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Best Places to Live in Orlando, Florida

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Welcome to Orlando!

It’s easy to see why Orlando, FL is one of the country’s top tourist destinations, being home to world-class attractions like Disney World, Universal Studios, and Sea World, along with an array of top-rated recreational venues. However, most people aren’t aware that there’s more to Orlando beyond its identity as a major tourist draw – it’s also an exceptional place to call home.

From its strong economic base to its award-winning universities, its diverse culture, affordable real estate options, and a plethora of world-class attractions, there’s certainly plenty of advantages to enjoy when you’re living in Orlando.

If you’re planning to relocate to the City Beautiful, you’ve come to the right place. On this page, you’ll get an insider’s look at the best places to live in Orlando, Florida, a glimpse of the type of lifestyle you can look forward to, and some tips to keep in mind to help you find a home that perfectly matches your goals.

 

Best places to live in Orlando, Florida

 

When you’re searching for the best places to live in Orlando, Florida, it’s often a matter of envisioning the type of lifestyle you’d love to have. And the best thing about relocating to Orlando is you’ll be able to choose from a diverse array of excellent neighborhoods and communities that perfectly match any lifestyle.

Downtown Orlando, for example, is a thriving community with a vibrant nightlife scene filled with trendy nightclubs, state-of-the-art concert halls, fine dining restaurants, and exciting entertainment venues. For those looking for a more relaxed environment, Orlando also features a great selection of laid-back neighborhoods with a small-town vibe, with elegant lakefront homes and streets lined with towering oaks.

To help you in your search for an ideal location, here’s a look at some of the best places to live in Orlando, Florida:

Downtown Orlando

As the city’s beating heart, Downtown Orlando is a vibrant community offering an enjoyable and highly convenient lifestyle close to many of the best amenities and attractions Orlando has to offer. From its elegant historical homes lining brick-paved avenues to the hottest nightlife venues, Orlando’s downtown district is an ideal choice for anyone looking forward to a dynamic lifestyle in a prime location.

One of the best things about Downtown Orlando is its selection of diverse neighborhoods, each with its own distinct character and vibe, from laid-back to energetic and everything in between. These neighborhoods include:

College Park

College Park is a scenic neighborhood with an Old Florida vibe characterized by abundant green space, soaring mature oaks, and sweeping views of lakes Adair, Ivanhoe, and Silver. While other US cities have neighborhoods with the same name, primarily due to their proximity to a particular college, Orlando’s College Park is unique because its bungalow-lined streets are named after famous universities.

For decades, this neighborhood has been a popular residential area for young professionals and seniors due to its easy access to Downtown Orlando. The neighborhood has been voted as one of the city’s best neighborhoods by numerous publications year after year for its high quality of life and assortment of superb attractions and activities.

Residents of College Park look forward to a stellar lineup of exciting events and celebrations throughout the year, such as Dancing on the Drive every April, JazzFest in November, and Holiday on the Drive in December, just to name a few. The vibrant neighborhood is also home to a range of world-class shopping, dining, entertainment, and arts and culture venues, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Lake Nona Area

Covering roughly 17 square miles in the southeast corner of Orlando, the Lake Nona area consists of several neighborhoods and districts centered on innovation, technology, and community.

Lake Nona is an ideal choice, especially for aspiring entrepreneurs and IT professionals, as the area boasts over 20,000 miles of fiber cable integrated with its infrastructure, making it the first gigabit community in Florida.

The area is perfect for anyone who loves the outdoors – 40% of Lake Nona’s 11,000 acres consists of green space. There are plenty of opportunities for anyone looking to stay fit and healthy, as the community offers a bike-sharing program, free fitness workshops for residents, a sprawling community garden, and a 44-mile network of scenic trails. The US Tennis Association’s National Campus is located here as well, offering free tennis lessons for children ages ten and below along with a variety of high-performance training programs for advanced players.

