Ocala

Home Sweet Home    Find a Realtor    Find a Company    Vital Stats    Rain & Shine    Job Market    Class Notes    Getting Around

Great Outdoors    Good Sports    Hot Times    Shop 'til You Drop    Nightlife    College Scene    Just for Seniors

Located in north-central Florida, north of Orlando and south of Gainesville, Ocala is both the largest city and the county seat of Marion County, which is also home to outdoor attractions like the venerable Silver Springs and wilderness areas like the Ocala National Forest. But it's also a great people place, where friendly people live in small towns with names like Fellowship, Friendship, Shady and Golden Hills.

Home Sweet Home

Want to get away from the hustle and bustle of life, but still enjoy the amenities of city life? You can have this--and more--in Ocala. The rolling hills, swaying trees, acre after acre of horse farms and a delightful annual mean temperature of 70.3 degrees Fahrenheit are especially attractive to northern transplants. But there is a major difference in housing here compared to other markets--you can get a lot of home and land for the money. The Ocala/Marion County Association of Realtors, notes that "you can find anything from a modest bungalow to a magnificent mansion." Existing homes are priced from $30,000 to $5 million, giving potential buyers a variety of properties from which to choose. For example, for the area's median sales price for existing homes ($70,700 in 1999) you can find an 1,800-square-foot, two-bedroom and three-bath home with a two car garage. Although single-family home sales dominate the market--53 percent--condos, horse farms, gated communities and investment properties are also available.

One of the hottest new developments is Silver Springs Shores, which will feature as many as 2,200 detached, single-family homes, condos and apartments spread over 18,000 acres. Retirement communities are available, such as the Oak Run community, the largest in the area. The Country Club of Ocala, located in southeastern Ocala, presents lot sizes that are approximately one acre and other amenities like swimming pools and a golf course. Interested in waterfront property? Vacant property on Lake Weir, the largest lake in Marion County, goes for about $900 per front foot. Many activities such as seaplane rides and fishing occur on Lake Weir. If you want to find an existing Lake Weir waterfront home of approximately 2,000 square feet, plan on paying between $150,000 to $200,000.Prices are higher for high-quality lakefront with amenities like boat houses, docks or special landscaping--or for larger homes. For you golfers, Ocala has over 20 courses in the area, some of which are located in golf communities. For instance, at the Golden Hills and Golden Ocala subdivisions, houses run from $100,000 to $250,000.

Vital Stats

Ocala Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes all of Marion County

Population: 241,513
Median age: 44.9
New citizens: 5,840 annually
New job creation: 2.9 percent (1999)
Unemployment rate: 3.4 percent August 1999
Cost of living: 93.15 percent (weighted state average=100)
Per capita income: $18,975
Median effective household buying income: $26,950

Rain & Shine

The climate is as inviting as the countryside. In January, the average low is 50 degrees Fahrenheit; in July, the average high is 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It rains approximately 116 days annually, with a yearly average total of 51 inches, but most showers don't last long before the sun returns--and there are plenty of ways and days to enjoy its light and warmth. Occasionally the region will experience a light frost, but a true freeze is unusual, although not unheard of.

Job Market

Almost 30,000 jobs owe their Marion County existence to the thoroughbred horse business; more than 450 horse farms are located here; and the industry's economic impact is said to be $1 billion annually. Other major economic engines include healthcare (three hospitals and at least eight nursing homes), van conversions, high-tech communications gear, fire and rescue equipment manufacture and electronics. Among a work force totaling more than 81,000, about 21,000 provide services, about 12,500 work for various governmental units and 10,500 are in manufacturing. Many more are employed on 1,200 farms and 1 million-plus acres growing blueberries, tomatoes, soybeans and cantaloupe or raising horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, chickens and catfish. Major private employers include Munroe Medical Center (1,700); Emergency One (1,300); Publix Super Markets (1,200); Columbia Ocala Regional Medical Center (1,000); Winn-Dixie Stores (911); and Mark III Industries Inc. (850).

