Gainesville Apartments and Rentals

Tucked into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of Lake Sidney Lanier, the city of Gainesville is known for its beautiful landscape and inviting character. Sometimes called the Poultry Capital of the World for its chicken production operations, Gainesville is also a major tourist destination.

People looking for apartments for rent in Gainesville will find the city offers a wealth of great entertainment options, a limitless supply of fried chicken and an eminently comfortable living environment.

Originally known as Mule Camp Springs, the seat of Hall County has a history that stretches back to the early 19th century. In the early 20th century, Gainesville became the first city south of Baltimore to have street lights, but development really took off following World War II with the establishment of the local poultry industry. Now a major part of the local economy, chicken is part of what defines Gainesville, to the point that a 1961 city ordinance banned the eating of fried chicken with a fork. The Army Corps of Engineers-constructed Lake Sidney Lanier, which also helped build the region’s identity. The lake now drives a huge amount of local tourism.

The city is home to nearly 34,000 people, and residents of Gainesville apartments will appreciate the wealth of great recreation opportunities and the extensive natural beauty that make the area such a popular draw for visitors.

Home to Gainesville State College, which enrolls almost 9,000 students in a range of degree and certificate programs, and Brenau University, a private university with an enrollment of just less than 3,000, Gainesville is a great place for students across all disciplines.

The Poultry Capital of the World, unsurprisingly, has an economy driven by poultry production, with companies like Fieldale Farms, Pilgrims Pride and Mar-Jac serving as major area employers. Medicine is an important part of the economy, and the acclaimed Northeast Georgia Medical Center is the county’s largest single source of jobs. Tourism is also a major business in Gainesville.

Gainesville is very renter-friendly, and, with the large stock of affordable rentals, around six out of ten residents chooses to rent.

U.S. Census Bureau data showed the median gross rent from 2008 to 2010 was $779. Additional research found one bedroom apartments renting for between $550 and $800 per month.

Lake Sidney Lanier is the country’s most visited Army Corps of Engineers lake in the country, and, with the wide range of fishing, boating and watersports it allows, it’s easy to see why. The 1996 Olympic Games used the lake as the site for canoeing, kayaking and rowing competitions, and it remains a training facility and popular paddling destination. Other great recreational sites include the Chattahoochee Golf Course, multiple athletic complexes and extensive trails for hiking and mountain biking. The Blue Ridge Mountains are also just a short drive away, and offer unparalleled natural beauty that is only heightened by the area's abundance of hiking and mountain biking opportunities.

Culturally, Gainesville offers a wealth of history, with beautiful architecture downtown and among the Victorian houses of Green Street. Other sites include Chief White Path’s cabin, the Northeast Georgia History Center and the Civil War Heartland Leaders Trail. Visitors and residents alike can enjoy a wealth of dining and shopping in the city’s vibrant, picturesque downtown, which is also home to great arts facilities like the Quinlan Visual Arts Center, the Smithgall Arts Center and the Georgia Mountains Center Theatre.

If you are looking for an apartment for rent or a house rental in Gainesville, Ga. search for rental properties at Rent.com®.