Orlando, FL
Located in the heart of central Florida, Orlando is home to around 262,000 residents and is part of a metropolitan area of more than two million. The city has been rated among the top places to live in the United States in a recent Pew Research study as will as a Gamma (a top ranked) city by the World City Study Group. Orlando is best known for its close proximity to Walt Disney World and other Florida theme parks, as the home of the University of Central Florida, for its extensive city park system and for its growing film industry.
What's unique about Orlando, Florida
There are a myriad of good reasons to live in Orlando. The city is blessed with sunny, sub-tropical weather, excellent transportation including the world-class Orlando International Airport and a plethora of attractions, shops and restaurants for every taste and budget. Orlando's economy is growing and diverse, with abundant jobs in the film, television, technology, health care and tourism industries.
Living in Orlando
Life in Orlando is never dull. There are plenty of attractions for residents, both indoors and outdoors. The city park system is one of the nation's best. The Florida Mall is one of the largest in the United States. The Orlando weather is usually sunny and warm, and the city offers a myriad of cultural activities, from sporting events to film screenings to food festivals.
Cultural Activities
Orlando is home to a diverse theater community with several playhouses and outdoor theaters, including the Orlando Shakespeare Theater and the Orlando Repertory Theater. In addition, the city is home to the Central Florida Ballet, the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center and the Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival, held each spring.
Orlando City schools
School-age children in Orlando attend Orange County Public Schools. The district, which has an enrollment of around 187,000 students maintains 184 schools--123 elementary schools, 35 middle schools and six high schools. In addition to the public schools, there are a number of private schools in and around Orlando. These include Orlando Lutheran Academy, The First Academy and Bishop Moore High School.
For higher education, central Florida is home to a number of excellent colleges and universities, including the University of Central Florida (the largest university in the United States), Valencia College and Florida A&M University College of Law.
Working in Orlando
Orlando is well-known for its tourism industry. However, that is just one of the many thriving industries in and around Orlando. The city is known as "Hollywood of the East" for its growing number of film and television studios. In addition, Orlando is a major hi-tech and industrial hub with more than 150 international companies based there. Orlando-based Central Florida Research Park is the seventh-largest research facility in the United States.
Entertainment
Orlando residents never lack for something to do. The city is home to the Orlando Magic professional basketball team as well as a burgeoning hip-hop and Latino music scene. The Orlando Film Festival draws visitors from around the globe for a week in October and the Orlando Craft Beer Festival delights beer drinkers each February.
Parks and Recreation
The City of Orlando owns and maintains more than 100 parks, recreation centers and green spaces, including 17 recreation centers, two senior centers and two hiking and biking trails. Orlando is also noted for its many golf courses, including the Grand Cypress course and the championship courses at Walt Disney World. Of course, Orlando is just a hour's drive from the Atlantic Ocean and its many beaches.
Orlando City Real Estate
Housing in Orlando runs the gamut from single family homes to apartment-style, high-rise condos, from traditional Florida-style cottages to new construction. There's something for virtually any design taste and budget in the Orlando area. The median home value in the City of Orlando is $157,000. However, that figure hides the vast diversity in properties in the area.
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