July 2, 2020
Special Section
More than a "sleepy little college town," the Greater Gainesville area is battling its way up the ranks both across Florida and nationwide. And doing so with surprising economic muscle.
Alachua County has a population of approximately 264,000, including nine cities — most notably, of course, Gainesville. And, located off Interstate 75 in North Central Florida, Gainesville sits a highway drive away from the nearest metro area, roughly 90 minutes from Jacksonville and two hours or so from Tampa and Orlando.
Is Gainesville a true city or more of a town, anyway? Fair question. Let’s call it a tweener, largely, steadily, transitioning from rural to urban.
