Region preview · 2027 Edition

Moving to Central Florida: what to know

Inland Florida's big middle: metro Orlando, the theme parks, and fast-growing suburbs stretching west to Lakeland and north to Sanford, with lakes everywhere you look.^1,3 No beach in the backyard, but no storm surge either, and both coasts are about an hour's drive.

Counties: Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Polk, Lake. Includes Orlando, Kissimmee, Sanford, Winter Park, Lakeland, Clermont.

72° / 50°¹January high / low, Orlando

92° / 73°¹July high / low

51 in¹rain a year, wettest June to September

$390,100²median home value, Orange County

14.3%²aged 65 and over, Orange County

$79,719²median household income

Weather

Mild, dry winters with occasional chilly nights; hot, humid summers with near-daily afternoon thunderstorms.⁴ Being inland, it's a little cooler in winter and a little hotter in summer than the coasts.⁴¹

Storms and hazards

Hurricanes still reach inland: Charley crossed right over Orlando in August 2004 with sustained winds near 85 mph and gusts of 106 mph at the airport, tearing roofs from three terminals and toppling Winter Park's old oaks onto power lines and cars.^1,4,5
Flooding around lakes, rivers and low neighborhoods after heavy rain.⁶
Sinkholes: in May 1981 one about 300 feet across opened in Winter Park overnight and swallowed a house and several Porsches. Most are far smaller, but ask about sinkhole history and coverage before you buy.^1,4

See every hurricane near Central Florida since 1851, mapped

Who it suits

Our judgment, from the facts in the full profile.

Families: young counties, lots of new neighborhoods and schools
People who want city jobs without living on the coast
Anyone who wants both coasts within an easy day trip
Theme-park, sports and big-event fans

A few things to see

The theme parks: Walt Disney World, Universal, SeaWorld and the rest³
Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales⁷
Frank Lloyd Wright's buildings at Florida Southern College, Lakeland⁸

Only in Florida

At Spook Hill in Lake Wales, a city street where cars appear to roll uphill.⁹ The legend says a chief and a giant alligator fought to the death there and their spirits still push.

Visitor information

The official, non-commercial places to ask about things to do, events and local services.^10,11 Many tourism offices also offer a free visitor guide.

County tourism offices

Polk County: Visit Central Florida (Polk County)
Orange County: Visit Orlando
Osceola County: Experience Kissimmee
Seminole County: Orlando North (Seminole County)
Lake County: Discover Lake County

State-certified visitor information centers

Visit Central Florida Welcome Center, 101 Adventure Court, Davenport
Winter Garden Heritage Foundation Visitor Information Center, 21 East Plant Street, Winter Garden
Winter Park Welcome Center, 151 W Lyman Avenue, Winter Park

The full Central Florida profile is in Choosing Your Place

Every county's people, income, home value and rent
Costs, insurance, hospitals, getting around, jobs, culture and history
122 town cards for this region, each with home value, rent, median age and the nearest 24-hour ER and airport
Side-by-side compare with any other region, and the monthly-cost calculator

Get Choosing Your Place · $9.99 What's inside

Moving here for sure? Living Here & Staying Ready has Central Florida's county emergency and special-needs numbers, and a household plan. Get the Complete Edition for $19.99.

Written by Charles Squires, North Port, Florida. 40 years living in Florida, in eight places.

I called on schools all over Polk and Lake counties.

More about the author and how this manual is made

Towns in Central Florida

Free basics for each of the 122 places with 1,000 or more people: home value, rent and the nearest ER.

Alafaya · Altamonte Springs · Alturas · Apopka · Astatula · Astor · Auburndale · Azalea Park · Babson Park · Bartow · Bay Hill · Belle Isle · Bithlo · Black Hammock · Buenaventura Lakes · Campbell · Casselberry · Celebration · Christmas · Chuluota · Clarcona · Clermont · Combee Settlement · Conway · Crooked Lake Park · Crystal Lake · Cypress Gardens · Davenport · Doctor Phillips · Dundee · Eagle Lake · Eatonville · Edgewood · Eustis · Fairview Shores · Fern Park · Forest City · Fort Meade · Four Corners · Frostproof · Fruitland Park · Fuller Heights · Fussels Corner · Geneva · Goldenrod · Gotha · Grenelefe · Groveland · Haines City · Heathrow · Highland City · Holden Heights · Holden Lakes · Horizon West · Howey-in-the-Hills · Hunters Creek · Inwood · Jan Phyl Village · Kathleen · Kissimmee · Lady Lake · Lake Alfred · Lake Butler · Lake Hamilton · Lake Kathryn · Lake Mack-Forest Hills · Lake Mary · Lake Mary Jane · Lake Wales · Lakeland · Lakeland Highlands · Leesburg · Lockhart · Longwood · Loughman · Maitland · Mascotte · Meadow Woods · Medulla · Midway CDP (Seminole County) · Minneola · Montverde · Mount Dora · Mount Plymouth · Mulberry · Oak Ridge · Oakland · Ocoee · Orlando · Orlovista · Oviedo · Pine Castle · Pine Hills · Pine Lakes · Poinciana · Polk City · Rio Pinar · Sanford · Silver Lake · Sky Lake · South Apopka · Southchase · St. Cloud · Taft · Tangelo Park · Tangerine · Tavares · Umatilla · Union Park · University CDP (Orange County) · Wahneta · Wedgefield · Wekiwa Springs · Williamsburg · Willow Oak · Windermere · Winter Garden · Winter Haven · Winter Park · Winter Springs · Yalaha · Zellwood

Other regions: Southwest Florida · Tampa Bay · Heartland · North Central Florida · Northeast Florida · Space Coast and Daytona · Southeast Florida · Florida Keys · Big Bend and Nature Coast · Panhandle