Gainesville Rankings and Recognitions

Cool Things

In Gainesville, our residents – entrepreneurs, researchers, teachers and leaders – are working every day to make cool things happen. Here are just a few of the things that make Gainesville the place to be.

  • First city in U.S. to implement solar feed-in tariff
  • More incubators per capita than any other U.S. city
  • 39% of Gainesville residents hold bachelor’s degrees or higher (national average is 24%).
  • University of Florida ranked #1 Public University for transferring research discoveries to the marketplace
  • The Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce was granted 5-Star Accreditation by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, placing it among the top 1% of Chambers nationwide, with only six Chambers receiving this distinguished 5-Star rating this year.
  • Four of Alachua County’s high schools are included in Newsweek’s 2010 list of “America’s Best High Schools.”
  • Alachua County listed in Top 100 Communities for Young People by America’s Promise Alliance.
  • UF TechConnect clients have garnered over $500 million in private investment and created over 500 high tech jobs in the past seven years.
  • Shands at UF ranked in Top-50 America’s Best Hospitals (U.S. News & World Report)
  • North Florida Regional Medical Center is nationally recognized and is a 5-Star Rated Community Hospital (Health Grades).
  • Since 1995, the Sid Martin Biotechnology Incubator companies have raised over $350M in equity investment and $150M in grants and contracts.
  • Progress Corporate Park houses 33 companies, mostly from the technology and biotechnology industries.
  • Named a 2009 Institute for a Competitive Workforce Region of Excellence by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
  • Home to nationally accredited museums of art and national history and award-winning performing arts programs that celebrate creativity and inspire innovation.
  • Students in Alachua County public schools earn the highest SAT scores in the state, well above national averages.
  • The district has the highest rate of passed Advanced Placement tests in the state.
  • Projected to have the highest percentage growth of creative class jobs in the nation over the next decade (Richard Florida).

Rankings and Recognitions

2012

No. 19             "Best Commutes in U.S." (No. 1 in Florida), Census.gov
No. 2               "Best Cities to Find a Date in 2012," The Daily Beast

2011

No. 8               Happiest Cities in U.S., Gallup
No. 1               Florida Ranked Top State in Workforce and Training, U.S. Chamber
One of five     Top "Hot Spots for Research in Florida," Florida Trend
No. 8               "Most Well-Read Cities in America," Amazon.com
No. 8               "Mid-sized cities," Gallup-Healthways Well-being Index
No. 7               "Greenest Cities in America," DailyBeast.com

2010

No. 1               “Top College Towns;” Livability.com

No. 5               “Top 10 Small Cities,” USA Today


2009

No. 10            "Hotspots for Young Professionals to Live and Work - Mighty Micros," Next Generation Consulting
No. 50            "Best Places for Business and Careers," Forbes Magazine

2008

No. 1               University of Florida Football - NCAA Division I
No. 1              "Places to Retire During an Economic Downturn," Smart Money
No. 22            "The Smartest Cities in America," Forbes.com
No. 27            "Best Places for Business and Careers," Forbes Magazine
No. 47            "100 Best Places to Live and Launch," Fortune Small Business

2007

No. 1               "Cities Ranked and Rated"
No. 1                University of Florida Men's Basketball - NCAA Division I
No. 3               "Top Small College Towns for Real Estate Investment," Nuwireinvestor.com  
No. 8               "Top Ten Value Towns for Those Considering Retirement," Warren Bland, PhD; TopRetirements.com
No. 12             "Best Places for Business and Careers," Forbes Magazine
Top 10            "Best Places to Live and Play: Cities," National Geographic Adventure Magazine

2006

No. 1                University of Florida Football - NCAA Division I
No. 1                University of Florida Men's Basketball - NCAA Division I  

2005

No. 1                "Top Tech Cities" in Florida, Popular Science Magazine
No. 30              "Top Tech Cities" in the U.S., Popular Science Magazine
Top 10             "Best Places for Outdoor Activities," Sperling's Best Places

2004

No. 3                 "Mid-Market City - Top Deals and Hot Markets," Southern Business and Development Magazine
No. 10               "Best Small Places: Educations Attainment," Forbes Magazine
No. 30               "Best Small Places: Job Growth," Forbes Magazine
No. 63               "Best Small Places," Forbes Magazine 

2003

1st and Only    "Gold Well City, USA Award," Wellness Councils of America
No. 11               "Best Places to Reinvent Your Life," AARP

1999

No. 19                "Best Places to Retire," Retirement Places Rated
No. 36                "Best Small Metro Areas," Cognetics Entrepreneurial Hot Spots


1997

No. 1                   "Tree City USA," National Arbor Day Foundation     

1996

No. 1                   University of Florida Football - NCAA Division I
No. 7                  "Best Places to Live," Money Magazine  

1995

No. 1                  "Best Places to Live" Money Magazine