Jobs, pay and daily life in Gainesville, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Gainesville is a city in Georgia with 45,032 residents. The median household earns $66,974 a year and the median rent is $1,299 a month, which is 23.3% of the median household income. It is part of the Gainesville, GA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 103,870 jobs.
How Gainesville compares. Among the 100 largest places in Georgia, Gainesville is #21 by population, #91 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #80 for remote work (#1 = most), #72 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Hall County, is #8 of 159 counties for average pay ($63,932).
Gainesville has 45,032 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Georgia. It covers 34 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,332 people per square mile. The median age is 33.3, 11% younger than the state median (33.3 against 37.6).
The median gross rent is $1,299 a month (rent plus utilities), 7% below the state median ($1,299 against $1,393). Over a year that is 23.3% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $382,200, which is 5.7 times the median household income ($66,974); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 39.2% of households own their home, 40% below the state average (39.2% against 65.7%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Gainesville, GA metropolitan area has 103,870 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $45,900 a year, 10% below the national median ($45,900 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (16,840 jobs, median $41,080); transportation and material moving (12,640 jobs, median $41,380); office and administrative support (10,320 jobs, median $44,510). The area is most specialised in production (2.9 times) and transportation and material moving (1.4 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($107,370) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($87,690). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Hall County was 3.0%. 60.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Hall County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 68.4% drive alone, 3.3% use public transit, 2.9% walk, 8.8% work from home. 16.7% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 16% below the state average (16.7% against 19.8%).
27.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 22% below the state share (27.1% against 35.0%). 21.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 95% above the state share (21.8% against 11.2%). The poverty rate is 20.1%, 50% above the state rate (20.1% against 13.4%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 78°F (25.5°C), and the coolest is Jan at 39°F (3.8°C). About 1,426 mm (56 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (149 mm) and Oct the driest (104 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Braselton (13 miles, rent 60% higher); Buford (15 miles, rent 4% higher); Jefferson (17 miles, rent 17% lower); Sugar Hill (18 miles, rent 43% higher). Rent differences are against Gainesville; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Georgia (1,099) →State guide: GeorgiaCountry guideHall CountyGeorgia rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,099 federal postings open in Georgia (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Georgia →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 3,820 | 1.94 | $38,930 | $31,320 | $46,760 | -3% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,910 | 1.13 | $26,690 | $20,730 | $35,770 | -14% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,590 | 1.00 | $31,870 | $22,820 | $48,680 | -10% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 2,240 | 2.39 | $39,420 | $35,370 | $47,870 | -12% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 2,170 | 1.58 | $56,770 | $39,670 | $87,670 | -3% |
| Cashiers | 1,890 | 0.92 | $29,320 | $22,720 | $35,700 | -11% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,810 | 0.77 | $95,710 | $47,770 | $217,890 | -10% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,490 | 0.90 | $39,790 | $29,600 | $55,590 | -12% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,400 | 0.74 | $35,180 | $29,500 | $47,600 | -6% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,390 | 0.92 | $17,980 | $15,080 | $46,000 | -49% |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 1,360 | 5.35 | $40,820 | $34,560 | $61,700 | -6% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,340 | 0.91 | $33,350 | $26,740 | $42,330 | -9% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 1,330 | 2.58 | $39,980 | $35,660 | $59,330 | -14% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,320 | 0.76 | $39,310 | $29,110 | $60,650 | -12% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,220 | 1.19 | $49,350 | $36,980 | $70,850 | -0% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 1,220 | 2.70 | $69,640 | $45,030 | $100,460 | -6% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,050 | 1.08 | $41,390 | $34,130 | $48,740 | -2% |
| Light Truck Drivers | 1,020 | 1.55 | $48,010 | $29,880 | $96,840 | +7% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,020 | 1.59 | $45,060 | $36,350 | $55,810 | -2% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 990 | 2.48 | $43,180 | $32,350 | $57,710 | -11% |
These figures are for the whole Gainesville, GA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $45,900 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 20.6% |
| Education and health care | 20.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 11.5% |
| Construction | 10.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.6% |
| Retail trade | 7.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.2% |
| Other services | 4.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.8% |
| Public administration | 1.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.9% |
| Information | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Gainesville lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hall County | 212,705 | $17,999 million | $84,621 | 101,986 | 5,941 | $63,932 | +1.8% | 3.0% | 112,548 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 25,074 | 27.8% | $60,035 | 2.99 |
| Health care and social assistance | 15,982 | 17.7% | $80,631 | 1.09 |
| Retail trade | 9,589 | 10.6% | $39,762 | 0.94 |
| Accommodation and food services | 7,544 | 8.4% | $24,797 | 0.81 |
| Administrative and waste services | 5,982 | 6.6% | $44,182 | 1.00 |
| Wholesale trade | 5,017 | 5.6% | $81,913 | 1.25 |
| Construction | 5,010 | 5.5% | $72,261 | 0.94 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4,003 | 4.4% | $67,473 | 0.93 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,750 | 3.0% | $85,063 | 0.39 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,985 | 2.2% | $45,809 | 0.65 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,900 | 2.1% | $92,109 | 0.46 |
| Management of companies | 1,448 | 1.6% | $104,634 | 0.84 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,208 | 1.3% | $312,027 | 0.70 |
| Educational services | 1,197 | 1.3% | $39,471 | 0.57 |
| Real estate and rental | 805 | 0.9% | $58,620 | 0.51 |
| Information | 624 | 0.7% | $94,913 | 0.33 |
| Utilities | 153 | 0.2% | $111,421 | 0.39 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 68.4% |
| Public transit | 3.3% |
| Walk | 2.9% |
| Work from home | 8.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 16.7% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,974 |
| Income per person | $34,505 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,299 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.3% |
| Median home value | $382,200 |
| Homeowners | 39.2% |
| Poverty rate | 20.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 96.8 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $45,900 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 5.19%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 33.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 75.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 27.1% |
| Born abroad | 21.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 60.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.8 | 39 | 117 |
| Feb | 5.7 | 42 | 123 |
| Mar | 10.1 | 50 | 122 |
| Apr | 14.8 | 59 | 110 |
| May | 19.3 | 67 | 116 |
| Jun | 23.8 | 75 | 119 |
| Jul | 25.5 | 78 | 127 |
| Aug | 25.1 | 77 | 119 |
| Sep | 21.7 | 71 | 109 |
| Oct | 15.6 | 60 | 104 |
| Nov | 9.5 | 49 | 111 |
| Dec | 5.6 | 42 | 149 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braselton | GA | 13 mi | 15,178 | $120,984 | $2,082 |
| Buford | GA | 15 mi | 17,997 | $69,471 | $1,357 |
| Jefferson | GA | 17 mi | 14,990 | $109,828 | $1,074 |
| Sugar Hill | GA | 18 mi | 26,128 | $107,389 | $1,862 |
| Suwanee | GA | 21 mi | 22,349 | $103,260 | $1,885 |
| Winder | GA | 21 mi | 19,437 | $63,779 | $1,209 |
| Lawrenceville | GA | 25 mi | 30,954 | $61,561 | $1,613 |
| Duluth | GA | 27 mi | 32,426 | $95,331 | $1,828 |
| Johns Creek | GA | 28 mi | 81,988 | $160,093 | $2,257 |
| Milton | GA | 29 mi | 41,546 | $171,295 | $2,065 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
45,032 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,299 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.3% of the median household income.
$66,974 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.0% (BLS county, Hall County (latest month 2026M09)).
Georgia. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.