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Sorry this is long but trying to make a life changing decision for 7 people.
We have been debating back and forth for a year now if we should relocate to Sebastian or St. Cloud. My husband is able to transfer his job to either area. If Sebastian, his commute might be 10 minutes more but he's not too worried about that.
We love being close to a beach area so Sebastian might be better but here is our issue. We have five kids so schooling is a huge factor. I can't seem to get a good answer on how the school system is in either area. I have however gotten great suggestions on areas that are way out of our price range (Dr.Phillips?) We are relocating from Philadelphia and have dealt with horrible schools for the past 10 years so we hope to be in a less violent area.
Would Sebastian be a better choice for a family?
St. Cloud is closer to atrractions and Arnold Palmer Children's which we would use but we both drive so having to commute an hour or two every now and then is not an issue.
The decision is being left up to me at this point and we are looking at moving by the end of this school year so I'm desperate.
*the kids say they don't care either way as long as they don't have to look at snow again so no help there and we have been to both areas to visit but that's it.
Thanks in advance for any advice!!
I never heard of St Cloud until now and it looks nice.
I don't know why you can't see the school and district ratings - they're online in many places but it's prohibited here to post competitive listing links.
The school ratings are funky here, because of many variables and I think Indian River County has improved all it's scores but a quick look tells me St Cloud MAY be better. You need to go on the Orlando forum and ask parents.
Also you were there. So you should have a feel for which atmosphere better suits you. I can't tell which city has more to do for kids. You'd think St Cloud but when I look, I don't actually see much on a calendar.
You'd have to be pretty active self motivated people, I would think, for a family of 7 to keep "busy" here including doing schoolwork even IF the school is "not the greatest". Yes we have some A schools in the county but not all. It basically boils down to the beach/water activities/fishing and the aquatic center LOL.
OK J/K but we don't have a ton of "entertainment" for them. Yes we have parks and athletic centers and sports. The Riverside Theater even has a children's theater and plenty of stuff going on. You can't go into Target without being next to moms with three kids. So there ARE kids. (and all the schools have expanded this past few years). But somehow when people get here they start asking for stuff we dont' have. Like mountains. OR the Ocean City Boardwalk.
Sebastian is more a slow paced sorta "fishing village" but contiguous to Vero Beach which is more small touristy....and St Cloud looks to me like more of a"small home town city" experiencing alot of growth and trying to annex outlying communities AND ride on the coattails of Orlando so to speak. Very politically progressive (not a compliment coming from me LOL)... 63% registered Dems. Like Osceola County - voted Hillary 65% to Trump 35%.
I see alot of red flag political buzzwords they use but that may not be a problem for you. Master Plan. Annex. Growth Restrictions. High Taxes and Fees.
But that may work for you. Never would work for me. I'm from Philly and just eyeroll all that crap at home but HERE? In the middle of FL - the 3rd most growing state which happens to be getting more and more progressive and throwing money away while increasing the cost of living/housing/etc with government control and federal [Agenda 21] grant money bribes? NO! (actually I'm moving back up North but whatever....)
The Sebastian mayor is a social worker type but our Indian River County board is what really matters and we still have enough conservative board members to keep them all in LINE at least a LITTLE BIT. He sounds like a nice guy but gets on the radio always complaining about social conditions when in REALITY we have A LOT of social services and wealth here who spend all their free time on charity work/events - like a week doesn't go by you hear about something -and I'm not even exaggerating. For example we have a county walk in mental health clinic which is always advertising itself for clients because they're not that busy hahahaha.
Their city website is cute:
We welcome you to St. Cloud
A strong sense of community, a growing economy, recreational opportunities, excellent schools, and a pride in small-town living are all part of life in this Central Florida city
Also the demographics there are younger which for you, is an advantage as long as they aren't all juvenile delinquents LOL.
The only other negative I can think of is that - St Cloud has a larger than average Hispanic population - 1/3rd as of the last census - as does all of Orlando and with that comes a constant understanding that everyone is constantly speaking Spanish and expecting a bi-lingual EVERYTHING. Including the TV in the dentist office or at the rental car place.
For ME, that would never work either but YMMV.
We have a radio station program 2x day you can listen to with a TON of information about what's going on socially, fiscally, politically and event wise. They even have the fishing guy with reports, the county historian lady with history and event announcement and a ton of other interesting guests including the School Board people. WTTB AM 1490
Sorry just getting back on here...I have done alot of research online but its so much better hearing it from people that live there. Sometimes the schools I noticed will get a bad review from an angry parent when it fact it really is a good school so it's hard to really go by that.
