4th quarter COST OF LIVING statistics released

Each quarter, the Council for Economic Outreach (CEO) submits pricing information to the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER), a nonprofit professional organization comprising research staff of chambers of commerce, economic development organizations and agencies, and related organizations throughout the United States and Canada. C2ER compiles local pricing information from more than 300 urban areas to compare differences in the cost of living across the United States and Canada. Consultants review this data to find suitable places for businesses seeking new locations.

Gainesville received a composite index score of 98.5% on a scale that uses 100% for the quarterly nationwide average. A score below the nationwide average indicates how much more affordable goods and services are when compared to a composite derived from prices collected from across the country.

The 4th quarter results of 2007 indicate that Gainesville is a highly competitive location for site location and expansion projects. Gainesville often competes with several comparable cities in answering requests from site consultants. Goods and Services in Raleigh, Roanoke, Greenville, Charlotte, Columbus, and Austin all exceed the cost to Gainesville residents, according to the new numbers. Health care costs in Gainesville are significantly competitive.

Within Florida, Gainesville still stands out as an economical place to work and live. Again, Alachua County stands out as having the most affordable goods and services. In a comparison of overall cost of living, Gainesville is more affordable than Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota, Jacksonville, and Tampa.