Population: 108,655 (2006)
Percentage of retirees: 9.1% in 2006
Cost of living index: Average
Public libraries: 4
Public transportation: Gainesville Regional Transit System provides buses. Daily Amtrak services from Waldo (12 miles away)
Access to airports: Gainesville Regional Airport has daily services to Miami, Tampa, Atlanta and Charlotte.
Cultural Highlights: Strong museum and performance arts through the University of Florida.
Access to Healthcare: Good, owing to the presence of the University of Florida.
Climate: Hot summers but pleasant winters, and the inland location helps mitigate the hurricane threat.
Nearby Attractions: The Gulf Coast and "old Florida"-style fishing towns like Cedar, the Ocala area Thoroughbred horse farms, the Silver Springs Botanical Gardens (an old Florida glass-bottom-boat attraction), the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park in Cross Creek, and a handful of natural, spring-fed pools are all within an hour's drive.
Tax breaks: In Florida, retirement income is not taxed. Starting in 2007, individuals, married couples, personal representatives of estates, and businesses are no longer required to file an annual intangible personal property tax return reporting their stocks, bonds, mutual funds, money market funds, shares of business trusts, and unsecured notes.
Number of museums: 3
Number of cinemas: 6
Annual precipitation: 48.36 inches
Useful link: City Of Gainesville, FL
In the Know: "We might otherwise be just a little farm town with a great climate if it weren't for the University of Florida, a huge research university that fills our city with innovative people. Another thing, it's a very close drive from the center of Gainesville to open, green and rural space, rivers, lakes, the ocean-alligators, sandhill cranes, bald eagles, deer, even buffalo. This has been Florida's Eden for a long time. Native Americans flourished here for 10,000 years. With the memory and artifacts of that ancient community and our own more recent history, Gainesville and Alachua County have a profound sense of human-rootedness.
-Jack Donovan, Gainesville City Commissioner
The slogan of this progressive college town is "every path starts with passion," and that does seem to embody the local approach to life. This is not typical Florida fare—neither a golf nor a beach community. Residents are committed to preserving their natural, north Florida surroundings, celebrating the arts, and cultivating an open attitude toward all comers.
The University of Florida, about two miles from downtown, sets the tone and certainly enriches Gainesville culturally with the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. It features groups representing music and theater from throughout the world; the Harn Museum of Art, with strong African, Asian and contemporary collections; and the Florida Museum of Natural History, with a memorable butterfly rain forest. Both museums are free.
Downtown Gainesville has the appeal of a small southern city and its own cultural offerings include free Friday night films on the plaza, fall and spring arts festivals, and the 1920s Hippodrome State Theater. Restaurants add to the nightlife, many concentrating on seasonal and organic cuisine, and such lovely old neighborhoods as the Duck Pond area are within an easy walk of downtown.
At the southeastern outskirts of town, Payne's Prairie Preserve State Park protects 19,000 acres of wildlife-rich wetland. Biking and hiking, canoeing and kayaking, fishing, camping, and bird-watching are all available in this designated national natural landmark. Farther afield but still close by are the rolling hills, small towns, and low-key living of "old Florida."
I grew up in Gainesville and I think it is the best place in the world. I haven't seen the whole world but to me it was a great place to grow up.
Posted by Mike Nauman on April 14,2008 | 04:24PM
In addition to the museums and performing arts centers, Gainesville is now also home to the Kika Silva Pla Planetarium at Santa Fe Community College. The Kika Silva Pla Planetarium is the newest in the State of Florida and houses not one, but two, state-of-the-art planetarium projection systems. Weekend public shows range from children's matinées, to astronomy, to historic and cultural, to Full-Dome Music Videos. More information is available at http://www.sfcc.edu/planetarium
Posted by Laurent Pellerin on April 15,2008 | 09:02AM
I'm an Australian (hometown: Sydney) who has been living in and around Gainesville for 15 years, currently serving as Senior Pastor of the historic downtown First United Methodist Church, a church that is coming alive again along with the rejuvenation of downtown Gainesville. Gainesville has it all, including an enriching and diverse cultural life that befits a university/community college town. And the climate is almost as good as Sydney (minus the harbor and the beaches, of course!).
