Gainesville · 2026 Real Estate Guide

Gainesville real estate.

Gainesville is the University of Florida city and the economic anchor of North Central Florida, built around UF and UF Health Shands. It offers more home for the money than coastal Florida, a college-town culture, and quick access to freshwater springs and conservation land. From the historic Duckpond in town to planned west-side communities like Haile Plantation and the surrounding Alachua County towns, this is the buyer's guide to the area.

See the Gainesville housing market data → the latest median price, price per square foot, and trend.

Sources: Redfin · Zillow · FRED · Alachua County property records · Momentum closings
Last updated: June 2026 (March Redfin data) · Next: monthly
$282,000
Median Sale Price
Gainesville, March 2026 (Redfin)
$189
Median Price / Sq Ft
Gainesville, March 2026 (Redfin)
+5.4%
Year Over Year
Median sale price, March 2026 (Redfin)

Gainesville at a glance.

Gainesville runs on the University of Florida and UF Health Shands, which makes its housing market steadier than most college towns its size because the buyer pool blends faculty, medical staff, researchers, and retirees alongside students. The in-town historic districts near campus hold their value on character and walkability, the west side draws a broad range of buyers to planned communities with newer construction, and the towns ringing the county trade a longer commute for land and lower prices.

As of March 2026, the Gainesville median sale price was about $282,000, up roughly 5 percent year over year, at around $189 per square foot. That runs well below the coastal Northeast Florida counties, which is the area's defining advantage for buyers focused on value.

A note on the numbers

Gainesville sits in Alachua County, which is outside the six-county Northeast Florida region covered by the NEFAR monthly reports we use for Jacksonville, St. Johns, Clay, and Nassau. The figures on this page come from national aggregators like Redfin and Zillow with the date attached, not from NEFAR. For the right number on a specific home, a comparable-sales analysis still beats any market-wide median.

Gainesville single-family market · March 2026
MetricValue
Median sale priceabout $282,000
Median price per square footabout $189
Year-over-year changeup about 5.4%
Largest employersUniversity of Florida, UF Health Shands
School districtAlachua County Public Schools
Source: Redfin, March 2026 (the most recent release at publication). Metro medians blend many areas and home types. See the Gainesville housing market tracker for the full picture and the individual community guides for area-level detail.

The neighborhoods buyers ask about.

Gainesville is not one market. Here are the communities and towns that draw the most buyer interest, each with a full guide.

Community / areaWhat it is
Haile PlantationLarge west-side planned community with a village center and golf
Town of TiogaWalkable new-urbanist west-side community near Jonesville
DuckpondHistoric in-town district of early-1900s homes near downtown
City of AlachuaHistoric Main Street town north of Gainesville near Progress Park
High SpringsSprings-country gateway town with antique shops and river access
NewberryFast-growing west-county town with sports tourism and more land

Gainesville by the numbers.

805
Homes for sale
193 listed in the last 7 days
$299,900
Median asking price
median 50 days on market
104
Under contract
263 communities with recorded sales

Live realMLS inventory as of September 2026; the full list is on Gainesville homes for sale · condos (185) · townhomes (53) · manufactured homes (10).

Communities with the most sales.

Ranked by recorded closings in the trailing 12 months from the realMLS record; each name links to the community guide with sold prices, HOA and CDD detail and the commute.

CommunityMedian sold priceClosings (12 mo)Avg days on market
Haile Plantation$378,0006063
Oaks Preserve$406,0004613
Northwood Pines$251,0002946
Finley Woods$463,00022n/a
Turkey Creek Forest$202,0002288
Northwood$270,0001929
Highland Court Manor$216,0001818
Rockwood Villas$178,0001852
Mentone$397,00017105
Cobblefield$565,0001681
Windsor Park at Gainesville$158,0001523
Forest Ridge$450,00014n/a

Everything we publish about Gainesville.

Homes for sale · Pool homes · Golf-course homes · Gated communities · 4-bedroom homes · Homes under $300K · Home values · Best neighborhoods · Moving to Gainesville · Cost of living · New construction · Should I sell now · Real estate agents · Market data.

ZIP scorecards: 32601 · 32603 · 32605 · 32606 · 32607 · 32608 · 32609 · 32641 · 32653

Schools.

Gainesville and the surrounding towns are served by Alachua County Public Schools. School zoning is one of the bigger drivers of home value, it varies by address, and it changes as the district adjusts boundaries. Confirm the current assignment for any specific home with the district before you buy. See the schools in Alachua County guide for the rankings and how zoning affects prices, and the district locator at sbac.edu to verify an address.

