Life in Gainesville

Downtown Gainesville

Location

Gainesville is centrally located in Florida with easy access to a variety of experiences found in few other places. The University of Florida, one of the biggest universities in the country, has made Gainesville much more cosmopolitan with access culture and life typically only found in much bigger cities. Despite this atmosphere, it still retains its small town feel. Gainesville typically finds itself rated among the best places to live in the country due to it’s low cost of living, good public school system, low crime rate, opportunities for small businesses, recreational opportunities, and excellent local culture.

Climate

Mean annual temperature – 71° F, average rainfall – 54.65 inches; growing season 255 days.
Annual days < 32° F = 2
Average high temp in July ° F = 91.3°
Average low temp in January ° F = 43.9°
Annual days with mostly sun = 242
Annual snowfall (inches) = 0

Education

In addition to the University of Florida, the oldest and the largest university in the State, Gainesville is also the home of the Santa Fe College which serves over 22,000 students in its college-level and extensive community education programs. The students in Alachua County’s public school system, which includes eighteen elementary schools, seven middle schools and six high schools, rank in the top 25 percent of the nation in comprehensive test scores. There are also nine private schools and four special schools in Alachua County. High school students can take vocational courses through Santa Fe Community College.

Transportation

Three major highways serve Gainesville: Interstate 75, U.S. 301 and U.S. 441. Multiple air carriers have regularly scheduled service to and from Gainesville Regional Airport, which is the principal commercial airport for a nine-county area. Interviewees also traveling to other training programs within Florida frequently find flying into Tampa, Orlando, or Jacksonville (all within a 2 hour drive) and travel to Gainesville via rental car as an alternative to flying in and out of Gainesville.

For more information about Gainesville and surrounding communities, please see The Guide to Greater Gainesville E-brochure