Overall Great Place to live.
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8/12/2013
Moved here in 1991 with my family of wife and 3 children. Selected an area to live with high performing schools for children to attend. Always a lot of entertaining things to do here which was much more affordable than in previous larger communities. Housing was and is very affordable even in the more desirable neighborhoods. It is easy to get around anywhere in town with the exception of traffic near the university during large sports events. For the size of town there is an abundance of different restaurants. Grocery store prices at the monopoly of "Publix" are moderate. Gas is higher than most of the state. Utility prices are outrageously high through GRU which is owned by the city. There are nice places to live that do not have GRU and those rates are reasonable - but you have to look for them. This is a very liberal town overall and county and city government behave that way. People are friendly and networking is easy as people are used to newcomers because UF and the excellent health care provider network in the area attract new people to the area. Public schools are excellent if you choose to move into a zoned area with the best schools. Private school options are limited but good. Employment opportunities are good for many disciplines but limited for others. There is not the diverse employment opportunities of a large city, but much better than many small ones. All 3 children received an excellent education here. All obtained college degrees and have very good jobs - 1 remains in Gainesville, the other 2 married and moved elsewhere with spouses. It has been a GREAT place to raise a family.
Bob | Gainesville, FL