Are you a New England Patriots football fan who can’t bear the thought of life without your favorite All-American Super Bowl champion, Tom Brady? Want to be closer to the action when the epic Brady-Gronkowski reunion brings Ron Gronkowski back to the NFL as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, along with his former teammate and America’s Quarterback, Tom Brady?
Doubtless, many New England residents are thinking the same thing. After persevering through the pandemic in the spring of 2020, many people are looking for an alternative to big city life and looking for smaller towns with a lower cost of living and warmer weather.
Well, we may have the answer to your dilemma… Gainesville, Florida. Did you know that The Sunshine State has the 4th largest economy in the US? And no state income taxes? It’s true! Already daydreaming about what kind of fun you and your family could have with all of that cost savings? Florida is also one of the most impressive entertainment centers in America. Home to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and well known theme parks, including Walt Disney World. Can Florida get any better? Yes! Florida has also developed quite a reputation for being an awesome place to raise those kiddos!
Moving to Florida? Download our free eBook - Your Guide to Gainesville!
Gainesville is home to the University of Florida, a booming economy, windswept moss hanging from grand oak trees, and a heaping helping of Southern hospitality!
We can't wait to tell you about all the reasons we love our hometown. Download the GW Homes free eBook Guide to Gainesville to read all about it!
Florida offers plenty of sunshine, fun, education, and diversity. Then, there is Tom Brady, who with his beautiful supermodel wife, Gisele Bundchen, has decided to move to Florida (and into baseball legend, Derek Jeter’s previous home) to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Woo-hoo! Tom and his wife and children are now full-blown Floridians.
If you love the thought of living in Florida, but you’re not necessarily sold on the hustle and bustle of bigger cities like Tampa, Orlando and Miami, you may be interested to learn more about Gainesville, Florida, a centrally-located college town full of serious football fans and lots of economic opportunity. Gainesville is known for the University of Florida, Gatorade, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, fresh natural springs, comfortable and affordable living, and fun in the sun.
So, the question begets what’s not so great about moving to Gainesville? Nothing! It has everything you need to live your best life EVER. Don’t believe me? Ask the residents – they have voted this city as one of the best places to live in all of Florida every year. Wowza!
But, the coolest thing about Gainesville is teeming with opportunities – work, personal, social, and even spiritual. There is something for everyone here. And, although Florida has a reputation for being a retirement state, young career adults and young families are flocking to Gainesville because of its excellent colleges and universities (Santé Fe College and the University of Florida), and staying because of its diversity, sunshine, outdoor activities (beaches, the ocean, water activities, jogging, hiking, zoos, parks, etc.), booming nightlife, affordability, career opportunities, and entrepreneurial spirit.
Healthcare here is also top notch. UF Health (formerly Shands) leads the way with cutting-edge university research teams, doctors and experts in a variety of fields. The area also boasts North Florida Regional Medical Center and several other specialty hospitals.
Gainesville offers the perfect balance of all the things that make life worth living. It provides individuals with a safe place to grow, blossom, and thrive. This town is more or less organized on a grid, so it’s easy to start learning your way around and navigating popular Gainesville neighborhoods like – Archer Road, “Downtown,” NW Gainesville, and SW Gainesville.
Southwest Gainesville is a popular area where you’ll find the latest GW Homes luxury housing development, Amariah Park. The best things about homes in this neighborhood are the community pool, playground, and picturesque greenery and walking trails. It’s also highly affordable and energy-efficient (including smart home features). But, best of all is the people – residents are friendly, warm and welcoming – things that are needed when moving into a new neighborhood – especially if you are coming from another state.
In this fast-growing town, you can find a food truck, farmer’s market, yoga class, festival, brewery, or ballgame you never knew existed. New businesses are opening all the time.
So, as you can see Gainesville offers many of the luxuries of bigger cities like but on a more cost-effective and family-friendly scale. So, you get the excitement that comes with having a football dynamo nearby with the affordability, hospitality, and growth opportunities of a smaller, quieter city! Let’s start packing!
Reasons to Move to Gainesville, Florida
Let’s take a deep dive into some of the specific reasons we love calling Gainesville, Florida, home!
Top Colleges & Universities
Another great thing about Gainesville? Its top colleges and universities! UF (University of Florida) is one of the most impressive research universities in the US. In fact, in 2018, it was ranked 9th in Best Colleges by the U.S. News and World Report. And, in 2015, Santé Fe College was recognized as being one of the top 10 best community colleges in the US.
A Robust Economy
Another benefit of moving to Gainesville is its robust economy. Technology has been especially good for Florida, as a whole, and Gainesville specifically. But, a variety of industries are booming right now in Gainesville. These sectors include health care, life sciences, manufacturing and distribution, education, IT, agriculture, smart and green technology, and logistics.
Innovation & Entrepreneurial Spirit
The truth is Gainesville lives on innovation. It thrives on it – relishes it – encourages it – and supports it. There is an entrepreneurial spirit in Gainesville that is unmatched. That is why it is home to iG (Innovation Gainesville), an initiative involving community leaders, stakeholders, and government officials, who are dedicated to creating jobs, fostering creativity, and promoting small businesses.