Other Nearby Neighborhoods

Although Orlando is home to plenty of excellent neighborhoods, there’s more in store for anyone looking for the perfect place just outside city limits.

Winter Park

Located around three miles north of Orlando, Winter Park is a city encompassing roughly 10 square miles and is currently home to over 30,000 residents. Widely considered one of Florida’s most desirable urban villages, the city boasts a rich heritage, a strong economic base, an excellent parks system, and easy access to scenic lakes, providing a high quality of life for residents.

Winter Park is known for its distinct European ambiance reminiscent of a New England village, with its quaint cobblestone streets lined with cozy boutiques and charming cafes and restaurants. In addition to its top-notch attractions like Winter Park Village, the historic Hannibal Square District, and an array of high-end shopping and dining venues, the city is also home to nationally-ranked educational institutions such as Winter Park High School, Valencia Community College, and Rollins College.

Winter Garden

Located around 14 miles west of Downtown Orlando, Winter Garden is a picturesque enclave with cobblestone streets lined with mature oaks, charming boutiques, and elegant bistros. Currently home to nearly 45,000 residents, the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to raise a family, landing in numerous “best of” lists from websites like Niche, SmartAsset, and NerdWallet.

Winter Garden boasts a wealth of historical and recreational attractions. Its Historic Downtown district is included in the National Registry of Historic Places. It is a popular destination for residents of West Orange and anyone looking to navigate the 22-mile West Orange Trail, one of the most popular rail trails in the region. The city is also home to the Winter Garden Village, an expansive shopping district featuring over a million square feet of retail space.

This scenic West Orange community is a popular destination for avid boaters and enthusiasts, with its pristine sand bottom lakes and access to a system of canals that connect to the eight lakes making up the Butler Chain of Lakes.

With its proximity to Orlando, diverse mix of real estate options, top-rated schools, thriving business community, and variety of fantastic attractions, Winter Garden is one of the best places to live, work, and play.

Windermere

Windermere is a small town located in the southwest corner of Orlando, encompassing approximately 2.6 square miles and home to over 3,500 residents. The town was founded in 1889 and is one of the oldest communities in Orange County. It was once primarily an agricultural town that mainly produced citrus.

Many of the town’s original homes and establishments have been preserved, which adds to its charm and gives it a unique, nostalgic feel. The town is focused on protecting and preserving its natural history and tight-knit community, which makes it a very desirable place to live.

 

The Orlando Lifestyle

 

The best way to get to know Orlando is to enjoy a vacation in the city, check out its many exciting attractions, and see what it’s like to live here for yourself. But in case that’s not an option, here are a few of the many reasons why relocating to Orlando is a great choice:

The weather

Orlando experiences moderately consistent temperatures throughout the year. January is typically the coldest month, with average lows of about 49°F and highs around 71°F.

Major transitions in its climate are often seen around the spring season, with lows reaching the mid-50s and highs hovering in the upper 80s. August is typically the hottest month in Orlando, with lows in the lower 70s and highs in the mid-90s.

Employment opportunities

Orlando’s vibrant tourism industry generates numerous full-time and part-time jobs. Job seekers will be able to find plenty of employment opportunities in Orlando’s theme parks, resorts, hotels, and restaurants.

While the tourism industry plays a significant role in Orlando’s economy, the city is more than just a tourist destination – it leads the US in various industries, including biotech, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, simulation technology, and more.

Some of Orlando’s major employers are the Walt Disney World Resort, University of Central Florida, JetBlue Airways, Lockheed Martin, The Golf Channel, and Electronic Arts.

Schools

Orlando and its surrounding areas are home to numerous top-rated schools. One of the most reputable school districts in the area is Seminole County Public Schools, which serves a student population of over 66,000 and has a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1. The school district boasts an A+ rating in safety in diversity, and more than 60% of its students are highly proficient in reading and math.

Orange County Public Schools is another top-rated school district in Orlando, serving nearly 200,000 students, with a student-teacher ratio of 16 to 1. The district has an overall rating of B-, and more than 50% of its students are proficient in math and reading.

