Citra, FL Properties | Susan Camus

Back

Citra is a rural, unincorporated community in northern Marion County, Florida, located between Ocala to the south and Gainesville to the north. It lies within the Ocala metropolitan area, and its character is defined by open farmland, citrus groves, and the long, low landscape of north-central Florida's horse and agricultural country. As an unincorporated place, Citra does not have its own city government; services and planning are provided by Marion County, and the community's identity is carried by its rural setting, its schools, and its place in Florida's citrus and literary history. The area's story is deeply tied to the orange. North-central Florida, including the Orange Lake region near Citra, prospered as a citrus center in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the community's name itself evokes that heritage. The countryside around Citra was also immortalized by author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, who lived just to the northwest at Cross Creek and wrote about the region's scrub, lakes, and small-farm life. The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park, at her preserved homestead, remains a short drive away. Today, Citra is anchored by a handful of institutions rather than a traditional downtown. The University of Florida's IFAS Plant Research and Education Unit operates a research facility here, continuing the area's agricultural legacy. North Marion High School and North Marion Middle School, both part of Marion County Public Schools, serve the community and the surrounding northern county. Orange Lake, one of the region's celebrated bass-fishing lakes, draws anglers and visitors, and a growing number of RV resorts and campgrounds line its shores. Life in Citra is quiet and spread out. Residents are typically drawn by acreage, space, and a rural pace, while still being within reasonable commuting distance of Ocala's employment and shopping and Gainesville's university community. For homebuyers, Citra represents country living in the classic Florida interior — large lots, scattered homes, and a landscape of pasture and grove — within reach of two of the region's larger cities.

Browse by Listing Type

attach_moneyFor Sale editFor Rent

Browse by Property Type

homeHouses apartmentCondos & Apartments holiday_villageTownhouses & Duplexes crop_landscapeLots & Land parkFarms & Ranches

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is Citra, Florida in?

Citra is in northern Marion County, Florida, within the Ocala metropolitan area. The community sits between the city of Ocala to the south and Gainesville to the north, in the heart of north-central Florida's agricultural and horse country.

Is Citra an incorporated city?

No, Citra is an unincorporated rural community, meaning it has no separate city government and receives services from Marion County. Its identity is carried by its rural landscape, its schools, and its place in Florida's citrus and literary history.

What school district serves Citra?

Citra is served by Marion County Public Schools. North Marion High School, serving grades nine through twelve, and North Marion Middle School are both located in the community, with younger students attending nearby Marion County elementary schools.

What is Citra known for?

Citra is known for its citrus-growing heritage and its location near Orange Lake, a celebrated bass-fishing destination. The surrounding countryside was made famous by author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, who lived at nearby Cross Creek, and the University of Florida operates a plant research facility in the community.

How far is Citra from Ocala and Gainesville?

Citra sits roughly twenty minutes north of Ocala, the Marion County seat, and about thirty minutes south of Gainesville, home of the University of Florida. U.S. 301 runs through the community, with Interstate 75 accessible a short drive to the west.

City Guide

About Citra

Real Estate & Housing

Citra's housing market is defined by space and rural character. Properties here typically include larger lots, with a mix of older Florida homes, manufactured homes, and scattered acreage parcels. Agricultural land, pasture, and small farms are common, and many residents keep horses or other livestock. Newer construction tends to be custom-built homes on multi-acre tracts rather than dense subdivisions. The community's unincorporated status and country setting mean buyers generally seek privacy and room to spread out, trading the conveniences of city services for a quieter, more self-sufficient lifestyle. For those wanting land in north-central Florida, Citra offers a genuine rural option within commuting distance of Ocala and Gainesville.

Neighborhoods

Citra does not have the defined subdivisions of a typical city; instead, it is a spread-out rural community where homes sit along county roads, highways, and rural lanes amid pasture, grove, and forest. Development clusters loosely near the North Marion schools and the U.S. 301 and County Road 329 corridors, while much of the area remains agricultural. Along Orange Lake's southern shore, a band of RV resorts, campgrounds, and lakeside properties adds a recreational flavor to the community's edge. The overall pattern is one of scattered homesteads and acreage rather than cohesive neighborhoods, reflecting Citra's identity as rural Marion County rather than a conventional town.

Lifestyle in Citra

Citra offers a deliberately rural, unhurried lifestyle. Daily life revolves around the outdoors — tending groves and pastures, fishing on Orange Lake, and enjoying the region's natural springs and preserves. The community has a small-town agricultural rhythm, with neighbors spread across acreage and a strong connection to the land. Residents travel to Ocala, about twenty minutes south, for larger shopping, dining, and medical services, and to Gainesville, roughly thirty minutes north, for the University of Florida and its cultural offerings. The literary legacy of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, whose Cross Creek homestead is preserved nearby, adds a distinctive cultural thread. Citra suits those who want space, quiet, and country living in central Florida.

Schools & Education

Citra is served by Marion County Public Schools, a district covering one of Florida's larger counties. North Marion High School, located in Citra, serves grades nine through twelve and offers programs such as the Cambridge AICE curriculum and industrial biotechnology. North Marion Middle School serves grades six through eight in the community, and younger students attend nearby Marion County elementary schools. The district's size provides families access to magnet and choice programs, while the presence of these campuses in Citra gives the area a complete local K-12 pathway. Proximity to the University of Florida in Gainesville adds higher-education access nearby.

Getting Around

Citra sits along the U.S. 301 corridor in northern Marion County, providing a direct north-south route between Ocala and Gainesville. Ocala, the Marion County seat, lies roughly twenty minutes to the south, while Gainesville and the University of Florida are about thirty minutes to the north. Interstate 75 runs west of Citra, accessible via Ocala or the Micanopy area, connecting residents to the rest of the state. The community's rural setting means personal vehicles are essential, and daily commutes are typical for those working in Ocala, Gainesville, or the surrounding region. There is no local transit service, reflecting Citra's spread-out, country character.

Parks & Recreation

Citra's recreation centers on the outdoors. Orange Lake, just north of the community, is one of the region's most celebrated bass-fishing lakes, and its shores are ringed by RV resorts, campgrounds, and lakeside facilities, including water parks and marinas. Anglers, boaters, and birdwatchers are drawn to the lake and the surrounding wetlands. The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park at Cross Creek, a short drive away, preserves the author's homestead and offers a window into old Florida. The Citra Historical Museum documents the area's citrus and pioneer heritage, while Ocala National Forest and north-central Florida's famed natural springs lie within easy reach for hiking, swimming, and paddling.

MARKET SNAPSHOT