Alachua County, Florida

Alachua County
Alachua County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Florida
Florida's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 29°41′N 82°22′W / 29.68°N 82.37°W / 29.68; -82.37
Country United States
State Florida
FoundedDecember 29, 1824
Named afterAlachua (Timucuan word for "sinkhole")
SeatGainesville
Largest cityGainesville
Area
  Total
969 sq mi (2,510 km2)
  Land875 sq mi (2,270 km2)
  Water94 sq mi (240 km2)  9.7%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
278,468
  Estimate 
(2023)
285,994
  Density290/sq mi (110/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
  Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitealachuacounty.us

Alachua County (/əˈlæuə/ ə-LATCH-oo-ə) is a county in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 278,468. The county seat is Gainesville, the home of the University of Florida.