Gainesville, Florida: Popular for College and Retirement

The renowned University of Florida (UF) is located in Gainesville, a tope rated College Town as well as one of the Top 20 Retirement Cities in Florida. College towns usually are less affected by a recession than are other places, and this is true of Gainesville. .

In 2010, US News & World Report named the University of Florida the 15th best public university in the US and among the Top Ten Most Popular national universities in America. The amount of accomplishment at UF overall is jaw-dropping and has resulted in honors and top rankings from a number of organizations around the world. However, the most popular may be the development of the sports drink Gatorade.

Other organizations and specialists that have given UF high rankings are Kiplinger's Magazine, The Princeton Review, USA TODAY, The Scientist (noted as one of the best places to work in higher education), The National Audubon Society, and others.

The University of Florida is well known around the world, bringing attention as well as economic health to Gainesville -- for every $1.00 invested in the university, a return of $8.00 is produced.

MUSEUMS

The University of Florida houses a large number of the major museums in Gainesville. Any vacationer interested in culture and museums would find plentiful experiences at UF:

• Florida Museum of Natural History - This museum includes a wprld class Butterfly Rainforest.
• Matheson Museum
• Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art
• Thomas Center Galleries

RESEARCH

UF is a top research center in many fields as well, the university having received $574,000,000 in research funding in 2009, followed by additional similar large funds 2010 - 2014. This fundung has been put to good use in such departments as :

• UF McKnight Brain Insititute
• UF Health Science Center - The Emerging Pathogens Institute (preventive health and medicine)
• Institute on Aging
• Biotechnology Development
• UF Genetics Institute
• UF Cancer Center

POPULAR PRODUCTS

• Bacteria-resistant Bandages
• Gatorade
• Glaucoma Treatment
• Termite Elimination
• Soap & Sanitizer Detector for healthcare workers - sets off a badge buzzer when hands need to be cleaned.
• Many others in development

• City College Gainesville
• Santa Fe College - includes the Santa Fe Gallery, a Teaching Zoo, a Planetarium and other attractions.

The City of Gainesville has won as many recognitions as the University of Florida has accumulated in the last decade, 2000 - 2010. Just a few of the accolades include:

• One of the Top 10 Values Towns for adults 55 and older
• One of the Top 13 Best College Towns
• The Number Ten "Mighty Micro" City for Young Professionals
• The Smithsonian recommended Gainesville for relocation, as did AARP
• Black Enterprise magazine named Gainesville to the "Top 20 Best Places to Retire"
• Number 1 Place to Retire During an Economic Downturn - SmartMoney.com
• One of Forbes.com's America's Smartest Cities Named one of the 50 Best Places to Live and Play - National Geographic
• Named one of the Top Ten Cities in the USA for Outdoor Activities by Sperling’s Best Places
• Official Tree City USA and a Bicycle-Friendly Community (League of American Bicyclists)

Another draw to Gainesville it its focus on sustainability.

Nearly 6% of workers commute by bicycle and the city encourages solar power through incentives to businesses and private individuals.

1. The University of Florida Bat House is an unepected adventure, with thsounads of bats emerging in the evenings and flying to nearby Lake Alice.
2. Several State, County and Municipal Parks are located throughout the city, with lakes for water sports activities.
3. The Hippodrome State Theatre features a stage/auditorium, bar service, an arts gallery and other amenities. It is the architectural masterpiece of the Historic Downtown area and on the US National Registry of Historic Places. The Butterfly Rainforest is probably the city's most widely appreciated facility. SW 34th St. and Hull Road at the Florida Museum of Natural History.
4. The Santa Fe Teaching Zoo is associated with Santa Fe College and open to the public. 3000 83rd Street, Gainesville FL. Not many colleges have their own zoo! Admission is only $5 per adult. Seniors and kids 4-12: $4.00. Open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Preparing about 150 - 200 college students, this zoo specializes in technology for animal care and preserving the Tree Kangaroo. It is also one of the few spots you can see the endangered Philippines' Visayan warty pig.

A number of venues are available in this college town for the arts and entertainment. Dining in the university district is good and inexpensive for the most part and higher-priced dining is available in the city as well.

Major sporting events and theme parks are within a 2-hour's drive, and Amtrak, Amtrak Shuttlebuses, and a major bus transporation system operate around Gainesville.

In addition, several lakes, conservation areas and state parks are nearby and include Payne's Prairie and Hammock Preserves, Newman's Lake, and others. Several local golf courses can be found at this link: Gainesville FL Golf Courses.

• Atrium At Gainesville
• Harbor Chase
• Lakeshore Towers Apartments - The most affordable overall, yet well maintained. A high-rise complex with a courtesy officer and a night doorman. Located near three hospitals, including the VA Hospital and UF. Efficiency apartments up to 2 Bedroom/2 Bath.
• North Florida Retirement Village (The Village) Oak
• Hammock - Located at the University of Florida
• Summerville at Gainesville

1. Physical Therapists
2. University of Florida jobs - See the listings in the column to the left.
3. Dental Assistants
4. Truck Drivers - CDL
   
5. Physicians
6. Occupational Therapists
7. Dentists
8. Registered Nurses, including Travelers
9. Financial Advisors
10. Assistant Managers
11. Sales Associates
12. Tutors

1. Assistant/Assoc Professors
2. Clinical Assistant and Associate Professors
3. Full Professors
4. Lecturers
5. Research Assistants
6. Nurses and other healthcare professionals at UF Healthcare System
7. Pharmaceutical Technicians
8. Student Assistants in Clerical & Admin; and non-clerical jobs
9. Lecturers
10. Financial Counselors – Health system/patients
11. Program Assistants
12. Physician Assistants

The following employers are listing the largest numbers of job vacancies:

• Shands Healthcare
• Phillips company
• University of Florida
• North Florida Regional Medical Center - Check out this employer for Travel Nursing and related Traveler positions.
• Trucking jobs- CRST Malone, CR England Prime Inc.
• Lowes and Home Depot DIY stores
• Dollar General and Family Dollar stores
• Aerospace jobs - US Navy and Naval Reserve

1. University of Florida - UF is the largest employer in the State of Florida, as well as the largest in Gainesville. It is the 3rd largest university in America, by enrollment figures.
2. Shands Healthcare System - A teaching hospital and other units in a partnership among public, private, and UF university entities.
3. City Government of Gainesville
4. School Board of Alachua County - City and county school systems
5. AMF Alley Katz Inc. - Popular bowling centers.
6. North Florida Regional Medical Center
7. Alachua County Jobs
8. Avmed Inc
9. Nationwide Insurance - Insurances and Financial Products.
10. CH2M Hill - Environmental and engineering consulting services.

The FloridaWorks programs, under the US Department of Labor offers job-search, placement, and related services for 55+ that want to work, under the Experience Works banner. FloridaWorks also encourages sustainability with carpooling choices in Gainesville. See these and other services on the pages of FloridaWorks.