Affordability

Orlando, Florida is one of the best places to live because it’s located in one of the few states with no income taxes, which means more of your hard-earned money goes straight to your bank account. Combined with the city’s robust job market, budget-friendly rents, and affordable cost of living, you get a level of affordability that few cities in the US can match.

Outdoor destinations

Orlando offers a wealth of incredible outdoor recreational activities, thanks to its terrific climate and top-tier natural features. Numerous sun-kissed white sand beaches can be found along the Atlantic Coast, providing an array of water activities for all ages as well as sweeping views of pristine blue waters. The city is also home to expansive gardens, state-of-the-art sports complexes, recreational facilities, and some of the best golf courses in the state.

Dining

When it comes to dining, Orlando is home to one of the most diverse culinary scenes in the entire country. The city’s incredible assortment of fine dining restaurants, casual eateries, bistros, cafes, and diners means you’ll never run out of options to choose from.

Whether you’re in the mood for a hearty Italian feast, authentic Asian cuisine, classic American comfort food, or a light Sunday brunch, the city’s excellent culinary destinations are guaranteed to satisfy.

Here are just a few of the many amazing restaurants you can find in Orlando:

Top-notch retirement communities

Orlando boasts many well-established adult-organized communities with their own support groups, making it an excellent choice for retirees looking forward to a leisure lifestyle. Over the past several years, the city has integrated many social programs and worked relentlessly to improve public services.

 

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Place to Live

 

Many homebuyers make the mistake of comprising on location simply based on cost. The truth, however, is that the location you choose for your next home will dictate a lot of factors, including quality of life, commuting time, home value, and school choices, among others.

Now that you’ve read about some of the best places to live in Orlando, Florida, and gathered more insight on what living in the area is like, the next step is to examine important factors involved in choosing a location.

Daily Commute

The duration of your daily commute can affect your overall lifestyle, your income, and how much quality time you’ll be able to enjoy at home with your loved ones.

Remember to take into account a potential home’s proximity to major highways and public transit options to ensure easier movement to and from your workplace.

Access to schools

If you currently have children or planning to start a family in the near future, you will need to gather information on the schools serving the location you’re planning to move to and determine whether they’ll be able to provide the quality of education you want your kids to have.

Even if you don’t have any children, buying a home in an area served by excellent schools is still advisable, as it’ll be easier to sell compared to a home in a neighborhood without convenient access to good schools.

Access to amenities

Homes situated close to local businesses tend to appreciate faster over time
compared to suburban homes.

During your house hunt, take note of homes that offer easy access to amenities like parks, shopping centers, and restaurants. This will help your home appreciate in value and make the selling process smoother for you when you decide to resell.

Safety

A home located in an area with high crime rates means you’ll need to invest more money on security cameras, alarms, and other types of security features. It could also be harder for you to sell the home for a reasonable price if you decide to put it on the market in the future.

To help you find a safe neighborhood that can accommodate your budget, use free online crime statistics resources such as NeighborhoodScout, CityProtect., and FamilyWatchdog.

Noise levels

Be sure to visit a neighborhood during different times of the day so you can check what the noise levels are like. If you’re considering an area like Downtown Orlando, make sure your house is located in a quiet area, or at least along an interior street.

 

Find Your Dream Home in Orlando Today by Working With The Nickley Group

 

Every year, Orlando attracts countless new residents due to its exceptional quality of life, affordable cost of living, low taxes, an array of world-class attractions, and diverse opportunities.

Ready to begin the search for your dream home in the City Beautiful? The Nickley Group has you covered. As one of Florida’s top-selling real estate teams, this group of experienced and highly skilled agents is here to help you navigate this exciting market so you can find a home that matches all of your unique requirements and preferences.

Talk to us about your real estate goals in Orlando today! Get in touch with us at The Nickley Group by calling 407.906.2456 or send an email to info(at)thenickleygroup(dotted)com.

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