Alachua County Map, Florida

Alachua County is located in the North Central Florida region of Florida, one of 67 counties that make up the state. Its county seat, Gainesville, is the administrative hub — home to the courthouse, county commission chambers, tax collector, property appraiser, supervisor of elections, and clerk of the circuit court.

The county spans a total of 969 square miles — 875 of land and 94 of water — and operates on Eastern Time. Federal agencies including the U.S. Census Bureau, USGS, and FEMA reference the county by its FIPS code, 12001, in datasets, boundary files, and hazard mapping.

Alachua County shares borders with 8 neighboring counties: Bradford County, Union County, Columbia County, Gilchrist County, Levy County, Marion County, Putnam County, Clay County. Use the interactive map above to explore where those boundaries meet or jump directly to any neighboring county page for a side-by-side comparison.

Alachua sits on the Northern Highlands with elevations near 200 feet — high for Florida. The Santa Fe River forms the northern border and the Floridan aquifer feeds Payne's Prairie, a wet savanna managed as a state preserve.

The county's overall footprint — 875 square miles of land plus 94 square miles of water — places it in the mid-range of Florida's 67 counties by area. Elevation across most of Florida is modest, and land-use, drainage basins, and habitat corridors defined by state and federal agencies (Florida Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the Water Management Districts) shape how growth and conservation coexist here.

The University of Florida and UF Health drive the largest single employment cluster in the region, with biotech, agritech, and startup activity concentrated in the Innovation District and Progress Park. Agriculture — cattle, timber, blueberries, and vegetables — remains significant outside the city.

Employment, tax base, and land use in Alachua County reflect its location in North Central Florida and its position in the state's middle tier of population. Economic development authorities, chambers of commerce, and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity publish updated employer and workforce data for the county on their portals.

Established from Duval County in 1824 during the Territorial period, Alachua's earliest towns grew along the Bellamy Road, Florida's first federal highway. The seat moved from Newnansville to Gainesville in 1854 to sit on the new Florida Railroad, cementing Gainesville's rise. The University of Florida consolidated here in 1906.

Established in 1824, Alachua County is one of Florida's earliest counties. Its boundaries, seat, and government have evolved through territorial, statehood, Reconstruction, and modern eras — a lineage documented by the Florida Historical Society, the State Archives of Florida, and the Alachua County Historical Commission or equivalent local body.

Payne's Prairie Preserve, Devil's Millhopper Geological State Park, the Florida Museum of Natural History, and Ginnie Springs pull visitors year-round. Gainesville hosts the Cade Museum and the Harn Museum of Art.

Whether you're planning a weekend trip, a longer stay, or a day drive from a neighboring county, Alachua County offers a mix of natural, cultural, and community attractions tied to its North Central Florida identity. For the latest hours, admission fees, and seasonal events, check the county's official tourism development council and the Florida State Parks portal (floridastateparks.org).