We are definitely leaning toward Sebastian and are the type of family that goes out and finds new things to do..so we don't necessarily need constant entertainment at our finger tips.
Here are a ton of links on this thread I posted the other day to prove a point to "bored" people who can't seem to find ANYTHING to do except sit by their pool.
Sorry just getting back on here...I have done alot of research online but its so much better hearing it from people that live there. Sometimes the schools I noticed will get a bad review from an angry parent when it fact it really is a good school so it's hard to really go by that.
We are definitely leaning toward Sebastian and are the type of family that goes out and finds new things to do..so we don't necessarily need constant entertainment at our finger tips.
Appreciate the advice!
Just keep in mind Sebastian is a small quiet town if you're looking for a big city or lots to do other than beaches, try to check it out before you make your decision. Best of luck !
Just keep in mind Sebastian is a small quiet town if you're looking for a big city or lots to do other than beaches, try to check it out before you make your decision. Best of luck !
St. Cloud is small town too. The schools there are not as good as in Indian River or Brevard County IMHO
St. Cloud starts the congestion on I92 into the Kissimmee Disney area. Lots of new subdivisions with a lot of short term/vacation houses. I have lived in Brevard County for 40 years. Would definitely pick Sebastian over St. Cloud, but would pick almost anywhere in Brevard County over either of the choices unless I could afford beachside by the inlet.
Sebastian is a short drive from Melbourne area and all it offers. It also is the location of Sebastian Inlet <3, has a Disney Resort within minutes to go for Character breakfasts etc. . Daytrippin' to Disney is pretty easy.
To the OP, where is your husband's job located? Also are the children suffering from something serious that Arnold Palmer Childrens is the only option? Melbourne has some pretty good hospitals much closer to Sebastian. If someone needs more extensive care they transfer to Orlando or UF Gainesville if needed.
Other than fishing there I unfortunately don't know too much about Sebastian. I do however live in St. Cloud so I can help you on that front. St. Cloud is a great, family oriented small town that feels like a cross between a middle american suburb and rural Texas town. In my opinion, how much you would like it really depends on how much that description appeals to you. On one hand I don't think it would be a good fit for the more urbanite yuppie crowd as there is very little public transportation, it's on the rural borderline of Orlando, and it's not the richest area around.
That said I really love living here. The people here are so friendly and there is a lot of community involvement and events. It's the only place I've ever lived where I know the names of everyone on my street. After Hurricane Irma people wandered around the neighborhood for hours helping each other, checking on people, cleaning up debris, letting others borrow their generators, etc. I never feel unsafe here, the police are friendly and trustworthy, and the small pockets of rough areas have been cleaned up over the past few years.
Most of the stores and restaurants in St. Cloud are Mom & Pop shops where people will learn your name if you go their often enough. Downtown is charming and fun to explore, though I admit I don't go that often as stores are all specialty shops. The real highlight is the lakefront and marina, which is one of the most scenic communities in the Orlando metro. The houses here are all over the place in terms of construction, from 100 year old cracker houses to gated subdivisions. New houses are popping up wherever there is an open lot.
It's anything but cookie cutter, though that could mean your on a street with both a trailer and a million dollar mansion next to each other (that's not an exaggeration BTW, my street has just that). If you do chose to live here look by Lakefront, Narcoosee, and Canoe Creek roads for the best areas to live in. My niece and nephew went to school here and loved it, it seems to be much better than the Orlando average at least for grade schools. Traffic is light on the main streets and Narcoosee, but a nightmare if you go towards Kissimmee. The plus side though is your a one hour straight shot from Melbourne's beaches on a non crouded highway.
With all that said though I wouldn't blame you for picking Sebastian, as southern Brevard/the Treasure Coast is my favorite area in all of Florida. From what I can see Sebastian has a similar feel to St. Cloud, only more coastal and less humid. Regardless as long as you know what you are getting into you won't go wrong moving to either location. Good luck and welcome to the sunshine state.
Quote:
Originally Posted by runswithscissors
St Cloud looks to me like more of a"small home town city" experiencing alot of growth and trying to annex outlying communities AND ride on the coattails of Orlando so to speak. Very politically progressive (not a compliment coming from me LOL)... 63% registered Dems. Like Osceola County - voted Hillary 65% to Trump 35%.
