Coral Springs vs Boca (Tampa, Boca Raton: home, safest area, school districts)

[maybesefl]

Can someone give me a brief list of differences between the two? I know every area has a different personality so I'm curious. Is one more liberal/progressive, safer, expensive?

[Nolefan34]

Both are similar cities. Boca is known as being richer, snobbier, and having a very large Jewish population. Coral Springs has many of the same elements of Boca, but is slightly less expensive to live in.

Another difference is that Boca Raton spans from the Atlantic Ocean in the east all the way west past US-441. Coral Springs is confined to being an inland western suburb about 15-20 miles from the ocean.

[maybesefl]

Is one safer than the other? I would assume that since Coral Springs is a confined western suburb that it's at least a little safer than Boca. I've heard Boca has better schools - is this true? Does one have a population that's more educated? More liberal? I know neither is going to be the model of liberalism but that's fine.

We have family here and love the climate so we're trying our best to make this work. We're just looking for an area that's more educated and less sheltered than Tampa Bay.

[Swimmom32]

We live in Boca so I can only comment on where we live....We are extremely happy with our Schools...We do find boca to be safe...Our son is almost 17 a Junior in HS and Our Daughter is in Middle School...they are both thriving and we have been here for 2.5 years now and love it....After all our Research we found that Boca Schools were the best fit for our children....You can go onto the Palm Beach County School Report Card and do a comparison with the Broward County/Coral Springs Schools...Boca Schools these are the schools our children attend/attended...Calusa Elem, Omni Middle and Spanish River HS....There is also Del Prado Elem, and Verde Elem....they both feed into OMNI and Spanish River although they are changing some of the Boundaries for OMNI because the other middle school in east boca is under capacity...
Good Luck to you and your family

[maybesefl]

I've heard the safest areas are usually west of the Turnpike. Is this the case for Boca as well? Should Central and East Boca be avoided (if we're looking for safe neighborhoods and good schools)?

[Swimmom32]

We are in Central Boca we lived in West Boca and weren't happy with the schools and we just like this area better...We Are East of the Turnpike..West Boca was safe as well just gets sketchy in the Sandlefoot Area but otherwise your fine...The schools I mentioned are in Central Boca...East Boca we love because we love being near the water, however the only school that would have been ok for us was Boca High School as well as the HS my son attends now Which is Spanish River, but since we have a a child in Middle School, Omni was the only middle school we chose to send her too...Again that is just our Experience...

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by maybesefl

I've heard the safest areas are usually west of the Turnpike. Is this the case for Boca as well? Should Central and East Boca be avoided (if we're looking for safe neighborhoods and good schools)?

Central Boca is actually the most preferable area for school districts. Spanish River High School is probably the most sought-after public high school in all of South Florida, and it is in central Boca. The areas just west of the turnpike to 441 is the least desirable area in Boca for schools (average to slightly below average), while the areas west of 441 have above average schools, and east of the turnpike are average to above-average. 99% of Boca is relatively safe to live in, regardless of which section. Eastern Boca is I guess the most "progressive" if you can call it that, although not by a long shot, and also the most expensive, and that is by a long shot. Central Boca is home to a lot of "Joan Rivers" lookalikes and probably matches most of the streotypes that you have heard about Boca. Central-West Boca between the turnpike and 441 looks and feels just like some random average area in Broward County. West Boca is the newest area in Boca, and basically resembles any other newer middle/upper middle class suburb in South Florida.

[Nolefan34]

Originally Posted by maybesefl

I've heard the safest areas are usually west of the Turnpike. Is this the case for Boca as well? Should Central and East Boca be avoided (if we're looking for safe neighborhoods and good schools)?

The "west of Turnpike" rule only applies in Broward County. Boca Raton is located in Palm Beach County and that rule doesn't apply. All of Boca is nice and has good schools. There are no bad areas of Boca, except the small sketchy area off 441 in Sandalfoot as the previous poster mentioned. It is a very small area of sketchyness.

All of Coral Springs is west of the Turnpike, so don't worry about that rule unless you are looking elsewhere in Broward County.

As far as being liberal or educated, compared to anything in Tampa, Boca and Coral Springs are liberal havens. I give a slight edge to Boca in liberalness and educated, but it is mainly just a very rich suburb with a huge Jewish population. Not really that liberal.

[maybesefl]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

Central Boca is actually the most preferable area for school districts. Spanish River High School is probably the most sought-after public high school in all of South Florida, and it is in central Boca. The areas just west of the turnpike to 441 is the least desirable area in Boca for schools (average to slightly below average), while the areas west of 441 have above average schools, and east of the turnpike are average to above-average. 99% of Boca is relatively safe to live in, regardless of which section. Eastern Boca is I guess the most "progressive" if you can call it that, although not by a long shot, and also the most expensive, and that is by a long shot. Central Boca is home to a lot of "Joan Rivers" lookalikes and probably matches most of the streotypes that you have heard about Boca. Central-West Boca between the turnpike and 441 looks and feels just like some random average area in Broward County. West Boca is the newest area in Boca, and basically resembles any other newer middle/upper middle class suburb in South Florida.

Haha, Joan Rivers lookalikes. So, those stereotypes are true? Boca is full of a lot of fake people? I've lived in an area that is stereotyped to be full of fake, snooty people (Northern Virginia) but I found that was only the case for some people. I still enjoyed it.

[maybesefl]

Originally Posted by Nolefan34

The "west of Turnpike" rule only applies in Broward County. Boca Raton is located in Palm Beach County and that rule doesn't apply. All of Boca is nice and has good schools. There are no bad areas of Boca, except the small sketchy area off 441 in Sandalfoot as the previous poster mentioned. It is a very small area of sketchyness.

All of Coral Springs is west of the Turnpike, so don't worry about that rule unless you are looking elsewhere in Broward County.

As far as being liberal or educated, compared to anything in Tampa, Boca and Coral Springs are liberal havens. I give a slight edge to Boca in liberalness and educated, but it is mainly just a very rich suburb with a huge Jewish population. Not really that liberal.

More liberal would be welcome. Hell, just more educated and traveled (read: less trashy and full of simpletons). People here point to St Petersburg as a model of liberalism. It's far from it.