A Best Retirement City is a Hot College Town - Best Jobs and Attractions in Gainesville

The renowned University of Florida (UF) is located in Gainesville, a Top 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 2008 - 2010.

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 ths 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. UF is simply 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. This has been put to good use in such departmetns as :

• UF McKnight Brain Insititute
• UF Health Science Center - The Emerging Pathogens Institute (preventive health andmedicine)
• 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. 
• others in development

• City College Gainesville
• Santa Fe College - includes the Santa Fe Gallery.
• University of Florida

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+
• 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. Pharmaceutical Technicians
2. Student Assistants in Clerical & Admin; and non-clerical jobs
3. Assistant/Assoc Professors
4. Clinical Assistant and Associate Professors
5. Full Professors
6. Clerks
7. Deans for University Libraries
8. Lecturers
9. Financial Counselors – Health system/patients
10. Program Assistants
11. Physician Assistants

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
5. AMF Alley Katz Inc
6. North Florida Regional Medical Center
7. Alachua County
8. Avmed Inc
9. Nationwide Insurance
10. CH2M Hill

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