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GAINESVILLE for QUALITY of LIFE and RETIREMENT
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Cities Ranked & Rated Second Edition 2007
Gainesville, Florida is Ranked Number 1 for its
High Quality of Life
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Gainesville, Florida (www.CityofGainesville.org) and Alachua County (http://www.AlachuaCounty.us), are becoming one of the top retirement areas in Florida and the United States for Active Seniors. You will find on this page, the Attractions & Events page, and the About Gainesville page numerous reasons to live and retire here.
Bert Sperling’s book "Cities Ranked and Rated" (Second Edition 2007) ranked Gainesville as Number 1 for its “High Quality of Life.”
According to Warren Bland’s book “Retire In Style: 60 Outstanding Places Across the USA and Canada” Gainesville is ranked Number 4 in the “Top 10 Best College Towns for Retirement” and Number 16 for “Overall Retirement Quality.” He also ranked Gainesville as Number 8 for “Best Retirement Value.”
In 2007, Gainesville was ranked Number 11 on AARP's (www.aarp.org) "The 15 Best Places to Re-invent Your Life" and ranked Number 8 in the “Top Ten Value Towns for Those Considering Retirement."
It was named one of the "Top Ten Value Towns" for active adults 55+ by www.TopRetirements.com and "One of The Best Places To Retire" by www.55-alive.com. You can also find retirement information at www.BestRetirementSpots.com/gainesville.fl.htm.
In February 2008, Smart Money Magazine (www.SmartMoney.com) ranked Gainesville, Florida the "Top City in the Country to Retire" (Number 1) to during an economic turndown. It's also a great place to live during good economic times.
In April 2008, Smithsonian Magazine (www.Smithsonianmag.com) ranked Gainesville in its Top 15 places as “Culturally-Attuned for Retirement.” They noted that it is a “Dream Place for the Arts” because there is a vibrant arts scene for a city its size.
Among many positive attributes, it has a relatively low cost of living, it is a lively college town, and still has much of its original southern charm. Gainesville has big city amenities and small town qualities in a medium city environment.
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Attractions & Events
About Gainesville - Facts, Awards & Rankings
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Gainesville is located in the center of North Central Florida (The Heart of Florida) having easy access to the Gulf and Atlantic beaches, and the cities and tourist attractions of Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, St. Augustine, and Daytona Beach. The inland location in the north part of state has insulated it from the worst effect of hurricanes so it has much lower property insurance rates than most other Florida areas.
The University of Florida (UF) (www.ufl.edu), established in 1906, is one of the largest universities in the nation and brings Gainesville a full range of educational and cultural opportunities and world class medical facilities. The UF Gators athletic events provide excitement and entertainment for everyone.
Santa Fe College (SFC) (www.sfcc.edu) has several campuses in the North Florida region and actively recruits senior citizen retirees for part-time teaching and administrative positions.
Both UF and SFC provide continuing education, art exhibits, cultural programs, lectures, movies, and community benefits to all age groups. Senior citizens have the opportunity to enroll in classes (classroom and in the field) that cover almost all fields of study.
On the UF campus is the Florida Museum of Natural History (www.flmnh.ufl.edu) and the UF Observatory (http://www.astro.ufl.edu/Tobfacil.html).
The Santa Fe Community College Kika Silva Pla Planetarium (http://www.sfcc.edu/planetarium) and Teaching Zoo (http://inst.sfcc.edu/~zoo/) have programs for all ages.
Live entertainment, plays, shows, and concerts to appeal to every taste are continuously available in many performing arts centers and theaters located in the city and on campus. Art museums and galleries abound for a city this size. Arts and crafts festivals occur in almost every month of the year.
Attractions & Events
About Gainesville - Awards & Rankings
The Shands Healthcare System (www.shands.org) has a worldwide reputation for cutting edge research in numerous fields and quality service. Shands and UF have teamed up to combine medical research, medical care, and teaching. The system includes Shands Hospital at the University of Florida (Shands at UF, Gainesville), Shands at Alachua General Hospital (Shands at AGH, Gainesville), Shands Rehab Hospital (Gainesville), Shands at Starke, Shands at Lake City, Shands at Live Oak, and several community clinics.
Hospitals serving North Central Florida are North Florida Regional Medical Center (Gainesville, http://www.nfrmc.com), Malcolm Randall Veterans Administration Hospital (Gainesville, http://www.northflorida.va.gov), Community Cancer Center of North Florida (Gainesville and Lake City, www.cccnf.com), Nature Coast Hospital (Williston), Munroe Regional Medical Center (Ocala, www.munroeregional.com), Ocala Regional Medical Center (Ocala, www.ocalaregional.com), and West Marion Community Hospital (Ocala, www.westmarion.com).
