2026 Compare Cities Economy:
Gainesville, FL vs Arcata, CA

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Highlights
- Household income in Arcata, is 5% less than it is in Gainesville and is 77% below the National Average.
- Gainesville unemployment rate is 4.4%.
- Arcata unemployment rate is 6.7%.
 Gainesville, FLArcata, CAUnited States
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock6.7%6.0%
 Recent Job Growth  Unlock0.9%1.6%
 Future Job Growth39.6%  Unlock33.5%
 Sales Taxes7.0%  Unlock6.2%
 Income Taxes  Unlock8.0%4.6%
 Income per Cap.$25,986  Unlock$37,638
 Household Income  Unlock$39,069$69,021
 Family Median Income$65,701  Unlock$85,028
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 Est. Households By Income
 Gainesville, FLArcata, CAUnited States
 Income Less Than 15K  Unlock21.2%9.4%
 Income between 15K and 20K5.6%  Unlock3.8%
 Income between 20K and 30K  Unlock17.2%8.1%
 Income between 30K and 40K10.6%  Unlock8.0%
 Income between 40K and 50K  Unlock7.2%7.6%
 Income between 50K and 60K7.3%  Unlock7.2%
 Income between 60K and 75K  Unlock5.8%9.6%
 Income between 75K and 100K9.6%  Unlock12.8%
 Income between 100K and 150K  Unlock14.5%16.3%
 Income between 150K and 200K3.4%  Unlock7.8%
 Income greater than 200K  Unlock3.1%9.5%
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 Population By Occupation
 Gainesville, FLArcata, CAUnited States
 Management, business, finance11.4%  Unlock16.4%
 Engineering, computers, science  Unlock7.1%6.5%
 Community, social services1.7%  Unlock1.8%
 Legal  Unlock0.6%1.2%
 Education, library12.5%  Unlock6.2%
 Arts, design, media, sports, entertainment  Unlock4.1%2.0%
 Healthcare practitioners and technology9.6%  Unlock6.2%
 Healthcare support  Unlock4.9%3.3%
 Firefighters, law enforcement1.6%  Unlock2.1%
 Food preparation, serving  Unlock10.0%5.4%
 Building maintenance3.2%  Unlock3.6%
 Personal care  Unlock3.4%2.6%
 Sales, office, administrative support22.2%  Unlock20.9%
 Farming, fishing, forestry  Unlock0.9%0.6%
 Construction, extraction, maintenance/repair4.4%  Unlock8.1%
 Production, transportation, material moving  Unlock14.1%13.1%
Reviews for Gainesville    60 Reviews

Over 4 years ago

I've lived here most of my life. It's changed a lot, and a lot of the locals don't like it. Because it's home to one of the largest universities in the country, we see a  More

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Lovely diverse city! People is nice and there is always something to do. Outdoors activities are awesome! The springs are beautiful and there are plenty of hiking  More

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Gainesville has the highest taxes and electrical rates in the state. The city is run by a bunch of liberals who have no idea what they are doing. Crime and homelessness  More

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Reviews for Arcata    17 Reviews

Pros: Nature hikes Cons: One of highest crime rates in the nation. Opioid epidemic going on (you’ll regularly witness drug deals and ppl doing drugs) No  More

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It takes a special set of preferences to select Arcata. Is this you? - You love clouds and fog. You are happy if you see the sun maybe 10-20 times a year. - Chilly  More

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Over 12 years ago

I've lived in Humboldt for over 30 yrs and know all the areas well. Arcata is the jewel of Humboldt due to having a university and many liberal creative people. There is  More

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