Gainesville

Gainesville is a city in north-central Florida, United States. It is the county seat of Alachua County and the principal city of the Gainesville metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city population was roughly 133,000. The city is best known as the home of the University of Florida, a major public research university whose campus within the city supports a large student population and a regional research economy. Gainesville's economy also relies on healthcare, higher education, and bioscience, with UF Health and several research institutes contributing significant employment.

The city was named in honor of General Edmund P. Gaines. It developed as a county seat and education hub in the 19th and 20th centuries and remains a center for culture and science in the region. Notable institutions include the University of Florida and Santa Fe College. Nearby natural areas such as the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens and Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park provide outdoor recreation.

Cultural life includes museums such as the Florida Museum of Natural History and the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art, a downtown historic district, and regular farmers markets. Transportation links include Gainesville Regional Airport, Interstate 75, and a regional bus network operated by RTS. Gainesville is also a name shared by several other communities in the United States, including Gainesville, Georgia; Gainesville, Virginia; Gainesville, Texas; and Gainesville, North Carolina, among others.