What is Gainesville's Population Without Students?

Updated March 17, 2025: Clarified estimate of non-students with more recent available data.

Gainesville, Florida, is a college town known for having a large student population. While it is true, a large portion of Gainesville's population comes from students at the University of Florida (UF) and Santa Fe College (SFC), much of the population isn't in school. By examining the statistics, we can better understand the size of this non-student population and its significance within the city.

Gainesville has an estimated population of 145,812 as of July 2023.

According to Data USA, UF and SFC have respective student populations of 55,221 and 12,729, as of 2022.

This creates an estimate of 77,862 non-students living in Gainesville.

While the presence of these educational institutions contributes to Gainesville's reputation, it's important to recognize that the city's population extends well beyond the student community. Nearly half of Gainesville's residents are non-students, emphasizing the varying demographics of the city.