 | $2.2M | 76 | 116 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 53 | #624 of 1,302 | 49 | 4.2 | $2.5M | 81 | 12 |
| Pizza | 53 | #905 of 2,090 | 88 | 7.5 | $4.7M | 93 | 238 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 52 | #399 of 887 | 41 | 3.5 | Index only | 106 | 16 |
| Car washes and detailing | 52 | #682 of 1,451 | 38 | 3.3 | $2.4M | 96 | 16 |
| Auto repair and car care | 52 | #1,141 of 2,401 | 353 | 30.2 | $260K | 97 | 131 |
| Chiropractors | 50 | #736 of 1,490 | 58 | 5.0 | $2.1M | 90 | 29 |
| House cleaning | 49 | #441 of 847 | 29 | 2.5 | $5.7M | 89 | 79 |
| Barbershops | 48 | #763 of 1,356 | 73 | 6.3 | $1.4M | 72 | 5 |
| Physical therapy | 48 | #774 of 1,422 | 58 | 5.0 | $2.1M | 89 | 39 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 47 | #1,274 of 2,222 | 162 | 13.9 | $2.6M | 84 | 238 |
| Child care and preschools | 46 | #935 of 1,611 | 75 | 6.4 | $688K | 69 | 74 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 46 | #1,020 of 1,771 | 124 | 10.6 | $1.3M | 79 | 220 |
| Pet businesses | 46 | #1,287 of 2,200 | 159 | 13.6 | $624K | 71 | 86 |
| Nail salons | 45 | #846 of 1,328 | 81 | 6.9 | $1.2M | 73 | 14 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 45 | #1,122 of 1,889 | 112 | 9.6 | $3.7M | 90 | 75 |
| Pest control | 44 | #421 of 699 | 21 | 1.8 | $7.8M | 77 | 25 |
| Tire shops | 44 | #930 of 1,530 | 44 | 3.8 | $2.1M | 83 | 21 |
| Hair salons | 44 | #1,479 of 2,339 | 247 | 21.1 | $401K | 93 | 66 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 43 | #1,289 of 2,063 | 143 | 12.2 | $2.9M | 79 | 66 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 43 | #1,294 of 2,087 | 177 | 15.2 | $1.2M | 94 | 101 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 43 | #1,507 of 2,405 | 1,260 | 107.9 | $331K | 89 | 516 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 43 | #1,507 of 2,405 | 703 | 60.2 | $594K | 89 | 209 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 42 | #889 of 1,334 | 47 | 4.0 | $1.7M | 85 | 36 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 41 | #1,467 of 2,210 | 255 | 21.8 | $831K | 94 | 118 |
| Pet stores | 39 | #665 of 974 | 42 | 3.6 | $2.4M | 52 | 11 |
| Spas and skin care | 39 | #1,291 of 1,769 | 127 | 10.9 | $780K | 89 | 27 |
| Veterinarians | 37 | #1,048 of 1,485 | 63 | 5.4 | $1.6M | 58 | 56 |
| Property management | 36 | #679 of 910 | 38 | 3.3 | Index only | 80 | 90 |
| Gyms | 36 | #1,361 of 1,792 | 105 | 9.0 | $766K | 59 | 36 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 36 | #1,815 of 2,176 | 352 | 30.1 | Index only | 88 | 160 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 35 | #632 of 777 | 33 | 2.8 | $2.4M | 60 | 36 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 35 | #1,963 of 2,385 | 541 | 46.3 | $183K | 86 | 115 |
| Real estate | 34 | #1,934 of 2,229 | 442 | 37.8 | Index only | 88 | 303 |
| Home inspectors | 32 | #342 of 415 | 11 | 0.9 | Index only | 59 | 12 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 32 | #1,740 of 2,088 | 185 | 15.8 | $435K | 66 | 72 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 31 | #1,620 of 1,886 | 144 | 12.3 | $864K | 88 | 117 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 28 | #1,422 of 1,656 | 122 | 10.4 | $1M | 57 | 238 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 26 | #2,201 of 2,394 | 1,265 | 108.3 | $98K | 64 | 450 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.3 | $31.1M | 127 | 15 |
Household spending in Alachua County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $91.7M | $785 | 82 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $294.1M | $2,518 | 97 |
| Food away from home | $417.4M | $3,574 | 88 |
| Groceries | $676.1M | $5,789 | 92 |
| Personal care products and services | $99.1M | $848 | 84 |
| Child care and other personal services | $51.6M | $442 | 76 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $80.5M | $689 | 70 |
| Medical and dental services | $124.4M | $1,065 | 83 |
| Pets | $99.2M | $850 | 93 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $212M | $1,815 | 88 |
| Vehicle insurance | $249.8M | $2,139 | 109 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $318.5M | $2,727 | 90 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $164.8M | $1,411 | 100 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $1.7B | $14,508 | 87 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Alachua County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 290,028+3.7% since 2020
- Households
- 116,786
- Median age
- 36.6
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 54%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.6
- Land area
- 876 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 326
- Median household income
- $61,949+24.7% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $93,386
- Median home value
- $288,800
- Jobs located here
- 139,721
- Daytime population
- 316,161Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Alachua County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Alachua County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Florida 8
- Union County, FL15,701 people
- Bradford County, FL27,885 people
- Gilchrist County, FL19,040 people
- Levy County, FL45,391 people
- Columbia County, FL71,789 people
- Marion County, FL400,078 people
- Dixie County, FL17,058 people
- Putnam County, FL75,164 people
Questions
How fast is Alachua County, FL growing?
Population estimates put Alachua County at 290,028 people in 2025, up 3.7% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 116,786 households. Median household income rose 24.7% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in Alachua County, FL spend?
Households in Alachua County spend about $1.7B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $676.1M on groceries and $417.4M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Alachua County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 109, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (70).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Alachua County, FL?
The highest Groundwork market scores in Alachua County are for pet grooming and boarding businesses (68), HVAC and plumbing companies (66) and laundromats (63). Alachua County ranks #281 of 1,461 scored counties for pet grooming and boarding businesses.
How does Alachua County, FL compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Alachua County is $61,949 a year, 23% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 3.7% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $288,800, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Alachua County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for pet stores (80% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for dry cleaners (31% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 55 of the 56 business types have a score in Alachua County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Alachua County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Florida · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in Alachua County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Alachua County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.