Side-by-side comparison of Pensacola, FL and Gainesville, FL — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Pensacola has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.41% compared to Gainesville's 4.26%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $255,000 in Pensacola vs $265,000 in Gainesville, while rents come in at $1,350/mo and $1,380/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: Gainesville is growing faster at 1.3% annually vs Pensacola's 1%. Pensacola leads on home value appreciation at 3.3% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.79% in Pensacola vs 0.85% in Gainesville. Vacancy rates of 5.6% and 5.5% are both healthy, suggesting strong tenant demand in both markets.
Bottom line: Pensacola edges out Gainesville on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 4.41%, Pensacola's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Pensacola or Gainesville.