How is Living in Gainesville? (Miami, Orlando: environment, relocate, property taxes)

[staywarm2]

Maybe this is the wrong place to ask, but what's it like living in Gainesville? Are there plenty of recreational activities? Is the houseing cost much above the national average? Do having all those students in the area negatively impact the living conditions? What about crime? What about the cost of home owner's insurance and property taxes?

We're considering a move there and would like to have some input. Many thanks!

[gypsystar]

I don't know much about living in Gainesville, but I used to love to visit the town! There are plenty of things to do there - live music, theater, etc. There is a quaint, charming town about 13 miles away called Micanopy, which my husband and I adore (we even got married at the Herlong Mansion, a bed and breakfast there!).

We have thought about moving to Gainesville since we like it so much, but I don't think that there would be enough job opportunities for us there. I have heard that you do have a lot of competition for the lower-wages jobs due to the college students. If you have experience working in a hospital (they have a really good one called Shands) or university setting, you might be in luck. Hopefully some locals will chime in with more advice for you! I am in L.A., wanting to relocate to Orlando, but have been to Gainesville many times...

[her2001]

I have been here for 3 years. To avoid the student it takes moving away from the school and a $200K plus house. Yes this is a general statement but I would need more info to give more.

Taxes are high

Ins is not bad

Crime. Like anywhere else it depends on were you live. The w and NW side is very safe.

[Lunarspell]

I've lived in Gainesville for three years now having relocated from the midwest and I would have to say that this is the worst town I've ever lived in. For ten months out of the year, the traffic is so bad that you can hardly get around town for the "student" population. They are a menace on the street whether in cars or walking because if you have more than one of these people in a car, they are doing anything BUT paying attention to what they're doing and if they're walking, they'll step right off a curb in front of you because they have their IPOD in one ear and a cell phone on the other. You can't go out to eat at a decent restaurant because the "students" invade everything. There is no culture to speak of and what IS here is sad and tired. The entire town is built around Shands and the University of Florida and if you need to work and don't work at one of these places, you're lucky if you make any living wage at all. I've lived in college towns before but nothing like this. If you aren't into football or basketball, you might as well be living on an island. If you aren't into the bar scene, there's nothing to do. If you've seen one sink hole, you've seen them all. Crime is ridiculous with people getting shot in the downtown parking garages (usually after the bars close and people are smashed.) The three months that the majority of the students thankfully leave town are so incredibly hot and humid, it's almost unbearable and doing anything outside is out of the question. There's no breeze usually because we're at the bottom of a geological bowl and the mosquitos eat you alive. All in all, Gainesville is one of the last places I would ever live by choice and I'll be getting out of here at the beginning of summer. I will never, ever come back here.

[staywarm2]

Lunarspell,
You've given some great advice and I appreciate it and will certainly take it to heart!
Thanks.

[Grady]

Gainesville is nothing but a boring ass hick town. It is only good in the fall during football season.

[kloud9kutie]

Gainsville is not a boring ass hick town. The only boring ass hick town-ish area is the immediate area around the University...because all those houses are occupied by students who don't give 2 kraps about mowing a lawn or rotting trash. And i've been to plenty house parties around there...so yeah.

My mom's side of her family lives in Gainsville...my 4 cousins have lived there thier whole life and the oldest of them is now 17.

her2001 gives good advice...just avoid the general area of UF to not get caught up with the student craziness.

But job market is tough there...not as many opp because it is a smaller town...but nothing to be turned off by. I enjoy visiting there. we go about everyother month.

[gypsystar]

I wouldn't discount Gainesville yet, either. My husband and I seriously really like the town, and we have lived everywhere from Miami to L.A. I have never spent more than a weekend at a time there, but I always really looked forward to our visits. We just avoided the UF area and had a great time - there are lots of good restaurants, a pretty good live music scene and the mall wasn't too bad, either. I also love that a lot of Gainesville seems to be pretty environmentally-friendly, and has some "green" stores and a few natural food markets - check out Mother Earth if you go - they have the best homemade salsa I have ever had. I feel like Gainesville has somewhat of a free spirit, hippie vibe to it, which I love.

Can you tell I miss FL? LOL

[mg83]

Lunarspell, I'm so delighted you would never return to Gainesville.

[knightgoose]

I've only visited Gainesville several times, I think it's a great college town, w/ several good live music venues, and a cool little downtown right by campus. But I don't think it's the best place to live if you're not in school at UF, just my opinion, not really a city, still a small town which a touch of blue in the middle of a lot of red...