Class Notes

Extensive information about the schools in this area is online at the state's Department of Education (http://www.firn.edu/doe/doehome.htm). There you'll discover everything you'll need to know about Florida schools -- in general and in particular. All you need is the name of your county and the names of the schools students from your neighborhood attend.

Use links from the DOE home page for general information about entrance requirements, immunizations and so forth.

For the nitty-gritty details that really matter, click on the logo for the "Florida School Indicators Report."

Getting Around

A segment of Interstate 75, a major north-south highway, is adjacent to the Ocala area, which has three exits. U.S. Highways 441 and 27 also traverse on a north-south axis; so does State Road 19. An east-west road, State Road 40, bisects the county as it travels westward across the state from Ormond Beach to Yankeetown. Most citizens need cars to get around, but traffic is comparatively sparse and not a problem.

Amtrak passenger service and CSX freight service is available, as are two executive airports, Ocala Regional and Dunnellon Airport and a regional airport an hour or less away in Gainesville (Alachua County). This interior county has no deep-water port, but the Port of Tampa is 90 miles away and the Port of Jacksonville is 100 miles away.

Great Outdoors

Fresh air, sparkling lakes, freshwater springs, scrub grass and trees abound. So the outdoors really is great here. One segment of Marion County's southwestern border is the Withlachoochee River, famous for its beauty and the wildlife in and around it. Rainbow Springs State Park near Dunnellon in the county's southwest segment is not only one of Florida's newest parks, but it contains something rare in the state--waterfalls. Silver Springs is a natural wonder--and also one of Florida's oldest attractions. The largest of Florida's 300 springs, it gushes 550 million gallons of water daily. Visitors like viewing it from glass-bottomed boats. There's also a petting zoo for the kids, a nature trail for the energetic of all ages and a reptile institute.

But the highlight for most nature lovers is the 383,220-acre Ocala National Forest, one of this country's oldest and largest, almost three-quarters of which is within Marion County. It's home to the endangered Florida panther, many species of birds plus lots of alligators, raccoons and rabbits. Camps sites are abundant. Lake Eaton Sinkhole features stairs to its bottom, interpretive signs and a 1.7-mile trail that fosters understanding of a mini but complete ecosystem. The forest's 12-mile Juniper Springs offers sensational canoeing, but hiking, cave diving, swimming, boating, fishing and hunting are other popular activities of visitors and residents. Yes, several small towns are actually within the park's borders. The Cross Creek area made famous by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings novel, The Yearling, is only a few miles over the county's northern border in neighboring Alachua County.

Good Sports

For those who aren't involved in hiking, diving or canoeing, golf courses and tennis courts are available. For those who are, you'll be happy here. A recently opened mountain bike and horseback riding trail on the Cross Florida Greenway (once land set aside for the infamous Cross Florida Barge Canal) is already extremely popular. (About 40,000 of the Greenway acres are in northern Marion County.) The 66-mile long Ocala Trail is blazed in orange paint and said to be easy to follow, although physically demanding. Blue blazes lead to side trails, water or camping sites. Ocala is a good place to be a good sport and participate in individual sporting activities. Sixteen county parks--many with boat ramps, four partnership parks (county and another public or private entity) and four city parks complement an extraordinary number of state and federal facilities in the area.

Spectator sports are a good news/bad news proposition: Fans of collegiate athletics love it here within comfortable driving distance of two big-time college sports programs, the University of Florida's in Gainesville and Florida State University in Tallahassee. The bad news: If you prefer watching professional athletes at work, turn on the television or travel to Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami.

