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Gainesville

#1 in Best Places to Live in Alachua County
  • A
    Overall Grade
  • City in Florida
  • 897 reviews
    A
    Overall Niche Grade
    How are grades calculated?
    1. Public Schools
      A-
    2. Crime & Safety
      C
    3. Housing
      C+
    4. Nightlife
      A
    5. Good for Families
      A-
    6. Diversity
      A
    7. Jobs
      B-
    8. Weather
      A-
    9. Cost of Living
      B
    10. Health & Fitness
      B+
    11. Outdoor Activities
      A
    12. Commute
      A+
    View Full Report Card
    Gainesville is a city in Florida with a population of 130,790. Gainesville is in Alachua County and is one of the best places to live in Florida. Living in Gainesville offers residents an urban suburban mix feel and most residents rent their homes. In Gainesville there are a lot of parks. Many young professionals live in Gainesville and residents tend to lean liberal. The public schools in Gainesville are highly rated.
    About Gainesville...
    Population
    130,790

    Real Estate

    Median Home Value
    $154,400
    National
    $184,700
    Median Rent
    $930
    National
    $949
    Area Feel
    Urban Suburban Mix
    Rent vs. Own
    • Rent
      61%
    • Own
      39%
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    Niche may be compensated by the third party lenders and others who place ads on the website. Niche is not a lender and does not endorse the products of these advertisers. Fees that Niche receives for ads do not affect the terms you may be offered by the lender you choose. There are many additional borrowing options available.

    Gainesville Rankings

    Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

    Crime & Safety

    Crime & Safety
    C
    Based on violent and property crime rates.
    Violent Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Assault
      444.5
      282.7
    • Murder
      3.7
      6.1
    • Rape
      126.7
      40.7
    • Robbery
      166.4
      135.5
    Property Crimes
    • Calculated annually per 100,000 residents
    National
    • Burglary
      382.3
      500.1
    • Theft
      3,213.6
      2,042.8
    • Motor Vehicle Theft
      323.8
      284

    Residents

    Diversity
    A
    Based on ethnic and economic diversity.
    Age
    • <10 years
      8%
    • 10-17 years
      5%
    • 18-24 years
      34%
    • 25-34 years
      18%
    • 35-44 years
      9%
    • 45-54 years
      8%
    • 55-64 years
      9%
    • 65+ years
      10%
    Education Levels
    National
    • Master's degree or higher
      22%
      12%
    • Bachelor's degree
      23%
      19%
    • Some college or associate's degree
      27%
      29%
    • High school diploma or equivalent
      21%
      28%
    • Less than high school diploma
      8%
      13%
    • Public Schools
    • Private Schools

    Working in Gainesville

    Jobs
    B-
    Based on employment rates, job and business growth, and cost of living.
    Median Household Income
    $36,389
    National
    $55,322
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    Gainesville Reviews

    897 reviews
    All Categories
    Gainesville is a suburb area filled with the liveliness of the University of Florida. The city can go two ways. There are the shopping/recreational places such as Midtown (closest student party zone to campus), Downtown (artsy student party zone and art/music/food appreciation), Celebration Pointe (student devoid and family friendly with a great Regal Cinema RPX theatre), Butler Plaza (for all shopping necessities), and Oaks Mall (student shopping hub). And then there is the campus, which gets more beautiful by the year. Gainesville would not be the same if not for the university and the attention it attracts, and I'm glad I got to spend four years in this constantly growing and expanding city!
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    I think that Gainesville is great! As a college student, there are a multitude of great options when it comes to housing, restaurants, shopping centers, recreational areas/services, and more! The only thing that makes Gainesville a little frustrating can be the traffic patterns, they get kind of stopped up sometimes due to the high concentration of people who live here, but overall it is a wonderful and exciting city: a great city to earn a college education in.
    Gainesville itself is a buzzing college town with a million things to do. It is relatively cheap (if you choose to live somewhere not brand new) and there are a plethora of apartments and homes to choose from. The University of Florida is a beautiful campus, with tons of free gyms and other perks if you are a student. Overall 10/10, not leaving any time soon!