G ainesville, Florida is located in Alachua County in northern northern Florida. With its stunning landscape and "urban forest," Gainesville is one of the most attractive cities in the entire state. Gainesville offers a diversity of activities and attractions including art museums, galleries, crawfish festivals, beautiful scenery and a warm tropical climate. Gainesville is located only 65 miles away from Jacksonville, Florida and has a population of 109,146 residents.

Due to this close proximity to Jacksonville, Gainesville has a strong and healthy economic structure. Gainesville is the governmental seat of Alachua County and the commercial hub for the entire North Central Florida region. This has helped to make the housing more affordable. The average household income for the city is $29,671, while the average estimated house value is $153,500. Florida is also unique tax wise with no personal income tax, no state inheritance tax, no franchise tax and no inventory tax. All of this combined with a low unemployment rate, means owning a house and living in Gainesville is a very exciting opportunity!

For six consecutive years Gainesville, has been ranked as Florida's most livable city and has scored alongside the leaders in the nation. Past and present famous residents to call Gainesville home include Bo Didley, Tom Petty, Don Felder, Bernie Leadon, River Phoenix, Malcolm Gets, Harry Crews, Marty Liquori, Gabriel Schwartzman, Peter Taylor, and Mary McCauley. The area basks in breezes from the Gulf of Mexico that make summer days warm and the nights comfortable and cool. The winters are dry and mild with temperatures ranging from the 20's to 50's.

The beaches are beautiful and offer sailing, swimming, fishing and sunbathing. If beaches are not your style, crystal clear, fresh water springs are located throughout the region, including Blue Springs, Ginnie Springs, Ichetucknee Springs, Manatee Springs, Poe Springs, Madison Blue Springs, Peacock Springs, Rainbow Springs, Hart Springs, and White Springs. There is also guided cave, cavern and open-water diving instructions and excursions for the adventurous spirit from master dive instructors. Area anglers have easy access to six fresh water lakes. All six offers boat ramps and two provide accommodations for campsites with covered boat slips.

Gainesville boasts to have some of the best restaurants in the area. This robust community has more than 40 restaurants catering to all tastes and budgets. Out door coffee shops are also scattered throughout the city corners and serve as community gathering points. Some of the most elegant restaurants in Florida can be found, less than an hour away in Jacksonville.

In the Gainesville city limits there are several shopping malls and over 60 retail stores each. In the Alachua County area there are a variety of boutiques selling a wide selection of items and services, including men and women's apparel, home goods, music, sporting goods and more. Additionally Gainesville hosts some very large company stores including Wal-Mart, Sears, and Super Target. There is no shortage of shopping within the city, and close by in Jacksonville there is every type of shopping imaginable.

Boasting a low crime rate, the neighborhoods of Gainesville are a comfortable place to raise a family. The public education system is extremely solid. Alachua School District is comprised of 60 schools, and serves the educational needs of over 29,900 students. There is a very low student-to-teacher ratio in the classrooms, providing students with an excellent learning environment. The University of Florida is Florida’s largest and oldest university with an enrollment of 47,241 students.