Tampa/Orlando Which is better for us? (Lakeland, Sarasota: apartment, rental)

[FortunateNFree]

Hello,

My husband and I are looking to relocate soon and we are open to either the Carolina or Florida(Central or South)

I've posted a few threads in the NC forums and got some helpful advice and now I'm posting in FL to get some advice from any local residents of FL.

If we were to choose Florida, we will be open to either Central or South, FL.
We would like to know which would be a better location for us to choose -based on our preferences.

1. Prefer to live in a Culturally diverse city
2. Will be renting - rental budget is between $1000-$1500 for a 2-3 bedroom apartment or town-home
3. Weather-prefer areas that aren't in a "hurricane zone" if that even exists. I have heard that many hurricanes can sweep all through central and south Florida. Is this true?
4. Safety-Prefer an area that is decent - We understand that crime exists everywhere but really concerned more with gangs, people walking the streets, drugs, etc. We wanna stay away from those areas.
5. Traffic - Prefer to live in an area that's not too congested with heavy traffic
6. Schools - Are the schools better in Central or South Florida?
7. Demographics - We are a married couple between 34-35 years of age, African American and Latino.

We've already researched Tampa/Lakeland/Davenport/Kissimee/Orlando.



I really like Lakeland area. It seems beautiful to live there and very affordable for us. The DavenPort area seems nice as well. Tampa seems cool but I bet it's more of a crowded city.



Do you guys have any advice or feedback on these areas or any other areas which may be good for us?

[MortonR]

To be brutally honest, neither Tampa nor Orlando will meet your requirements. While you can probably find housing in that price range, it's not going to be in a decent area.

Both areas are in "hurricane zones", whatever that is. If you're in Florida, you're at risk for hurricanes. Period. There's no part that's better or worse for the most part.

Both areas are nightmarish when it comes to traffic, mainly due to uncontrolled growth over the last 20 years and the infrastructure not being put in place to handle it.

As someone who used to work in the schools here and is originally from the Midwest, the schools here suck, plain and simple. I can't speak for Orlando, but I have to believe they're not much better than Tampa. Understand that in Florida there is one school district per county, so you've got some of the largest districts in the nation here. That makes for a lousy distribution of resources and huge, lumbering bureaucracies that move slowly, if at all. Tampa's schools are in the midst of a financial crisis that is only beginning to get worse.

Demographics are broad here. Lots of every kind of people.

I don't know Lakeland that well except that I know the part north of I-4 is nasty and to be avoided, and the part south of I-4 is old South/old money and fairly affluent. And that's a broad generalization from a very few visits there. Suffice to say that Polk County in general is a hole - it's considered the meth and opioid capital of Florida, certainly something to wrote home about....

Sorry.

P.S. - your poll doesn't give the taker a "neither" choice.

RM

[FortunateNFree]

Hey!!

Thanks so much for responding. You’re from the Midwest!? Where exactly? I was born and raised in Country Club Hills, IL about 30 miles from Chicago. What part of Florida do you live in now? Thanks for your honesty. I appreciate that. We’re def open to North Carolina as well as Fl. NC seems to be a better place for a growing family. I just was attracted to FL due to the weather being so nice in the Winter and it just seems like paradise, the palm trees, the beaches, entertainment etc.

Obviously though, there is a lot that comes with living in such a popular place like Florida. The traffic, hurricanes, loads of people. We’re used to the population being from a major city such as New York and Chicago so the sprawls is people isn’t an issue for me and the traffic- I doubt anything is worse than NY traffic LOL.

You did state a drug issue. That scares the hell outta me LOL! Is it drug addicted folks walking the streets in the suburbs also!? This is why I wanna live in a safe area but it appears that we can’t afford. I’m not sure. You stated that POLK County is a drug place. Umm is Tampa or Orlando part of the Polk county? I wanna avoid Polk county then. In NY there were so many people on drugs and homeless. I really wanna stay away from those areas.

Thanks so much!

[FortunateNFree]

And I tried to edit the poll but I don't believe I can.

Originally Posted by MortonR

To be brutally honest, neither Tampa nor Orlando will meet your requirements. While you can probably find housing in that price range, it's not going to be in a decent area.

Both areas are in "hurricane zones", whatever that is. If you're in Florida, you're at risk for hurricanes. Period. There's no part that's better or worse for the most part.

Both areas are nightmarish when it comes to traffic, mainly due to uncontrolled growth over the last 20 years and the infrastructure not being put in place to handle it.

As someone who used to work in the schools here and is originally from the Midwest, the schools here suck, plain and simple. I can't speak for Orlando, but I have to believe they're not much better than Tampa. Understand that in Florida there is one school district per county, so you've got some of the largest districts in the nation here. That makes for a lousy distribution of resources and huge, lumbering bureaucracies that move slowly, if at all. Tampa's schools are in the midst of a financial crisis that is only beginning to get worse.

