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Gainesville, Florida is a true college town built around the University of Florida, where roughly 60,000 Gators set the rhythm of the whole city. When class lets out, students pour into Midtown at the edge of campus, then fan out across walkable, leafy neighborhoods nearby. Game days at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, better known as The Swamp, turn the city orange and blue. Beyond it you've got Depot Park downtown, the wild trails and roaming bison of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park just south, and a downtown core with live music and a weekly farmers market. Being a student renter here is about as easy as it gets in Florida: campus is central, transit is free with your ID, and most of student life sits within a bike ride of class.
The most walkable, social pick, sitting right against campus along University Avenue with nightlife and dining at your door, best for students who want to roll out of bed to class.
The densest cluster of student complexes, well served by free RTS buses and a bit easier on the wallet.
Draws upperclassmen and grad students who like a quieter, more grown-up scene with live music nearby.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Gainesville.
UF students ride the Regional Transit System (RTS) buses free with their student ID, and routes cover the dense apartment corridors along SW 13th Street and Archer Road plus most student neighborhoods. The free bus makes daily campus trips easy for students without a car. For most student neighborhoods, RTS covers the essential routes. Living without a car is realistic if you stay close to campus.
Midtown, right against campus, is fully walkable, and Gainesville is genuinely bike-friendly, with lanes and trails making two wheels a popular way to reach class. Students living close-in can handle daily errands on foot or by bike. The bike network makes cycling a comfortable everyday choice. For daily campus life, the bus and a bike usually do the job.
Live farther out or want easy trips to Paynes Prairie and beyond, and a car helps. Students living away from campus may find a vehicle useful for errands and regional trips. Those who drive should expect to use a car mainly for destinations beyond the walkable core. For close-in living, though, a car is often unnecessary.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
It varies by area and setup. A private bedroom in a shared unit near UF usually runs about $650-$1,050/month per person. Studios and one-bedrooms in Midtown tend to land around $900-$1,400/month. Sharing with roommates along the 13th Street or Archer Road corridors is the most economical route.
Browse student housing near each Gainesville-area university.