Best city for remote work? Gainesville, FL

C
Score
48/100
Rank #120 (top 200 cities)
Data: ACS 2023 (5-year)

Gainesville can work for remote work if you’re optimizing for typical rent (2br), plus bachelor’s+ rate. Overall, it’s closer to the median in this set (#120 of 200). The biggest tradeoff is median household income.

Methodology · Sources · FL rankings

Scope note (city proper)

This page scores the incorporated city limits (Census “Place”), not the metro area. That’s why some cities can look very different vs their surrounding region.

Why Gainesville ranks here

  • Typical rent (2BR): $1,286/mo (11% lower than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Bachelor’s+ rate: 52% (49% higher than the national median; better for this metric).
  • Commute 45+ min share: 5% (55% lower than the national median; better for this metric).

Watch-outs

  • Median household income: $45,611 (40% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).
  • Broadband subscription: 85% (6% lower than the national median; worse for this metric).

City snapshot

Basic demographics from ACS 2023 (city proper).

Population
143,611
Estimated total population (ACS).
Male vs female
Male 48%Female 52%

Key metrics

Values shown are from ACS 2023. National medians are computed across the ranked city set.

Typical rent (2BR)
$1,286/mo
National median: $1,441/mo
Work-from-home share
12%
National median: 12%
Broadband subscription
85%
National median: 91%
Median household income
$45,611
National median: $75,598
Bachelor’s+ rate
52%
National median: 35%
Commute 45+ min share
5%
National median: 11%

Score breakdown (by category)

Category scores are 0–100 and summarize groups of metrics used in the final score.

City
National median (dataset)
Affordability
Typical 2BR rent and housing pressure.
78/100
Connectivity
Broadband availability as a practical remote-work proxy.
85/100
Workforce
Remote-work adoption and human-capital signals.
18/100
Comfort
Commute friction and climate comfort.
95/100

Education (age 25+)

Share of adults by attainment (ACS).

6%
Less than HS
43%
HS / Some college
26%
Bachelor’s
26%
Advanced

Work style

WFH vs not WFH (ACS).

12%
Work from home
88%
Not WFH

Internet access

Household broadband subscription (ACS).

85%
Broadband
15%
No broadband

Scorecard breakdown

Bars are rescaled to 0–100 for readability (percentage metrics use their actual percent).

City
National median (dataset)
Typical rent (2BR)
National median $1,441/mo
$1,286/mo
Broadband subscription
National median 91%
85%
Work-from-home share
National median 12%
12%
Median household income
National median $75,598
$45,611
Bachelor’s+ rate
National median 35%
52%
Commute 45+ min share
National median 11%
5%

Similar cities (by score)

FAQ

What is Gainesville’s remote work score and rank?
Gainesville, FL scores C (48/100) and ranks #120 out of the top 200 US cities in this dataset.
Is this based on Gainesville city proper or the metro area?
City proper (incorporated place). This uses Census ‘Place’ boundaries, not the metro area. Metro-level rankings can differ a lot from the city itself.
What is the population of Gainesville, FL?
Population is about 143,611 (ACS 2023, city proper).
What is the male vs female split in Gainesville, FL?
About 48% male and 52% female (ACS 2023).
What is a typical monthly rent in Gainesville, FL?
Typical rent (2BR) is $1,286/mo (national median: $1,441/mo).
What share of workers work from home in Gainesville, FL?
Work-from-home share is 12% (national median: 12%).
How common is broadband internet in Gainesville, FL?
Broadband subscription is 85% of households (national median: 91%).
What does the education mix look like in Gainesville, FL?
Among adults 25+, the shares are roughly: less than HS 6%, HS/some college 43%, bachelor’s 26%, advanced 26%.
Where does this data come from for Gainesville, FL?
Metrics are from Census ACS 2023 5-year estimates (city proper / incorporated place), with optional NOAA climate normals when available.

Note: Scores are informational and depend on data coverage and methodology. Always validate against your personal constraints (job, neighborhood, commute, safety, schools, healthcare).