North central Florida is a region of the U.S. state of Florida which comprises the north-central part of the state and encompasses the north Florida counties of Alachua, Marion, Putnam, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor, and Union.[1] The region's largest city is Gainesville, home of the University of Florida and center of the Gainesville metropolitan area, which is the largest metro area of the region. As of 2020, the region had a population of 575,622 people.[2]
Like the rest of north Florida,[3] including the Florida Panhandle, the region is recognized as part of the Deep South, as compared to the southern regions of the state.[4]
The landscape and climate of north central Florida are distinct from the sub-tropical environment most associated with the rest of the state. The landscape of north central Florida has gently rolling hills dominated by magnolia trees and large southern live oak hammocks draped with Spanish moss. The region also has large expanses of pine forests. The region has hot summers and mild winters, with temperatures occasionally dropping below freezing. It is just north of Florida's Nature Coast.
As of 2016, the region had Florida's largest concentration of 18 to 44-year-olds and people with advanced degrees thanks to the presence of the University of Florida and Santa Fe College in Gainesville.[5]
The city of Alachua is home to one of the state's largest bio- and life-science corporate sectors.[6]
Overall, education and healthcare are the leading employers in the region as several major hospitals are located in Gainesville, such as the UF Health Shands Hospital, HCA Florida North Florida Hospital, and the Malcolm Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Tourism is central to communities such as Cedar Key, White Springs, and Micanopy.
Leading employers as of 2016 are:
| Corporation | Industry | Number of employees | ||
| 1 | University of Florida | Education | 27567 | |
| 2 | UF Health Shands System | Healthcare | 12705 | |
| 3 | Veterans Affairs Medical Center | Healthcare | 6127 | |
| 4 | Alachua County School Board | Public education | 3904 | |
| 5 | City of Gainesville | City government | 2072 | |
| 6 | HCA Florida North Florida Hospital | Healthcare | 2000 | |
| 7 | Gator Dining Services | Food service | 1200 | |
| 8 | Nationwide Insurance Company | Insurance | 960 | |
| 9 | Alachua County | Government | 809 | |
| 10 | Publix Supermarkets | Grocery | 780 | |
| 11 | Santa Fe College | Education | 750 | |
| 12 | Wal-Mart Distribution Center | Grocery | 738 | |
| 13 | Dollar General Distribution Center | Retail | 600 | |
| 14 | RTI Surgical | Orthopedic/cardio implants | 518 | |
| 15 | Wal-Mart Stores | Grocery | 312 | |
| Total | 60524 |
The following institutions of higher education are located within north central Florida:
North central Florida is world-renowned for its fresh water springs and rivers which make it one of the best cave diving regions in the world.[7] Several of the springs are connected to the Suwannee and Santa Fe River systems, some of the more popular being:
There are a large number of nature parks and cultural centers throughout the area such as:
Florida pioneer life in the 1800s is the focus at both Morningside Nature Center and Dudley Farm Historic State Park. There are several small, turn-of-the-century towns that represent the culture of the Deep South and are geared toward tourists:
Several museums of note spanning topics such as local and natural history, science, and art are:
Gainesville is home to notable performing arts venues like the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, University Auditorium, Constans Theater, and The Hippodrome Theater. The Gainesville Orchestra has been performing regularly since 1983.
The most popular sporting events are the major sports associated with the University of Florida in Gainesville, including Florida Gator Football, Basketball, and Baseball. Gatornationals is one of the most important annual drag races for the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA).