[chrisg8r]

My husband and I have lived in Lake Mary for almost six years. We're raising our children here now and love it. It's a small community only 30-45 mins from the beaches (Daytona/New Smyrna), downtown Orlando and the theme parks (Disney, Sea World, etc). I'd say taxes are average for FL. Crime is low in this area, higher near downtown Orlando. The public schools are all pretty good. There are some great private schools near Maitland, too. There is plenty to do if you have children - zoo, water parks, playgrounds, etc. I'm not sure if I'd like living here as much if it was just me and my husband though. It really is a very family-centric hometown community, which is why we love it so much for this stage of our lives. I'd highly recommend this area for families!

[MyPSJdotcom]

Originally Posted by isis297

A friend keeps telling me about Merritt Island and how wonderful it is...no trouble with allergies which is a big problem for my family. I saw someone else on here mention Lake Mary.

What can you guys tell me about these areas? How are they for taxes, safety, schools, cost of living, etc.?

I live in a community 10 minutes from Merritt Island called Port St. John. It is a lot less expensive than Merritt Island and you get the same sea breeze. I was faced with the same dilemma you were when I was move from Jacksonville. I looked in Lake Mary/Heathrow for a long time, because that is where I work. The schools were good, drugs were getting out of control at schools once known to be A schools. The thing about Lake Mary is that there are many different schools and redistricting happens a lot. It is growing so much there. The same is to say about my area, just not as quick. Brevard County has one of the top school districts in the state. If you look up Brevard County schools you will see that we have more A schools, less drugs, less crime, etc. than any other county. Schools are very important to Brevard County. We have more high school graduates than any other county and more of our students enter college than any other county. The problem Brevard County has is jobs. You may have to commute for work. I believe though, Brevard County has a more "Old Florida" feel to it than anywhere else. It is still pretty untapped unless you go to Palm Bay. People are so much friendlier here than in Orlando or the suburbs of Orlando. Come on over, we'd love to have you!

[MerrittIslandGirl]

I lived in Port St John 10 years and now in Merritt Island. There is a big difference and that is why Merritt Island is more expensive. Port St John is ugly (refered to as Port-O-John) and you have to drive to Titusville or Merritt Island to shop or dine out.

[MerrittIslandGirl]

More than 10 minutes (15 minutes if you speed and catch all the lights green). PSJ does have nice schools.