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Gainesville is surrounded by natural recreation and conservation areas. Alachua County government and many private land preservation organizations have worked together to purchase large tracts that now form an "emerald ribbon" around the south, east, and north sides of the urban area. A half hour drive to the southeast is the Ocala National Forest (http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/florida/recreation/index_oca.shtml).
There are 8 golf courses and numerous parks, recreational facilities, and hiking and bicycle trails in and near town.
Gainesville has warm winters and hot summers with a 255 – 260 day growing season. The climate straddles the humid sub-tropical and temperate regions so there is a vast diversity of plant life. Both tropical and temperate trees, shrubs, and flowers grow well. Something is blooming at any time of the year. There are enough cold days and freezing nights in the autumn and winter to bring leaf color to the deciduous trees.
The local taxes are somewhat higher than other cities and counties because much of the land in Alachua County is in public ownership making the property tax base relatively small. However, there is NO INCOME TAX in Florida and other costs of living, such as housing, are considerably lower. The Gainesville area real estate market is comparatively more stable than Central and South Florida. Home and land prices tend to be less cyclical and much more affordable. Housing choices available include single-family homes, condominium flats and townhouses, mobile homes, and retirement communities.
Gainesville has less traffic compared to other Florida cities. Except for short rush hours in the morning and evening the roads are uncongested. The city and county are in the process of installing a synchronized computerized traffic signal system to further reduce delays.
The Gainesville Regional Transit System (RTS) (http://www.go-rts.com) is the fourth largest mass transit system in Florida and covers the entire urban area Monday through Saturday. The City of Alachua Transit System (CATS) (www.iridecats.com) provides morning and evening shuttle bus service between Alachua and Gainesville.
Greyhound (www.greyhound.com) provides intercity and interstate bus service.
The Gainesville Regional Airport (http://www.flygainesville.com) is in the city limits and has regularly scheduled daily service to Atlanta, Charlotte, and Miami. There is also on-demand service to numerous other cities. Nearby larger airports for national and International flights are Jacksonville International (http://www.jia.aero), Orlando Int'l (http://www.orlandoairports.net/main.htm), and Tampa International (http://www.tampaairport.com).
Amtrak (www.amtrak.com) serves Gainesville through Waldo, Florida, 14 miles to the northeast. Two shuttle buses connect the city to the passenger railroad station daily.
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Gainesville is Your Active Retirement City.
Calendar of Events
Theme Parks
Performing Arts Centers and Theaters
Art and Crafts Museums and Galleries
Natural & Human History Museums & Historical Sites
Sports Venues (Stadiums, Arenas, Racetracks)
Golf Courses
Tennis Centers
Fishing, Boating, Swimming, and Watersports
Active Recreation Areas and Parks
Passive Recreation, Gardens, and Conservation Areas
Farmer's Markets
Shopping Centers and Retail Areas
Senior Citizen Living, Groups, Programs, and Services
Awards and Rankings Attractions & Events
About Gainesville
Senior Citizen Living, Groups, Programs, and Services
In addition to the following agencies there are over 35 more social service and volunteer organizations located in and near Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City, Starke, and Palatka, Florida.
AARP Alachua County Employment Program www.aarp.org/foundation
AARP National www.aarp.org
AARP Tax Aid www.aarp.org/money/taxaide
Alachua County ATC Transport
Alachua County Center for Aging Resources
Alachua County Center for Independent Living
Alachua County Foster Grandparent Program
Alachua County Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)
Clay County Council on Aging
Community Coalition of Older Adults
www.shands.org/public/programs/eldercare
Eldercare of Alachua County
Florida Adult Services www.dcf.state.fl.us/as
Oak Hammock at the University of Florida www.oakhammock.org
Santa Fe Community College Prime Time Institute
Santa Fe Community College Part-Time Senior Employment Program
Social Security Administration
The Atrium of Gainesville Community (Over 55 Community)
The Village (Over 55 Community)
Turkey Creek Forest (55+ Community)
Volunteer Center of North Central Florida
Volunteer Match www.volunteermatch.org
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Email Mark Cohen
Mark Cohen, Broker
EYEMARK REALTY, INC.
www.GainesvilleFloridaHomes.com
Gainesville, FL 32653
352-373-3783 Office 352-222-5609 Cell
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