North central Florida

North Central Florida

Location of the Gainesville Metropolitan Statistical Area in Florida

North Central Florida
Counties	Alachua, Bradford, Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Marion, Putnam, Suwannee, and Union
Major cities	Gainesville Ocala Palatka Lake City

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 Gainesville Metropolitan Statistical Area (Alachua and Gilchrist counties), and the North Florida counties of Bradford, Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Marion, Putnam, Suwannee and Union counties. The region's largest city is Gainesville (the home of the University of Florida). Other principal cities in the region include Ocala, Lake City, Live Oak, and Palatka.

Like the Florida Panhandle, this region is often reckoned as part of the Deep South, as compared to the rest of the state. The majority of white Americans in North Central Florida are traditionally of relatively unmixed English ancestry.

The landscape and climate of North Central Florida does not portray the sub-tropical environment most associate with Florida. 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 tree forests. The climate is quite mild throughout the year but has very distinct winters with temperatures dropping below freezing quite often.

Location

North Central Florida's southernmost county, Marion County, borders northern Central Florida and some regions of the Nature Coast area. Many other counties in the region border the Nature Coast area, Alachua, Gilchrist and Hamilton included. North Central Florida is not affected by hurricanes as much as its neighboring counties to the east and west

Cities, & Towns

North Central Florida has a few cities in the region but has many small towns, or settlements. Some of the settlements are along rivers, lakes, and the coastline.

• Cities Population Over 15,000

1. Gainesville 126,047
2. Ocala 56,945

• Towns Population Between 5,000-15,000

1. Lake City 12,099
2. Palatka 10,472
3. Alachua 9,272
4. Perry 7,003
5. Live Oak 6,919
6. Starke 5,405
7. High Springs 5,494

• Towns Population Under 5,000

1. Belleview 4,509
2. Lake Butler 1,871
3. Hawthorne 1,428
4. Interlachen 1,396
5. Waldo 1,023
6. Pomona Park 908
7. Micanopy 606
8. Fort White 556
9. Reddick 508
10. Hampton 496
11. Bell 459
12. Brooker 334

Attractions in North Central Florida

Unlike Central Florida and the Suncoast area, North Central Florida does not have many amusement parks or large theme parks. Instead, it features many parks with nature as their theme. North Central Florida also has many small turn-of-the-century towns that represent the culture of the Deep South.