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Gainesville Local Information

Practical information for Gainesville and Alachua County: who governs what, trash and recycling, permits, weather alerts and who to call, each linked to the official source.

Featured Trash and recycling pickup in Gainesville: schedule and holidays Gainesville trash, recycling, yard waste and bulk items go out by 7 a.m. on your pickup day. Thanksgiving delays Thursday routes. Solid Waste: 352-334-2330. · 6 min read

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Gainesville Gainesville, Alachua County and the neighbors: who governs what How Gainesville fits into Alachua County and Florida: the city, the county, Alachua County School District, the neighboring towns within 15 miles, and which one to call for what. 2 min read Property taxes Alachua County property taxes: rates, due dates and appeals Alachua County tax bills go out by Nov. 1 with a 4% discount in November; taxes are due March 31. Gainesville's proposed 2026 rate is 21.9243 mills. · 5 min read Building permits Building permits and zoning in Gainesville Gainesville building permits go through PermitGNV or the Building Division at the Thomas Center, 306 NE Sixth Ave., 352-334-5050. Planning: 352-334-5023. · 5 min read Road work Road construction and closures in Gainesville FDOT is resurfacing Waldo Road, NW 39th Avenue and Newberry Road near Gainesville; the city is rebuilding NE Ninth Street. Live closures: FL511 or dial 511. · 5 min read Home prices Gainesville home prices and housing market Gainesville's typical home value was $295,760 in August 2026, down 1.2% in a year and 4.4% below the May 2024 peak, Zillow's index shows. Updated monthly. · 4 min read Schools Gainesville schools guide: districts, calendars and ratings Gainesville's public schools are run by Alachua County Public Schools, 352-955-7300. 2026 state grades: Buchholz and Loften A, Gainesville High B, Eastside C. · 5 min read Things to do Things to do in Gainesville this month: October 2026 October in Gainesville: the Great Pumpkin Bash Oct. 17, The Fest downtown Oct. 23-25, Boo at the Zoo Oct. 28 and the Downtown Festival and Art Show Nov. 14-15. · 6 min read Voting Voting in Alachua County: registration, polling places and early voting Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election runs Oct. 19 to Nov. 1, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at eight Alachua County sites. Mail ballot requests close Oct. 22. · 5 min read Farmers markets Gainesville farmers markets: days, hours and locations Grove Street Farmers Market runs 4 to 7 p.m. Mondays year-round and takes SNAP. Haile Farmers Market runs 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays in Haile Village. · 4 min read Parks Parks and trails in Gainesville: hours, fees and dog rules Depot Park's Blue Grotto splash pad, Sweetwater Wetlands ($5 a car), Bivens Arm, Loblolly Woods and the 16-mile Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail. · 5 min read Restaurant inspections Restaurant inspection scores in Alachua County Florida gives restaurants no letter grades. Of 553 state inspection visits in Gainesville from July 7 to Oct. 7, 2026, 322 needed no further action. · 4 min read Business New businesses in Gainesville: October 2026 New Gainesville food licenses since July: Domi Buffet, Nest + Nibble Cafe, Milky Moo, Meltwich, La Maracucha and Onezo, plus eight food trucks and carts. · 5 min read Public notices Public notices for Gainesville and Alachua County Where to find legal notices for Gainesville and Alachua County: FloridaPublicNotices.com, City Commission agendas, and the clerk's foreclosure and tax deed sales. · 4 min read City Hall Who to call at Gainesville City Hall: phone numbers Gainesville City Hall is 352-334-5000. Mayor and City Commission 352-334-5016, police non-emergency 352-955-1818, GRU 352-334-3434, code enforcement 352-334-5030. · 4 min read Power outages Power outages in Gainesville: who to call and outage maps Report a GRU power outage at 352-334-2871, 24 hours, and check the GRU outage map. Clay Electric members call 855-939-3840. Downed line? Call it in. · 4 min read Population Gainesville population and growth Gainesville had an estimated 148,671 residents on July 1, 2025, up 5.4% from the 2020 census and 19.6% since 2010, the Census Bureau says. · 5 min read History Gainesville history and landmarks Gainesville became the Alachua County seat in 1854 and a city in 1869. It has 49 National Register of Historic Places listings, from the Matheson House to UF. · 6 min read Moving Moving to Gainesville: utilities, schools, trash, permits, taxes New to Gainesville? Start GRU power, water and gas service online, get a Florida driver's license within 30 days and register your car within 10 days of a new job. · 5 min read Transportation Getting around Gainesville: roads, buses, airport, parking RTS buses serve Gainesville, with Route 26 to the airport weekdays. Downtown parking is free on weekends except in the SW Downtown Garage at 105 SW Third St. · 5 min read Neighborhoods Gainesville neighborhoods: where to live and what each area is like 10 Gainesville neighborhoods from Duckpond to Suburban Heights: ZIP codes, 2026-27 school zones and grades, and August 2026 Zillow home values. · 8 min read Neighborhoods Downtown Gainesville: homes, schools, parks and commute Downtown Gainesville runs south from University Avenue to SW Fourth Avenue around Main Street. About 350 homes, almost all apartments; ZIP code 32601. · 6 min read Neighborhoods Duckpond, Gainesville: homes, schools, parks and commute Duckpond, northeast of downtown, holds most of the city's Northeast Residential Historic District. ZIP code 32601; zoned for Eastside High. · 5 min read Neighborhoods Duval, Gainesville: homes, schools, parks and commute Duval, in east Gainesville between Waldo Road and Fred Cone Park, has about 1,340 homes and the 26-acre Duval Park. ZIP code 32641. · 5 min read Neighborhoods Fifth Avenue, Gainesville: homes, schools, parks and commute Fifth Avenue runs from NW Sixth to NW 13th Street north of University Avenue, with the University Heights North historic district. ZIP code 32601. · 6 min read Neighborhoods Northwood, Gainesville: homes, schools, parks and commute Northwood, north of NW 39th Avenue and east of NW 34th Street, is about 400 single-family homes in ZIP code 32605, zoned for Gainesville High. · 5 min read Neighborhoods Pleasant Street, Gainesville: homes, schools, parks and commute Pleasant Street, north of University Avenue and west of Main Street, holds a city historic district approved in 1991. Zoned for Gainesville High. · 5 min read Neighborhoods Porters, Gainesville: homes, schools, parks and commute Porters sits between SW Fourth Avenue and Depot Avenue, west of South Main Street, across from Depot Park. ZIP code 32601; zoned for Gainesville High. · 5 min read Neighborhoods Stephen Foster, Gainesville: homes, schools, parks and commute Stephen Foster runs from NW 23rd to NW 39th Avenue east of NW 13th Street, with about 1,000 homes and the Suncrest bungalows. ZIP code 32609. · 6 min read Neighborhoods Suburban Heights, Gainesville: homes, schools, parks and commute Suburban Heights, between NW 43rd and NW 55th streets south of NW 23rd Avenue, is about 510 homes zoned for Buchholz High. Mostly ZIP code 32605. · 5 min read Neighborhoods University Park, Gainesville: homes, schools, parks and commute University Park, north of the University of Florida between NW 13th Street and Loblolly Woods, has about 3,400 homes. Mostly ZIP code 32603. · 6 min read Neighborhoods Gainesville vs. Alachua vs. Newberry vs. High Springs City tax rates, high school grades, Zillow home values, Census figures and who provides police, fire and trash in four Alachua County cities. · 7 min read Public schools Gainesville public schools: every school, zone and report card Every public school serving Gainesville: addresses, zones, enrollment and 2026 state grades. Alachua County Public Schools: 352-955-7300. · 9 min read