Gainesville, GA: Population, ZIP Codes & Nearby Cities

Gainesville, GA is an incorporated city located in Hall County in the state of Georgia. Our data estimates 167,371 residents, places it at 34.290°N, 83.830°W, and lists it in Eastern time. This page explains its population rank, ZIP codes, nearby cities and distance to big metros.

What are the key facts about Gainesville, GA?

What is the population of Gainesville, GA?

Gainesville has an estimated population of 167,371. That makes it the 5th largest of 617 places in Georgia, placing it among the state's ten biggest, and the largest place in its county. The typical place in Georgia has about 1,643 residents, so Gainesville is many dozens of times larger than a typical place in the state.

Estimates for places of this size carry wider margins of error than those for big cities, so treat the figure as a guide to scale. Our guide to understanding city population numbers explains why sources disagree.

Places in Georgia with a similar population include Warner Robins (155,140), Macon (153,159), Athens (141,532), Sandy Springs (109,452), South Fulton (99,155). Comparing these pages is a quick way to see how Gainesville differs from communities of the same scale.

How dense is Gainesville?

Gainesville has about 1,311 people per square mile (506 per square kilometer), which we classify as suburban. Within Georgia, it is denser than about 83% of the listed places. Land at this level is usually a mix of single-family neighborhoods, shopping corridors and parks, where driving is common but destinations are close. Read how to interpret population density to see how we draw these lines.

What ZIP codes does Gainesville use?

Gainesville uses 3 ZIP codes: 30501, 30507, 30504. Several codes in one place usually reflect separate delivery areas, post offices or large buildings with their own code. Codes beginning with 3 are assigned to the Southeast (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee). Learn more in our guide to how ZIP codes work or check any code with the ZIP code lookup.

What time zone is Gainesville in?

Gainesville is in the Eastern time zone, which is UTC−5 from Coordinated Universal Time in standard time (IANA zone America/New_York). The area observes daylight saving time, so clocks move forward in March and back in November. The nearest listed place in a different time zone is Signal Mountain, TN, about 104 miles away, which gives a sense of how far the nearest zone boundary may be. Current local time: see the Eastern time hub. For the rules behind these zones, read US time zones explained.

Where is Gainesville located in Georgia?

Gainesville lies in the northern part of Georgia, at 34.290° north latitude and 83.830° west longitude. The state capital, Atlanta, is about 50 miles to the southwest. The closest listed place in another state is Seneca, SC, roughly 56 miles to the northeast, which shows how near Gainesville is to a state line. For big-city services, the nearest place with more than 100,000 people is Athens, GA, 35 miles to the southeast.

Which cities are near Gainesville, GA?

The closest listed place to Gainesville is Flowery Branch, GA, 9.5 miles to the southwest. Of the eight nearest places below, 1 is in the same county. Distances are straight-line (great-circle) miles measured between place centers; see how distance is calculated.

Which county is Gainesville in?

Gainesville is in Hall County, which has the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) code 13139. The county contains 5 places in our data, 2 of which have their own page here and 3 smaller communities that appear only in county and state lists. Other places in the county include Flowery Branch (8,325), Oakwood (4,156), Lula (2,961), Clermont (1,039). Codes like this one help separate places that share a name; see the guide to counties and FIPS codes.

How far is Gainesville from major US cities?

Among six major hubs, Gainesville is closest to Atlanta, GA at about 50 miles and farthest from Los Angeles, CA at about 1,966 miles in a straight line. Road distances are usually 10 to 30 percent longer. Try the distance calculator for any other pair.

Are there other places called Gainesville?

Yes. Our data lists 5 other places named Gainesville: Gainesville, FL (202,335), Gainesville, VA (17,287), Gainesville, TX (16,886), Gainesville, MO (723), Gainesville, AL (183). When you search for Gainesville, add the state or county so you land on the right one. This page covers the Gainesville in Hall County, Georgia.

Planning a move to Gainesville?

If you are weighing Gainesville, start with the practical numbers: how far it is from where you live, whether it changes your time zone, and how its size and density compare with your current city. Use the distance calculator to measure the trip from where you live. See the cities within 50 miles of Gainesville to understand the surrounding region. Our checklist for comparing cities explains what to check next.

Where to go next

Population and density come from a compiled dataset and are estimates. They may differ from official Census Bureau counts. Verify important figures at census.gov.