2022 Best Suburbs to Raise a Family in Florida

Nocatee

• Suburb of Jacksonville, FL
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  Rating 4.49 out of 5  35 reviews

Current Resident: Amazing neighbors and neighborhoods that take pride in their appearance, especially for the holidays! Crosswater Halloween and a Christmas events are epic. You will find younger kids riding bikes and playing outdoors everywhere in a safe and warm environment. The local amenities Spray and Splash water parks\pools are perhaps the best in the country. Full bar and affordable food makes every day or spring and summer a blast. Nocatee is definitely Florida’s best kept secret. Plenty of nature preserves, bike trails, pickleball courts, and amazing beaches for surf and sun. Come visit and you’ll be hooked...Read 35 Reviews

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• 14,747 Population

Fish Hawk

• Suburb of Tampa, FL
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  Rating 3.94 out of 5  50 reviews

Current Resident: Fishhawk is a great place to live, I currently attend Newsome High school which is about 5 mins from where I live. Fishhawk is a very kid friendly environment which offers great education as well as after school activities such as soccer, tennis, baseball. Also there are many parks and recreational areas to enjoy after school or on the weekends. In Fishhawk there are an abundance of fantastic restaurants to try that the whole family can enjoy. Fishhawk is a close connected community that centers around being safe and enjoying daily activities. There are many young parents with kids that lives in Fishhawk so there are plenty of opportunities to get babysitters to watch the kids once and awhile. Fishhawk is a great place to live and I wouldn't trade it for anything...Read 50 Reviews

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• 21,929 Population

Palm Valley

• Suburb of Jacksonville, FL
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  Rating 4.43 out of 5  21 reviews

Niche User: I love where I live! My family is around me, I have my mom, uncle, grandparents, & cousins living near me. The weather & the beach are awesome-my friend & I go to the beach, build bonfires, sit in the hot tub, surf, & swim...Read 21 Reviews

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• 21,292 Population

Fruit Cove

• Suburb of Jacksonville, FL
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  Rating 3.98 out of 5  103 reviews

Current Resident: Wonderful community! Very safe with great schools and neighborhoods. Lived here my entire life and have enjoyed the people here and all the opportunities to serve the community!Read 103 Reviews

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• 31,314 Population

Westchase

• Suburb of Tampa, FL
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  Rating 4.22 out of 5  46 reviews

Current Resident: Beautiful community to live in. I’m a native Tampan, and this is my second time living here, and hopefully the last time I will ever move. The homes are kept up nicely, there are shops, restaurants, pubs, grocery stores, doctors, and convenience stores ALL inside of the neighborhood. It has a beautiful golf course, tennis courts where famous tennis players have played, community pools although many homeowners have their own pools, small parks, and a walking trail. It is convenient to the beach. Honeymoon Island is 11 miles from here, and from there you can take the ferry to beautiful Caladesi Island. It’s very close to Palm Harbor and Clearwater. ...I live here, and NOT South Tampa bcs if you’ve ever been through a hurricane you do NOT want to be anywhere in any part of south Tampa. The streets flood as soon as it rains A few areas of WestChase are on the flood border as these are close to the bay where you can fish, canoe, or just relax (in Oldsmar) - oldsmar borders WestChaseRead 46 Reviews

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• grade A+

• 23,923 Population

Fleming Island

• Suburb of Jacksonville, FL
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  Rating 4.19 out of 5  81 reviews

Current Resident: Fleming Island is the perfect town for those who enjoy quaint and comfortable living. Scenery throughout "the Island" is beautiful and always kept trimmed. In Fleming, you're bound to see tons of people strolling on the sidewalks while walking their pampered pooches, runners jogging while pushing baby strollers, and golf carts driving on the road alongside cars. There are also 3 great schools in Fleming: Fleming High School, Fleming Elementary, and Thunderbolt Elementary. Fleming Elementary is filled with a great staff of hardworking and awesome teachers. Fleming High is a huge school with many students and maintains an "A" grade thanks to the diligent teachers and administration. The neighborhoods in Fleming are perfect for quaint, urban living and most are within walking distance to a school. Fleming is jam-packed with popular restaurants, stores, and entertainment. You never have to leave the comfort of Fleming Island because everything you could ever need/want is already here!...Read 81 Reviews

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• 28,676 Population

Keystone

• Suburb of Tampa, FL
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  Rating 3.92 out of 5  37 reviews

Current Resident: Keystone is a rural 32-mile area in Lutz and Odessa area. Equestrian and Agricultural neighborhoods. Beautiful parks, homes, ranches still are breath taking. Large lakes for water sports and large equestrian centers for horse shows and trail riding. Keystone is the best-kept secret in Hillsborough County!...Read 37 Reviews

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• 25,493 Population

Oviedo

• Suburb of Orlando, FL
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  Rating 4.28 out of 5  307 reviews

