Gainesville, FL

Gainesville is a right-sized college town centered on the 36,000-student University of Florida. The university is the area’s largest employer, and the economic picture, recently mixed, has recovered well and the area is now one of the strongest and most diverse economies in the state. The university has made Gainesville a center for the arts, particularly the performing arts, and the city has excellent arts venues. College sports are an obsession particularly during fall football season. The economy has diversified far beyond the university, attracting research and high tech, along with a large medical center and Veterans Administration hospital. The population has a strong concentration of young people and active retirees seeking the energy of a college town.