Posted by Dr. Harold Henderson on April 15,2008 | 11:03AM
Gainesville has a good quality of life and a vibrant cultural scene. Government agencies and non-profits have done a better job preserving local ecosystems than just about any other place in Florida. Unfortunately, like most US cities, Gainesville has experienced a lot of suburban sprawl over the past several decades. Large parts of the city are not pedestrian and bicycle-friendly due to low population densities, lack of mixed-use development and car-centered transportation infrastructure. This legacy will be hard to overcome and undo in the years ahead, even after personal motorized transportation is no longer viable. The City Commission has recently voted to spend almost $20 million on new traffic management system to accommodate more cars on the roads. Some information in this article seems to be out of date. The Amtrak stop in Waldo was discontinued four years ago. The closest Amtrak stop is now in Palatka, 1 hour drive to the east. Population was about 120,000 in 2006, and probably more than that now. The percentage of retirees has also increased since then.
Posted by Pavel Gubanikhin on April 17,2008 | 12:28PM
As a Gainesville resident of 39 years I have seen many great changes in the cultural community. I am delighted to have our city recognizes for its culture and "good living". However, something important has been left out and that is the cultural offerings in which our city and area residents can take part. This is one aspect of our good living. A few examples follow: At 37 years old, the Gainesville Artisans' Guild is the oldest in Florida. It offers original fine art and fine crafts in their gallery which is operated by the artists whose sales commissions pay the rent, etc. Full-time artists and 'week-end' artists belong. The Gainesville Fine Arts Assoc. is a very active organization which runs an art fair every year and presents the members' work in many venues. These groups are very important in that they offer opportunities to have their work shown in public - not an easy thing to do. For people other than artists there is the Community Playhouse; orchestras, musical groups and dance groups they can join. There are classes in many mediums for people to learn or enhance their cultural interests. There are many, many prospects for life-enhancing activities for all ages and interests. We have golf courses too! For many years I have been convinced that the quality of our cultural community was and is amazing for a small city. There's no need to go elsewhere to enjoy wonderful culture or purchase beautiful art. In spite of hot summers, I have loved living here.
Posted by Sheila Andrews on April 21,2008 | 01:13PM
We don't need anymore retirees buying houses that are too big for them, driving too slowly, and crowding everything. Stay where you are and get some hobbies.
Posted by sam bam on April 28,2008 | 10:51AM
Retirees add an important element to a city's culture. They provide much needed volunteer hours to the many non-profits in Gainesville. They provide their expertise, at no cost, to these non-profits as well. Retirees seldom buy houses too large for them. They want to cut back, nor are they the one's crowding the roads. The 70,000+ students that converge in Gainesville during Fall and Spring terms, as well as the 80,000 Gator fans on Fall weekends, are responsible for that. Welcome retirees. We need you.
Posted by Ann Baird on May 1,2008 | 12:59PM
Gainesville is home of the Fighting Gators who won the National Championship in football and twice in basketball. This beautiful atmosphere has so much love and passion especially being a Florida Gator. Don't forget about our Heissman Trophy Winner 2007.
Posted by Donna on May 9,2008 | 01:31PM
Gainesville also has 4 of of the best hospitals anywhere including the UF Shands Teaching Hospital and a VA Hospital.
Posted by Thomas on May 9,2008 | 06:28PM
Ssshhhhhhhh don't let the secret of Gainesville get out. Born here, lived other places, came back, love it. Summers are hot, but traffic is better because the students have left. 1 hour from either ocean. In Cedar Key you can see the sun rise and set over the gulf. The springs are crystal clear and beautiful. Orlando is only 2 hours away. Whether you want sports, theatre, or nature you really can have it all here.
Posted by Patricia Moore on May 10,2008 | 11:16AM