Buying or selling in Gainesville.

A metro median is a starting point, not a price. The right number for a specific home or offer comes from recent comparable sales in that exact neighborhood, which is what a local agent provides. Momentum represents buyers and sellers across the Gainesville area, and works only for you. Call (904) 351-6461 or reach us at jon@movewithmomentum.com.

Methodology and sourcing

Market figures on this page come from Redfin and Zillow city-level releases, the most recent being March 2026 at publication, with FRED for county-level series. Because Alachua County is outside the NEFAR reporting region, we do not cite NEFAR for Gainesville. Metro medians describe the whole city and are not a substitute for a comparable-sales analysis of a specific property. Every community linked here has its own guide with prices, schools, and the honest trade-offs.

Explore Gainesville guides.

Community and town guides: Haile Plantation · Town of Tioga · Duckpond · City of Alachua · High Springs · Newberry

Schools: Schools in Alachua County

Other North Central Florida: Ocala & Marion County

Related: Gainesville Housing Market Data · All Neighborhood Guides · Housing Data

Sources & Disclosure

Primary sources: Redfin and Zillow city-level housing data · FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) · Alachua County property records · U.S. News school rankings · Momentum closings. Data accuracy reflects Momentum Realty's best available information as of the last update date. Alachua County is outside the NEFAR reporting region.

Important: Information on this page is for general informational purposes only and is not financial, legal, tax, or insurance advice. Always consult a licensed professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Affiliated Business Arrangement: The principal owners of Momentum Realty, Jon Brooks and Brittany Brooks, have a 50% ownership interest in Titan Title Services LLC. You are not required to use Titan Title Services LLC. There are frequently other settlement service providers available with similar services; you are free to shop around to determine that you are receiving the best services and rate. See full disclosures →

Last updated: Q2 2026 (June). Next refresh: Q3 2026 (August).

Comparing schools? See our schools in Alachua County.

Going deeper: browse all Gainesville & Alachua County neighborhood guides (64) — honest pricing, HOA/CDD, and fit for every community we cover.

Momentum agents serving Gainesville & Alachua County

7 local Momentum specialists who work the Gainesville & Alachua County market - reach any of them directly.

Common questions

What is the median home price in Gainesville?

As of March 2026, the median sale price in Gainesville was about $282,000, up around 5 percent year over year, at roughly $189 per square foot. Gainesville sits in Alachua County, which is outside the Northeast Florida (NEFAR) reporting region, so these figures come from Redfin rather than the NEFAR releases used for Jacksonville-area counties. Source: Redfin.

What neighborhoods and towns are in the Gainesville area?

The Gainesville area includes in-town historic districts like the Duckpond, planned communities on the west side like Haile Plantation and the Town of Tioga, and the surrounding Alachua County towns of Alachua, High Springs, and Newberry. Each has its own market and price point, so the metro median understates the range from one area to another.

Is Gainesville a good place to live?

Gainesville is the University of Florida city and the economic anchor of North Central Florida, with UF and UF Health Shands as the largest employers. It offers more home for the money than coastal Florida, a college-town culture, and easy access to springs and conservation land. Whether it fits depends on your budget, your commute, and your school priorities, which is what a local agent can map against specific homes. Call (904) 351-6461.

What are the best neighborhoods in Gainesville?

Among the most sought-after are Haile Plantation, the Town of Tioga, and the historic Duckpond, plus the nearby towns of Alachua, High Springs, and Newberry for buyers who want more land. Each has its own price point, amenities, and school zoning, covered in our individual community guides.

How are the schools in Gainesville?

Gainesville is served by Alachua County Public Schools. Buchholz High School is one of the county's public high schools. School zoning varies by address and can change as the district adjusts boundaries, so confirm the current assignment for any specific home with the district before you buy. See our schools in Alachua County guide for the rankings.

Does NEFAR cover Gainesville?

No. The Northeast Florida Association of REALTORS reports on the six-county Jacksonville region (Duval, St. Johns, Clay, Nassau, Putnam, Baker). Gainesville is in Alachua County, which is not part of that region, so we cite national aggregators like Redfin and Zillow for Gainesville market figures and say so.

Do I need my own agent to buy in Gainesville?

Yes. You and your agent sign a written buyer agreement that sets a negotiable compensation, and on new construction the builder often offers to cover some or all of it. Momentum represents buyers across the Gainesville area. Call (904) 351-6461 or use the form on this page.