Hot Times in the City

Ocala prides itself on its All-American City image, its environmentally friendly approach to civic responsibilities and its major effort to spruce up its downtown area. Time and money has gone into renovations and historical preservation in an attempt to slow, stop or even reverse the business and cultural exodus to the suburbs. The city is definitely on the road back, but the county's uncontested fine arts mecca is outside of town. It's the Appleton Museum of Arts, a relatively new venue housed in an impeccable contemporary classic structure of marble and glass set among 34 wooded acres. It's approached via a long driveway with an elaborate yet classical ornamental pool. About 5,000 years of art history is representing in the works that grace its tasteful yet eclectic collection. The city donated the site, but the beautiful $8.5 million building and the collections housed within were first privately financed and then given to Central Florida Community College and Florida State University by the Appleton family, originally from Chicago, who own Bridlewood, a 900-acre horse farm nearby. From ancient antiquities and Russian icons to West African art and contemporary paintings, the collection is impressive--especially an original bronze cast, one of only 13, of Rodin's well-known sculpture, The Thinker. Other cultural segments aren't as strong here, but residents enjoy productions at the Ocala Civic Theatre.

Also worth a look and well-liked by archaeologically inclined locals, is the Native American and pre-Columbian burial ground north of town at the Crystal River State Archaeological Site. Its museum features finds going back as far as 200 B.C. Or visit one of the areas numerous horse farms. Many welcome the public who stop by and take a polite look about. Some will allow drive-through tours. A few permit self-guided tours through selected parts of their properties. Newcomers will find this exercise both entertaining and enlightening. It will help you understand the region and many of the jobs your neighbors do.

Annual events include Ocala's Brick City Day in March, Ma Barker Day in Oklawaha in April, Reddick's Horse and Buggy Days in May and the Florida Blueberry Festival each June in Ocala. On the Fourth of July, Ocala celebrates God and Country Day. In August it's time for Ocalifest. Fall brings the Shriner's Rodeo and Parade to the county seat. October's big event is the Florida Horse and Agriculture Festival. November features Light Up Ocala and the Festival of Trees at the Appleton Museum, and in December the Chamber of Commerce puts on the Sunshine Christmas Parade.

Shop 'til You Drop

Ocala itself offers stores in virtually every category--clothing, furniture and appliances, office supplies and so forth, so you won't need to leave the area to shop unless you want something really hard to find. If antiques ring your bell, two of Florida's finest antique towns--High Springs and Micanopy--aren't very far away.

Nightlife

Karaoke is popular at Hemingway's in Ocala and Dunnellon's Rainbow Pub, but dinners at home or out at a family restaurant are more typical of the Ocala area's evening activities than either high-intensity music or sing-along tunes. Consider Beijing Garden Chinese Restaurant or Shanghai, Tavern or Hops Grill and Bar, Bella Luna Cafe or Fat Boys' Bar-B-Q, all in Ocala. Harry's Place, at the same location that once housed Speaker's Corner, serves fine food at its historic Ocala location.

College Scene

Central Florida Community College (CFCC) enrolls about 7,000 at its Ocala campus. Part of the state community-college system, it's a two-year, coed institution that offers an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree, which opens the doors of Florida's state university system, where students with A.A. degrees often go to complete their undergraduate education. The University of Florida in Gainesville is about an hour's drive north of Ocala, so it's exceedingly convenient and actually within commuting distance from central and northern Marion County. Standards at the university are going up, as is the state's population, so freshman must have good grades and satisfactory test scores for acceptance. And Florida State University, in Tallahassee, is only about three hours up the road from Ocala.

Just for Seniors

Twenty-three percent of Marion County's residents are 65 or older and some of them require special assistance. Due to provisions of the federal Older Americans Act and the state's Community Care for the Elderly program, lots of free and sliding scale programs are available for the 60-plus set. In some cases the service, if there is no waiting list, is free regardless of economic circumstances; in some cases, there is a charge for those able to pay. Typical services include homemaker, personal care, nutrition--including congregate and home-delivered meals--and respite care. Numerous services are available from various non-profit and for-profit providers as well. To find out exactly what's offered here in the way for senior services and senior activity centers, call the Elder Helpline at 352/629-7407.