Living in Gainesville, FL
College town in Florida
Gainesville is a college town in Florida, home to about 144,000 people, with 201,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Gainesville a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $292k and rents for $1,870 a month
- Strong healthcare: 2 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Low taxes: no state income tax, 0.96% property tax
- Low natural disaster risk: 13 federally declared disasters since 2000
👎 Cons
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
- Smaller job market: about 201,000 people live within 31 mi
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Gainesville ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Gainesville: common questions
What is the cost of living in Gainesville?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $292k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,870 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 97, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Gainesville?
Florida has no state income tax, and homeowners here pay about 0.96% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Gainesville safe?
Violent crime is well above the national rate (1.8× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Gainesville?
Gainesville is warm all year: winter days average around 69°F and summer days around 91°F.
Does Gainesville get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from hurricanes and flooding: 13 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.39 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Gainesville?
The nearest major airport is JAX, about 68 mi away.
How Gainesville scores
Each bar compares Gainesville with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Gainesville right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.