Gainesville, Florida

You don't just have to take it from me when I say that Gainesville is a great place to live. The historic buildings, natural surroundings, and wide variety of attractions have inspired Money magazine to rate Gainesville as, "The number one place to live in North America."

And Gainesville does have lots to offer: The population of 95,447 is fairly young (the median age is 27); the weather is great (mild winters, warm summers); there is no personal state income tax; there is a high standard of living, with the median household income around US$38,000; there is an affordable and efficient transit system; and there is a wide variety of cuisine.

Home to the University of Florida (one of the largest universities in America) Gainesville is chock full of cultural events and attractions. The city has more than 10 museums – some of the most notable being the Florida Museum of Natural History and The Thomas Center.

If you'd rather improve your physique than expand your mind, there's the Gainesville Cycling Club, which organizes group rides for those who wish to take full advantage of their natural surroundings. For those who like things that are fast but aren't necessarily into manual propulsion, the Gainesville Raceway has a drag-racing school, which doubles as an official track for NHRA Championship Drag Racing. People who like quieter sports will be happy to know that there are several golf courses, the most impressive of which is at The Gainesville Golf and Country Club, with an 18-hole 72 par championship course. And, naturally, university football is big here, really big.

It's easy to see why this city in north central Florida has been rated the most livable city in America. As a clean, green, safe, warm, exciting, affordable, and sophisticated municipality, the real question is: "Who wouldn't want to live here?"

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