Demographics are broad here. Lots of every kind of people.

I don't know Lakeland that well except that I know the part north of I-4 is nasty and to be avoided, and the part south of I-4 is old South/old money and fairly affluent. And that's a broad generalization from a very few visits there. Suffice to say that Polk County in general is a hole - it's considered the meth and opioid capital of Florida, certainly something to wrote home about....

Sorry.

P.S. - your poll doesn't give the taker a "neither" choice.

RM

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by FortunateNFree

Hey!!

Thanks so much for responding. You’re from the Midwest!? Where exactly? I was born and raised in Country Club Hills, IL about 30 miles from Chicago. What part of Florida do you live in now? Thanks for your honesty. I appreciate that. We’re def open to North Carolina as well as Fl. NC seems to be a better place for a growing family. I just was attracted to FL due to the weather being so nice in the Winter and it just seems like paradise, the palm trees, the beaches, entertainment etc.

Obviously though, there is a lot that comes with living in such a popular place like Florida. The traffic, hurricanes, loads of people. We’re used to the population being from a major city such as New York and Chicago so the sprawls is people isn’t an issue for me and the traffic- I doubt anything is worse than NY traffic LOL.

You did state a drug issue. That scares the hell outta me LOL! Is it drug addicted folks walking the streets in the suburbs also!? This is why I wanna live in a safe area but it appears that we can’t afford. I’m not sure. You stated that POLK County is a drug place. Umm is Tampa or Orlando part of the Polk county? I wanna avoid Polk county then. In NY there were so many people on drugs and homeless. I really wanna stay away from those areas.

Thanks so much!

I grew up in Indiana and lived in Wisconsin as well. I am in the Tampa area.

it just seems like paradise, the palm trees, the beaches, entertainment etc.

This is an all too common misperception. We all have lives similar to what you're living now. Work, chores, errands, kids at school, social events, shopping. We don't spend every weekend at the beach or going to Disney or Busch Gardens - we're not here on vacation, we're living pretty typical suburban lives like anyone anywhere else is.

April to October can be hellish climate-wise. Where I grew up in the Midwest it was similar, if not worse, as it was far more humid. At least on the west coast you'll get the Gulf breezes that help to keep the temperature down (relatively speaking, of course.) In Orlando it's far worse, as they're in the interior of the state where the temperatures aren't moderated nearly as much by the ocean or Gulf winds. It's easily 3-5 degrees hotter there.

The perception that there are drug-addled people wandering around the neighborhood like zombies is simply wrong and not the case. As with many rural areas where poverty is more common, drug and substance abuse is higher. Add to this the rural nature of Polk County and you have the perfect environment for producing drugs discreetly. Ever watch "To Catch a Predator" with Chris Hansen? Many of those "stings" were done in Polk County (Lakeland and surrounds.)

And lastly, the schools are simply lousy here. Granted, if you're an involved parent and your child is motivated, they'll do well anywhere. If they're average and you're only able to make it to the occasional PTA meeting, lower your expectations.

While I raised two children here that have done well, I attribute that to our constant pressure, very high expectations and direct involvement in the educational process.

RM

[gypsychic]

Lakeland is an excellent choice. It is affordable, has many amenities for the public - lots of really nice parks, beautiful lakes, many art and cultural amenities including a nice art center and a performing arts center. We lived there for two years. Yes, like any city it has its bad areas (just north and west of downtown is pretty bad). Downtown has been restored at great expense, all around a central park. Lake Mirror is adjacent and is fantastic - a promenade all around, with formal gardens, park amphitheatre and much more. Lake Hollingsworth features a 3 mile walk/jog path which is always active. It is also home of Florida Southern College, which features the largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright designed buildings.

People who have not lived there tend to dismiss it based on the little they have seen just driving through on the interstate. Please do not make that mistake. I recommend you look into it further, if you are interested in Florida. Also, Lakeland is located right between Tampa and Orlando, making it reasonbly easy to access either city. And I am sorry but people who condemn the entire county of Polk are really doing a disservice here. I would not hesitate to live there again. We only moved because we have a long history where we are now (Sarasota) and had an opportunity to come back. But I often think fondly of Lakeland, and miss it in many ways.

Good areas to live are near downtown (south) around the lakes, or further south in Lakeland Highlands. I hope this helps.

[UrbanGenious25]

Orlando... Orlando... Orlando...

[The Villages Guy]

I can't speak to Orlando, but we really enjoyed the Tampa Bay area.

[bobandsherry]

Originally Posted by The Villages Guy

I can't speak to Orlando, but we really enjoyed the Tampa Bay area.

OK - so where ya been for so long? Nice to see ya back, hopefully all is well.

[lowr1961]

Neither-both areas are a nightmare in my opinion