Gainesville offers these business owners the resources, tools, and support they need, as they forge their own paths in the business world. And, guess what? The University of Florida and Santa Fe College offer tools, training, courses, seminars, internships, and workshops that can help you get your business or start-up up off the ground.
If you have a dream, the best place you can be is in Gainesville. Here, all of your dreams can come true.
Quality of Life
Another great reason to move to Gainesville? It offers your family an excellent quality of life. With pleasant temps all year-long, tons of state parks, water activities, exercise, and a mixture of art and culture to keep residents entertained, engaged, and excited, there’s no doubt, you’ll get the best that life has to offer in the sunshine city. It gets might hot in the summer, but the good news is that you can leave your snow shovels in New England. You won’t need them at all, here.
Retirement
Gainesville was also named one of the top 5 BEST places to retire by the AARP (American Association for Retired People) in USA Today for its affordable cost of living and relaxation.
What About Those Gators?
As you might hear hoards of enthusiastic students chanting from the football stadium on game day, “It’s great to be a Florida Gator!” Gainesville’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (the LARGEST in Florida) is home to the rowdy Florida Gators. Its nickname? “The Swamp.”
On any given fall Saturday evening, you can find the stadium swamped with UF students, families, residents, alumni, and spectators, who are eagerly anticipating an explosive football game. And, on the off-season, you can find thousands of tourists and residents snapping pictures with Tim Tebow’s honorary statue.
The biggest event of the year? Well, it has to the Gator Growl, UF’s homecoming festivities with its fun and energetic pep rally. This event has been around for at least 90 years and has never failed to get the community hyped up.
During the Gator Growl, you can expect to enjoy a night filled with musical artists, comedians, Greek sorority and fraternity dancers, battle of the bands, and fireworks, of course! Who is ready to get into “The Swamp” with the Florida Gators?
Lots of Summer Fun
It would be impossible not to mention summer fun when listing reasons you should move to Gainesville. With its beautiful weather, warm temps, and lots of sunshine, it’s no wonder why people move and retire here in droves from colder, darker climates. There is so much to do here from frolicking or swimming in the Santé Fe River to exploring, kayaking, or tubing in Ginnie Springs. Then, there are marathons, festivals, museums, parks, outside concerts, alfresco restaurant dining, and beaches to partake in. There is something for everyone to enjoy in Gainesville.
Culture Galore
Who says Gainesville doesn’t have culture? The Samuel P. Harn Cultural Museum has been opened since the 90s. This historical artifact displays thousands of priceless cultural pieces, such as African, Asian, Hispanic, and contemporary artworks, and images. And, guess what? If you’re a UF art student, you can get an up-and-close view of these masterpieces with an internship from the Samuel P. Harn Cultural Museum. It sounds like a good deal to me!
The beautiful and historic Hippodrome Theater is also home to many enriching theatrical and musical performances.
Career Opportunities
Another benefit of living in Gainesville is career opportunities. Gainesville’s top-notch colleges and universities provide local companies with eager new graduates, who are ready to start their careers. Don’t have a degree? No problem! You can still find a large pool of non-degree jobs in manufacturing and distribution, healthcare, food services, restaurant hospitality, customer service, management, and many other industries.
Affordability
What’s the BEST thing about living in Gainesville? Affordability! This city attracts new residents because it has a fairly low (and stable) cost of living, as compared to the country’s national average. Moreover, Floridians are not tasked with paying state income taxes! Woo-hoo!
In fact, the general cost of living, including utilities, food, gas, and everything else falls about 6.4% below the country’s national average. What does that look like for you? Well, it means a noticeable reduction in costs depending on what state you’re moving from.
Gainesville homes typically cost between $120,000 and $1,000,000, although there are also homes available at both lower and higher prices. There are also affordable apartments, townhomes, cottages, and condos for every price range.
And of course don’t hesitate to contact the GW Homes sales team, so we can give you a tour of our model center and show you our unique semi-custom homes designed with YOU in mind.
In Summary…
There are so many reasons to move to Gainesville, from affordability, friendly faces, career opportunities, and education to fun in the sun, warm temperatures, relaxation, and activities for everyone! And, then there is football (Tom Brady, we see you!)
So, as you can see there is literally something for everyone to fall in love with when considering a move to Gainesville. It truly is like Heaven on Earth. That’s why so many call it home. Are you ready to take the plunge into the warm waters of this beautiful sunshine-soaked city?
References
- Stroud, R. & Topkin, M. (2020). Tom Brady has arrived in Tampa Bay, moving into Derek Jeter’s mansion. Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved from https://www.tampabay.com/sports/bucs/2020/04/02/tom-brady-has-arrived-in-tampa-bay-moving-into-derek-jeters-mansion/
- Welcome to the City of Gainesville. (2020). Gainesville information page. Retrieved from https://www.cityofgainesville.org/
