When the name Orlando is mentioned we always think about Disney and theme parks. And these were the economic engines that drove Orlando’s growth for a quarter century.
But today’s Orlando is much, much more than that.
It is a diverse community, with great neighborhoods and excelent educational and health systems that manage to serve this rapidly changing community and still compete with the best in the country. Orlando-Orange County and adjacent sections of other Central Florida counties are home to a number of colleges and universities which over time are helping transform this area into a center of higher education. Seminole, Volusia, Lake
Built around literally hundreds of lakes, Orlando is also an extraordinarily beautiful city. As Orlando has grown, it has enclosed old Orange County cities like Winter Park,which then become fabulous neighborhoods within the greater metro area, adding to the character of this unique city. Towns of interest in surrounding parts of Seminole, Volusia, Lake, and Osceola counties have also become part of this process
It is already an economic giant in business and job creation,and is on its way to becoming one of the world’s major metropolitan areas. The Florida Turnpike and the I-4 Corridor cross here, making Orlando the connecting hub of Central Florida and linking it to both Coasts. Its state-of-the-art, award-winning international airport is connected by dozens of carriers to every spot in North America and around the globe.
You might think that such rapid growth would create an unacceptable price in terms of poor infrastructure but you would be wrong. Central Florida counties have stayed ahead of the curve, and the roads and highways are generally excelent throughout the metro region. Some have compared this area to a growing mini-Los Angeles, but Orlando’s freeway system is better.
What else is there to say? Well, add in a great quality of life and recreational choices ranging from professional sports, outdoor activities, vibrant nightlife, excelent dining out choices, fine art and cultural events, world famous family attractions, a beautiful natural environment and nearby beaches on either the Atlantic or the Gulf. Orlando has much of what you would expect to find, and the offerings seem to increase every day. And if you’d like to explore another metropolitan area as well, Tampa-St.Petersburg are just over an hour’s drive West.
Another word about the diverse recreational options outdoors: to the North is the Ocala National Forest and Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge, with hiking, paddleboating, and birding. All of the Lake Country that was part of the 19th century Steamboat Era lies just to the North, and the great Citrus Ridge area lies just to the South. To the East are the great Atlantic beaches at Daytona, New Smyrna, and Cocoa Beach, not to mention Cape Canaveral National Seashore. Also East, in the Mosquito Lagoon, the Indian and Banana Rivers, and of course any number of fresh-water lakes one finds myriad opportunities for boating, fishing, and exploring.
And last but not least, the cost of living in Orlando is below the national average, and compared to other areas of the United States it’s way below. In fact, Central Florida remains one of the last great bargains in the Sunshine State(see cost of living page).
General Information, Orange County:
Located in the middle portion of Florida, 85 miles northeast of Tampa, 231 miles north west of Miami and 243 miles south of Tallahassee.
Average summer Temperature 90°F, but hotter in July and August, although it tends to cool off at night
Average winter temperature is 71, with warm comfortable days and cool nights
Average yearly temperature 72
Average Annual Precipitation 53 in
Average Rain Days 116
Population projection 2005 -1 million, Orange County County
Average home cost-June 2005-$242,000
Cost of Living-99.98
Median age-33
Major Employment By Industry in order of numbers
Construction 5.1%
Education & Health Services 15.0%
Financial Activities 6.5%
Information 2.7%
Leisure & Hospitality 22.2%
Manufacturing 4.6%
Natural Resources & Mining 0.8%
Other Services 2.9% 3.2%
Professional & Business Services 17.3%
Public administration 4.4%
Trade, Transportation and Utilities 18.6%
A great quality of life amidst a rapidly growing area a vibrant and rapidly diversifying economy, good schools and medical services, safe neighborhoods and a unique lake-filled, protected natural environment are some of the things that Orlando-Orange County all about.
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