I see alot of red flag political buzzwords they use but that may not be a problem for you. Master Plan. Annex. Growth Restrictions. High Taxes and Fees.
But that may work for you. Never would work for me. I'm from Philly and just eyeroll all that crap at home but HERE? In the middle of FL - the 3rd most growing state which happens to be getting more and more progressive and throwing money away while increasing the cost of living/housing/etc with government control and federal [Agenda 21] grant money bribes? NO! (actually I'm moving back up North but whatever....)
The Sebastian mayor is a social worker type but our Indian River County board is what really matters and we still have enough conservative board members to keep them all in LINE at least a LITTLE BIT. He sounds like a nice guy but gets on the radio always complaining about social conditions when in REALITY we have A LOT of social services and wealth here who spend all their free time on charity work/events - like a week doesn't go by you hear about something -and I'm not even exaggerating. For example we have a county walk in mental health clinic which is always advertising itself for clients because they're not that busy hahahaha.
Their city website is cute:
We welcome you to St. Cloud
A strong sense of community, a growing economy, recreational opportunities, excellent schools, and a pride in small-town living are all part of life in this Central Florida city
Also the demographics there are younger which for you, is an advantage as long as they aren't all juvenile delinquents LOL.
The only other negative I can think of is that - St Cloud has a larger than average Hispanic population - 1/3rd as of the last census - as does all of Orlando and with that comes a constant understanding that everyone is constantly speaking Spanish and expecting a bi-lingual EVERYTHING. Including the TV in the dentist office or at the rental car place.
For ME, that would never work either but YMMV.
We have a radio station program 2x day you can listen to with a TON of information about what's going on socially, fiscally, politically and event wise. They even have the fishing guy with reports, the county historian lady with history and event announcement and a ton of other interesting guests including the School Board people. WTTB AM 1490
Not sure where your getting that information about St Cloud being "progressive" but I can tell you thats wrong. While Osceola county in general is like that St Cloud is an outlier. In 2016 there were as many Hillary for Prison signs there were actual Hillary signs. While we do have liberals who live/govern here their more of the working class union folks than the social justice types you see in big cities. The Hispanic population isn't any higher than the Florida average, and the ones here are very Americanized. I can tell you they are great members of our community who always manage to fit right in with everyone else.
St. Cloud is small town too. The schools there are not as good as in Indian River or Brevard County IMHO
St. Cloud starts the congestion on I92 into the Kissimmee Disney area. Lots of new subdivisions with a lot of short term/vacation houses. I have lived in Brevard County for 40 years. Would definitely pick Sebastian over St. Cloud, but would pick almost anywhere in Brevard County over either of the choices unless I could afford beachside by the inlet.
Sebastian is a short drive from Melbourne area and all it offers. It also is the location of Sebastian Inlet <3, has a Disney Resort within minutes to go for Character breakfasts etc. . Daytrippin' to Disney is pretty easy.
To the OP, where is your husband's job located? Also are the children suffering from something serious that Arnold Palmer Childrens is the only option? Melbourne has some pretty good hospitals much closer to Sebastian. If someone needs more extensive care they transfer to Orlando or UF Gainesville if needed.
Thanks for your opinions on Sebastian and Brevard County. We are actually focusing more on those areas now. In March we are coming down to look at Melbourne and Sebastian areas.
About Arnold Palmer hospital it was suggested to us by my son's doctors. He is two years off treatment for infant leukemia so he would need to go to a COG (Children's oncology group) affiliated hospital for any follow up care. We currently see his oncologist every three months along with many other specialist so we would need to be able to get there every three months at least. That hospital was just a suggestion at the spur of the moment but his oncologist is looking into other areas for us to have options.
My husband is working directly for AAA Fleet department. According to his supervisor they have several locations they can transfer him too and one closer to Vero beach was actually suggested several times.
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(actually I'm moving back up North but whatever....)
but our Indian River County board is what really matters and we still have enough conservative board members to keep them all in LINE at least a LITTLE BIT. He sounds like a nice guy but gets on the radio always complaining about social conditions when in REALITY we have A LOT of social services and wealth here who spend all their free time on charity work/events - like a week doesn't go by you hear about something -and I'm not even exaggerating. For example we have a county walk in mental health clinic which is always advertising itself for clients because they're not that busy hahahaha. 
