I LOVE Gainesville and don't ever plan to leave.
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5/27/2008
After living in South Florida for 18 years, my daughter and I moved to Gainesville and we LOVE it here. Yes, the city revolves around the University but it doesn't have to overtake your life. If you are a Gator fan, you'll love it here. If not, they you can live in the NW or SW of town and never have to set foot on campus or cross paths with a single student. The terrain is beautiful with softly rolling hills and big leafy trees. The climate is relatively mild, although the summers can be hotter and more humid than many Northerners can stand. What the schools lack in resources is more than made up for with low student-teacher ratio. Housing is NOT expensive and the growth has been nicely controlled. This would be a nice area to retire - stable housing market, good health care, moderate climate, and nearly every weekend has some kind of folk, music, art or produce festival going on nearby. I don't know how big of a retiree community there is here, though. There are a few large facilities (The Village, Oak Hammock, The Atrium) that are nicely kept. I highly recommend Gainesville for anyone starting a family or looking to settle down.
Ellen | Gainesville, FL