Florida

Alachua

278,468

2020 population

1830

first census record

20

census records

About Alachua

Alachua, Florida, first appears in the United States federal census in 1830, when it recorded a population of 2,204. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 278,468.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 24 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Timucua Territorial Warfare, Newnan's Defeat 1812, Battle of Alachua 1812, and 68 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census Year	Population	Chart
2020	278,468
2010	247,336
2000	217,955
1990	181,596
1980	151,348
1970	104,764
1960	74,074
1950	57,026
1940	38,607
1930	34,365
1920	31,689
1910	34,305
1900	32,245
1890	22,934
1880	16,462
1870	17,328
1860	8,232
1850	2,524
1840	2,282
1830	2,204

Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in Alachua

Military engagements that took place in Alachua, Florida.

Timucua Territorial Warfare

Newnan's Defeat 1812

Battle of Alachua 1812

Seizure of Micanopy Powder Store

Battle of Micanopy

Battle of Micanopy / Fort Defiance (Second Seminole War 1836)

Battle of Black Point (Payne's Prairie 1836)

Battle of Welika Pond

Action at Fort Wacahoota

Battle of Micanopy FL Jun 1836

Battle of Micanopy — Fort Defiance Action (1836)

Battle of Black Point / Micanopy 1836

Destruction of Micanopy's Village 1836

Harney's Transfer – Florida to Mexico

Newnansville Skirmishes

Battle of Gainesville (Aug 1864)

Engagement at Gainesville

Battle of Archer (FL)

Skirmish at Alachua Sink (Micanopy area)

Dickison's Raid on Gainesville (August 1864)

Dickison's Ambush at Saunders' (Waldo FL)

Battle of Gainesville Florida

Battle of Braddock Farm (Near Gainesville)

Confederate Cavalry Skirmish at Taylor's Creek

Historic places in Alachua

National Register of Historic Places listings in Alachua, Florida.

Boulware Spring Waterworks

Rawlings, Marjorie Kinnan, House and Farm Yard

University of Florida Campus Historic District

Lake Pithlachocco Canoe Site

Dixie Hotel, Hotel Kelley

Evinston Community Store and Post Office

McKenzie, Mary Phifer, House

Yonge, P. K., Laboratory School, Old

Bailey, Maj. James B., House

U.S. Post Office

Newnansville Town Site

Melrose Historic District

Rochelle School

Old Gainesville Depot

Mission San Francisco de Potano

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Other counties in Florida

Explore census history and historic records for more Florida counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Alachua County, Florida

This page charts the census history of Alachua County, Florida. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview

An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.

The Land

The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.

Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.

Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.

Finds & Access

Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.

Literature

The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.

Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.

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Frequently asked about Alachua

When does Alachua first appear in the US census?

Alachua, Florida first appears in the federal census in 1830, with a recorded population of 2,204.

What is the population of Alachua?

At the most recent federal census (2020), Alachua had a recorded population of 278,468.

Were any battles fought in Alachua?

24 documented military engagements took place in Alachua, including Timucua Territorial Warfare, Newnan's Defeat 1812, Battle of Alachua 1812.

How many historic places are in Alachua?

68 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Alachua, Florida.

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