Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Hawthorne’s subject grades are an A for cost of living and the outdoors; the weakest is a D for health. Only 17 of Florida’s 774 towns score higher on cost of living. 11% of the land in Hawthorne is conserved, above both Florida’s towns (3%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Neilson House and Hawthorne Cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places. Hawthorne has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Hawthorne beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Where Hawthorne’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Florida), ordered by how far Hawthorne is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 296 in 1900, 1,478 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1890 and 3 maps from 1943 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hawthorne, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 17, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Hawthorne.
Hawthorne beats the Florida average on 1 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 20. 18% of adults have diabetes in Hawthorne, against 13% in Florida’s towns and 12% across U.S. towns. 27% of Hawthorne adults worry about having enough food.
| Hawthorne | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 12% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 15% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 16% | 17% |
| What stands out | Hawthorne | FL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 8% | 9.1% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 14.7% | 8.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Alachua school district. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Hawthorne Middle/High School, with 472 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chester Shell Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 282 | D |
| Hawthorne Middle/High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 472 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within FL on state tests and graduation
The median rent in Hawthorne is $727 a month. The typical Hawthorne home is worth about $224,000, up 0.5% in a year, 40% below the Florida typical home.
| Hawthorne | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $727 a month | $1,647 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 68% | 72% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Hawthorne for work: only 3% work in town. Jobs based in Hawthorne grew to 369 in 2023, 143 more than in 2013. 15% of residents live below the poverty line in Hawthorne.
| Hawthorne | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $55,000 | $73,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 5% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Hawthorne’s median age is 36.7 years. 28% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 34% across Florida.
| Hawthorne | Florida towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.7 years | 42.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 15% | 20% | 18% |
47% women, 53% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3 points. Across Florida, 50.9% of residents are women.
| Hawthorne | FL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 14.7% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 15.5% | 9.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.8% | 8.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.6% | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.2% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.8% | 12.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.7% | 13.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.1% | 11.7% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.5% | 9.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 7.9% | 10.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 34.1% | 27.2% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.5% | 18.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.4% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.5% | 21.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.6% | 12.9% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,500, single groups can be off by several points
Hawthorne has warm winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 92°, January nights drop to 44° and snow is almost unheard of.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 63% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
4.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. The biggest park or preserve is Little Orange Creek Nature Park, at 67 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Little Orange Creek Nature Park | — | 67 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hawthorne. Close and well known come first.
16 mi Stadium & arenaBen Hill Griffin Stadium
40 mi Park & preserveGinnie Springs
33 mi National forestOcala National Forest
14 mi State parkPaynes Prairie
26 mi Ancient siteDevil's Den
17 mi MuseumFlorida Museum of Natural History200K visitors a yearBen Hill Griffin Stadium: The original uploader was Hughs at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.5 · Ginnie Springs: (WT-de) Mistoffeles, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ocala National Forest: Sandra Friend, Public domain · Paynes Prairie: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Devil's Den: Eric Beach, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Florida Museum of Natural History: WillMcC, CC BY-SA 3.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of Hawthorne
About 11 of every 100 Hawthorne residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Florida.
3 notable people were born in Hawthorne.
City in Florida, United States
Hawthorne ( ) is a city in Alachua County, Florida, United States, incorporated in 1881. Indigenous peoples of the Americas had been living in the area since around 100 CE; Hawthorne grew around their trading trails. Throughout its history, Hawthorne has been known for its agriculture, railroad, and rural lifestyle. Hawthorne's population was 1,478 at the 2020 census, up from 1,417 at the 2010 census, with an area of 7.38 sq mi (19.1 km2). It is part of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
3 notable people were born here, including James B. Edwards and Cornelius Ingram.
