Metropolitan Area

Gainesville, FL

Florida0
56
/100
Hold
#617 of 894 metros
Top 69% nationally for investing

Market Snapshot

$306,605
Median Home Price
20% above national median
$1,681/mo
Median Rent
21% above national median
6.58%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Top 33% nationally
-$606
Est. Monthly Cash Flow
With 20% down at 7.4% rate

Home values and rents: available snapshot

Only one observation is stored for Gainesville, FL. A historical trend cannot be calculated from this snapshot.

Typical home value (ZHVI)
$306,605
Source period: 2026-05-31
Monthly rent index (ZORI)
$1,681
Source period: 2026-05-31

Stored snapshot: 2026-06-29. Source dates describe the underlying observations, not today’s market.

Quick Investment Calculator

20%
5%50%100%

Purchase

Purchase Price$306,605
Down Payment (20%)$61,321
Loan Amount$245,284
Interest Rate7.40%

Monthly Cash Flow

Gross Rent+$1,681
Monthly P&I-$1,698
Est. Expenses (35%)-$588
Net Cash Flow-$605/mo
4.3%
Cap Rate (all cash)
-10.3%
Cash-on-Cash Return
6.58%
Rent-to-Price Ratio
Negative leverage: At 7.40% rates, borrowing costs exceed the 4.3% cap rate. All-cash buyers may see better returns.

* Based on metro-wide median values. 35% expenses include taxes, insurance, maintenance, vacancy, and property management. Individual counties and properties vary significantly.

Score Breakdown

Overall Investment Score
56/100
56
Cash Flow(30%)
66/100

Based on 6.58% rent-to-price ratio. Higher ratios indicate stronger cash flow potential.

Appreciation(25%)
43/100

Based on -1.0% YoY price growth. Moderate growth (3-8%) scores highest.

Stability(25%)
50/100

Based on 0.0% population growth. Growing areas indicate economic stability.

Affordability(20%)
64/100

Based on price relative to estimated local incomes.

Scores are calculated using real Zillow metro-level home value and rent data, Census population data, and economic indicators. The weighted average produces the overall investment score. This metro score represents area-wide averages; individual counties may vary significantly.

Investment Outlook

Strengths

  • +Above-average rent-to-price ratio (6.58%)
  • +Low unemployment (0.0%)

Challenges

  • -Declining home values (-1.0% YoY)
  • -Negative cash flow at typical financing (-$606/mo)
  • -Negative leverage (cap rate 4.3% < mortgage rate 7.4%)

Counties in Gainesville, FL

County data is being compiled for this metro area.

Section 8 in Gainesville, FL: payment standards by ZIP, PHA waitlist status, and voucher counts are on VoucherMatch, the same HUD dataset with the tenant demand side attached.

Compare to Similar Metros

Metro AreaVerdict
Arkadelphia, AR
Arkadelphia, AR
76$165,028Est.Strong BuyView
Borger, TX
Borger, TX
76$125,351$1,0009.57%Strong BuyView
Marietta, OH
Marietta, OH
76$187,264$1,2508.01%Strong BuyView
Fremont, OH
Fremont, OH
76$190,301Est.Strong BuyView
Bartlesville, OK
Bartlesville, OK
76$184,820$1,2107.86%Strong BuyView
Current
Gainesville, FL
56$306,605$1,6816.58%Hold

The Bottom Line

HoldGainesville, FL is a neutral market. Consider house hacking or targeting below-market deals in specific counties.

The Gainesville, FL metro area scores 56/100, ranking #617 of 894 US metros (top 69%). The 6.58% rent-to-price ratio falls below the 1% monthly rent rule (12% annually). Check operating costs and financing before making an offer. Current metro-wide averages make traditional buy-and-hold investing challenging. Consider house hacking, value-add strategies, or drilling down to specific counties.

Monthly Cash Flow
$-606/mo
Cap Rate
4.3%
Cash-on-Cash
-11.9%

Ready to Invest in Gainesville, FL?

Use our investment calculators to run detailed numbers on specific properties, or explore individual counties for more targeted opportunities.