Current Resident: Oviedo is a great large suburban town for multiple reasons. There are two growing high schools with amazing reviews and teachers that perform the best in Seminole County. There is also many dining areas and options unique to the suburb such as the Townhouse. Oviedo also has a unique culture with its native chickens that roam around downtown. The people are also super kind and helpful no matter where you turn. The hangout spot of Oviedo On The Park is also newly renovated and has numerous activities and family events almost every Saturday, including Oktoberfest, Christmas and other holiday activities including a parade in December, and more!...Read 307 Reviews

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• 40,370 Population

Palmetto Bay

• Suburb of Miami, FL
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  Rating 4.13 out of 5  76 reviews

Current Resident: I've lived throughout the US, Europe, and South America and can honestly say that Palmetto Bay's quality of life is at the top of the list. Its relative affordability, safety, schools, and proximity to Miami places it among the best places to live in Florida. Only 10-15 minutes from great restaurants, nightlife, monkey jungle, ZooMiami, golf courses, and a beautiful coastline. Also only about 45 mins to Key Largo, 35 Minutes to downtown Miami and 25 mins from MIA and ! It is super kid and family friendly. Our kids bike, roller blade, ride scooters, and stroll freely in their neighborhoods as well as around the many beautiful parks in the city. Many residents use golf carts to drop kids off at school , go shopping at Publix or pickup a cup of coffee at Starbucks. There is a bit of congestion but every major city has a degree of congestion (does not compare to congestion in NY, LA, DC). We bought our home 4 years ago and have no plans of leaving this beautiful place anytime soon!...Read 76 Reviews

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• 24,333 Population

Heathrow

• Suburb of Orlando, FL
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  Rating 4.25 out of 5  12 reviews

Current Resident: Heathrow is a very nice community I love the elementary schools and the community feel. It’s a diverse community with a lux-rural feel.Read 12 Reviews

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• 6,987 Population

World Golf Village

• Town in Florida
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  Rating 4 out of 5  29 reviews

Current Resident: I have been a resident in World Golf Village for about 14 years and I cannot say enough good things about it! This area provides excellent education and recreational services to children, and provides a lot of job opportunities to adults. I always feel safe in this area because there is great law enforcement/fire stations close by. World Golf Village is continuing to grow and I cannot wait to see what is yet to come!...Read 29 Reviews

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• 18,327 Population

Pinecrest

• Suburb of Miami, FL
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  Rating 3.89 out of 5  66 reviews

Nearby Resident: Pinecrest is a great place to live and has undergone a lot of development/population change in the past few years.The community is mostly highly-educated professionals, with some residents using properties seasonally. There's a great market with local produce (still running during COVID, including when local grocery stores struggled), plenty of parks and running/biking paths, and a great school system. Crime does exist, but it's not much of the serious types of crimes. Local police are great!...Housing prices are a bit high, so those without a million dollar budget may want to consider Palmetto Bay (just south and with access to the school system and some other government resources of Pinecrest)...It isn't the typical "Miami" vibe, and Spanish isn't a must to navigate that area.Read 66 Reviews

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• grade A

• grade A

• 19,244 Population

Doctor Phillips

• Suburb of Orlando, FL
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  Rating 4.23 out of 5  26 reviews

Current Resident: Doctor Phillips is clean, generally quiet and safe. There are a great many chain restaurants to go to, though a few unique world cuisine places exist. Additionally, there is actually suburban nightlife, which I did not know existed prior to moving here. Doctor Phillips is LGBT+ friendly, and there is an increasing amount of diversity. An abundance of juice bars, grocers, fit ready-made meals, vegetarian options and finally a posh YMCA make healthy living easy. Its proximity to additional shopping, Disney, Universal make it a very good place to live in Florida...Read 26 Reviews

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• grade A

• 10,488 Population

Horizon West

• Suburb of Orlando, FL
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  Rating 4.11 out of 5  18 reviews

Current Resident: This is the best neighborhood on Orlando area. I lived in Orlando until 2012, moved to Tampa and then to Winter Garden / Horizon West last year. This well-planned area is growing on a fast pace with a family friendly environment, safe, with quality schools and with more and more entertainment options showing up every week. ...If your family like Golf or Disney this is the right place for you.Read 18 Reviews

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• grade A

• 39,065 Population

Gotha

• Suburb of Orlando, FL
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  Rating 3.86 out of 5  14 reviews

Current Resident: I think that Gotha is a pretty good area. Lots of friendly people however it is very small. Overall the community is great but some of the speed limits are ridiculously low for no reason.Read 14 Reviews

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• grade A minus

• grade A

• 2,041 Population

Wesley Chapel

• Suburb of Tampa, FL
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  Rating 4.15 out of 5  273 reviews

Current Resident: Wesley Chapel is a general suburban area, very family-friendly, and one of the safest cities near the west coast. There are many neighborhood developments in a vast range of pricing, so no matter your budget you should be able to find a home with a suitable mortgage. Beaches are about an hour away, so they make for nice trips during the summer. The schools are about average, however, there are charter options as well. Very little crime is reported, once a few years there's some thieving in regards to purses and unlocked cars. As a southern state, there are ample conservatives in the area, although it is not uncommon to find liberals in less rural areas of the city...Read 273 Reviews

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• grade A

• 58,208 Population

Lake Mary

• Suburb of Orlando, FL
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  Rating 4.36 out of 5  118 reviews

Current Resident: Lake Mary is a wonderful place to start a family. Lake Mary’s public schools are great, and you’re only a half hour away from the theme parks, Downtown Orlando, and Daytona Beach!Read 118 Reviews

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• 16,698 Population

Weston

• Suburb of Fort Lauderdale, FL
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  Rating 4.24 out of 5  423 reviews

Current Resident: Weston is family oriented, diverse, health conscious, has great schools and is well manicured. There are family events in town center and most parks. There are annual events such as the "Halloween Spooktacular", "Lighting of the Tree", "Chanukah", and events for Latin American culture. People can network, volunteer and sports teams to interact with fellow citizens.Weston welcomes people from a variety of backgrounds. Residents have the opportunity to learn English or other languages at the library or one of the middle schools. Weston has a walking and bike trail throughout the city. School children are encouraged to participate in the Mayors Run/Walk challenge as a team for their school. Majority of Weston schools have the reputation of being an "A" school. Weston is filled with well cut trees,shrubs and grass which creates an environmental ambiance. There are rows of different plants with brightly colored flowers along side the rode. I am so proud to call Weston my home town!...Read 423 Reviews

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• grade A

• 70,614 Population

Pebble Creek

• Suburb of Tampa, FL
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  Rating 3.75 out of 5  24 reviews

Current Resident: It contains a very safe and easy access environment for all ages. The diversity is slowly becoming an abundant thing. People here are very kind to one another, very clean and well mannered. The real state here is very profitable, along with the community schools being excellent. Overall, a very nice and suburban area for our community to thrive and raise our next upcoming generation!...Read 24 Reviews

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• grade A

• 10,249 Population

Key Biscayne

• Suburb of Miami, FL
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  Rating 4.74 out of 5  23 reviews

Current Resident: The only way I can describe this Island is to picture yourself in 1950 with modern life. Nobody locks the doors to your home, when you drive to pick something up in the local grocery store if you happen to leave your car parked with ignition on its ok nobody will take your vehicle. Your children will be children, they will ride their bikes to the park, fish on the Mashta bridge, Kayak, sailing, an incredible community center with indoor basketball, olympic pool, volleyball, jungle gym, ping pong & pool tables, computer center, gym for adults, trails for hiking, beaches, outdoor play is incredible with beautiful parks with soccer fields and play for toddlers.For adults you have many restaurants, Resort Hotel (Ritz) that is locals friendly, golf cart community, farmers market,if you can afford (which I cannot) Yacht Club and just as important we are 9 minutes away from Brickell/Downtown Miami which was recently voted one of the best places to visit. Only missing in Key a movie theatre...Read 23 Reviews

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• grade A

• 12,915 Population

Oriole Beach

• Suburb in Florida

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• 1,815 Population

Wekiwa Springs

• Suburb of Orlando, FL
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  Rating 3.9 out of 5  78 reviews

Current Resident: I love Wekiwa Springs! The schools are wonderful, the neighborhoods are great peaceful, quiet and safe area. Everything is relatively close within a 20-30 minutes range. Wekiva island is a really cute marine bar on the Wekiva river that allows small parties, business events, kayaking, canoeing and paddle boarding. I have lived here my whole life and don’t plan on moving any time soon...Read 78 Reviews

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• 23,512 Population

Tiger Point

• Suburb in Florida

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• 3,360 Population

Coral Gables

• Suburb of Miami, FL
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  Rating 4.21 out of 5  115 reviews

Current Resident: Great suburb to grow up in. The beautiful trees and parks make living there worth it, especially for someone who loves being outside, like myself. The restaurants add that extra flare to my fellow foodies out there. More recently though, the traffic and extremely high housing prices make it difficult to remember that charm it once had many years ago...Read 115 Reviews

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• grade A

• 50,226 Population

Surfside

• Suburb of Miami, FL
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  Rating 4.53 out of 5  19 reviews

Current Resident: My entire life I have lived in Surfside. Surfside is a neighborhood straight out of a movie where you can encounter families walking their dogs, community gardens, and impeccable streets. The beach is only two blocks away and you also have three blocks filled with stores ranging from nail salons to kosher grocery markets to sushi restaurants. If I were to change anything about Surfside it would be to move the electrical wires underground however, there is a current vote to determine whether it will happen...Read 19 Reviews

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• grade A

• 5,725 Population