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City Hall, AlachuaPhoto: Dswisener · CC BY-SA 4.0
Town Hall · Alachua

How is Alachua run?

Alachua’s city government spent $15.2 million on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, about $1,533 per resident. Water and other utilities ($12.9 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Election Day

Tomorrow

General election in Florida.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$15.2M
year to September 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$1,533
In 2022: $1,533, more than 54% of 97 similar cities
Long-term debt
$25.8M
end of FY2022, reported
City staff, 2022
131
full-time · 3 part-time · March payroll $623,368
Typical tax bill
$2,834
0.95% of home value · FL 0.76%

What stands out about how Alachua is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online6 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Runs its own water & sewer59% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2022).A shared school districtShares Alachua County School District with 6+ other towns.
★ What stands out · Meetings

6 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Alachua’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

  • Oct27
    Planning and Zoning BoardTuesday · 6:00 pm · Swick HouseCommunity Planning Month WorkshopMeeting page ↗
  • Oct26
    City CommissionMonday · 6:00 pm · 15100 NW 142 Ter, 15100 NW 142 Ter.City Commission MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct19
    Community Redevelopment Agency BoardMonday · 3:00 pm · James A. Lewis City Commission Chambers, City Hall, 15100 NW 142 TerCommunity Redevelopment Agency Advisory Board MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct13
    Planning and Zoning BoardTuesday · 6:00 pm · James A. Lewis City Commission Chambers, City Hall, 15100 NW 142 TerPlanning and Zoning Board MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct12
    City CommissionMonday · 6:00 pm · 15100 NW 142 Ter, 15100 NW 142 Ter.City Commission MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2022 budget

About $1,533 per resident a year, or $4.20 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 32%.

Where the money comes from
Utility sales 51%Property taxes 16%Fees & charges 14%Sales taxes 7%From the state 6%From other local governments 3%Other taxes & licenses 2%From the federal government 1%Interest, fines & other <1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $1.8 million; interest on debt $752,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $30.6 million.
Compared with similar places

$1,533 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar cities

Alachua’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,533 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 97 Florida cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,449, and the middle half spent $1,034–$2,140. Alachua spent more than 54% of them.

Middle half of the group, $1,034–$2,140Median $1,449Alachua

Includes sewer and trash ($3.7 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
97

Florida cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Alachua itself left out).

Over the years

No trend yet

Alachua reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $2,834 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.95% of the home’s value, vs 0.76% across Florida.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

High Springs$3,239
Alachua$2,834
Florida$2,730
Gainesville$2,364
$2,834
typical bill a year
0.95%
effective rate
$299,200
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Alachua’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Tax bills are one input to Alachua’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Alachua →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Alachua

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See cityofalachua.com for Alachua’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Alachua yet.cityofalachua.com ↗
Who works for Alachua

One full-time city employee for every 76 residents

On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (9,916).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022

Administration & buildings37 + 1 pt
Police33 + 1 pt
Water & other utilities16
Parks & libraries14
Roads & transportation7
Sewer & trash5
Other19 + 1 pt
131
full-time
3
part-time
$623,368
payroll for March 2022
$7.5M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$56,300
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
26
sworn police officers
Compared, 2022.Alachua had 13.2 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 81 of the 97 Florida cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 9.7: Alachua had more than 72% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Alachua County School District

Alachua’s K–12 school district, shared with Archer, Gainesville, Hawthorne, High Springs, La Crosse and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Alachua →
$11,908
per pupil · FL $13,006
28,749
students
$88.4 million
long-term debt

Of the $11,908 per pupil, $6,363 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 49%State 36%Federal 15%

Florida districts overall: 55% local, 29% state, 15% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Alachua’s votes are counted by county

Florida reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Alachua alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Alachua County’s results.

President · Alachua County’s results137,282 votes · results as certified
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat59.4%81,578 votes
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican38.6%52,939 votes

Others: 2.0% (2,765 votes).

Most votes in Alachua County: Kamala D Harris

Florida: Trump 56.1%, Harris 43.0%

The county’s page

100% of Alachua lies in Alachua County. Every 2024 race in Alachua County is on the county’s page.

Alachua County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.

Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.

Who represents Alachua

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Alachua.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: cityofalachua.com ↗
  2. 2
    Florida HouseState representatives
    Chuck Brannan
  3. 3
    Florida SenateState senator
    Jennifer Bradley
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Ron DeSantis
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Kat Cammack
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Florida
    Rick ScottAshley Moody

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Alachua compares with the towns next door

Alachua spent $1,533 per resident in 2022; the neighbor that reported 2022 spent $2,343. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

High Springs: no reported 2022 figuresGainesville: $2,343 per resident (2022)High SpringsGainesvilleAlachua
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Gainesville$2,343$2,364
High Springsestimate$3,239
Alachua$1,533$2,834

Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).

Reach Alachua’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websitecityofalachua.com ↗

Questions about Alachua’s government

How much does Alachua spend per resident?

About $1,533 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,533 was more than 54% of 97 Florida cities of 2,500–9,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Alachua?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,834 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.95% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.76% across Florida. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityofalachua.com.

Who runs Alachua’s government?

See cityofalachua.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Alachua yet.

How did Alachua vote in 2024?

Florida counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Alachua alone. Alachua County, where 100% of Alachua lies, voted Harris 59.4%, Trump 38.6% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Alachua?

131 full-time and 3 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $623,368 (about $7.5M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Alachua in the state legislature?

State Senate District 6 (Jennifer Bradley) and State House District 10 (Chuck Brannan). The House district also covers 14 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Alachua?

The next posted meeting is Community Redevelopment Agency Board on Monday, November 9, at 4:30 pm in James A. Lewis City Commission Chambers, City Hall, 15100 NW 142 Ter, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Alachua’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →