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Is Orlando a Good Place to Live? Pros and Cons (2026)
By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Published November 10, 2026.
Is Orlando a good place to live? The short answer
Orlando is Florida's big inland metro: theme parks, a busy airport and mild winters, away from the coast. Florida has no state income tax. Tourism is the largest employer by sector, and in 2024-25 more people left the metro for other parts of the US than arrived. These are the sourced pros and cons.
At a glance
- $410,000Median listed homeRealtor.com, Sep 2026
- $2,253Monthly payment$4,078 in New York
- $1,8552-bedroom rentCensus ACS 2025
- +1.4%Everyday pricesvs US average, BEA 2024
- 30.3 minAverage commuteCensus ACS 2025
- -1,785Net move-ins2024-25, Census
Pros and cons
Pros
- Homes list 2% below the US median$410,000 median listing against $419,250 nationally.Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
- Nonstop flights to New YorkFrom MCO to JFK, LGA, EWR.Airport route page, accessed November 3, 2026
- A real job marketCentral Florida Research Park next to the University of Central Florida; Walt Disney World, AdventHealth, Lockheed MartinSlower Sundays city profile
Cons
- Prices 1% above the US averageEveryday prices index at 101.4 against a US average of 100. Still well below New York's 112.6.BEA regional price parities, 2024
- Hot summersJuly highs average 92°F.NOAA 1991-2020 normals
- More people leave than arrive1,785 more people left for other US metros than arrived, July 2024 to July 2025.US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025
What it costs to live in Orlando
The median listed home in the Orlando metro was $410,000 in September 2026, 2% below the US median. BEA's housing index for the metro is 123.4 and everyday prices land at 101.4, where the US average is 100.
Coming from New York, principal and interest on the median Orlando home come to about $2,253 a month, against $4,078 on the median New York metro home. The Census 2-bedroom rent is $1,855 here and $1,997 in the New York metro.
- Orlando$2,253
- Tampa$2,118
- Jacksonville$2,083
- Lakeland$1,808
- Daytona Beach$2,061
- New York metro$4,078
Principal and interest, 20% down at 7.32%, before taxes and insurance.
See the full cost table
| Metro | Median listed home | Monthly payment | 2-bedroom rent | Price level | Housing index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando, FL | $410,000 | $2,253 | $1,855 | 101.4 | 123.4 |
| Tampa, FL | $385,398 | $2,118 | $1,861 | 100.9 | 125.8 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $379,000 | $2,083 | $1,642 | 99.5 | 109.8 |
| Lakeland, FL | $329,000 | $1,808 | $1,437 | 97.1 | 95.9 |
| Daytona Beach, FL | $374,950 | $2,061 | $1,638 | 99.4 | 108.4 |
| New York metro | $742,000 | $4,078 | $1,997 | 112.6 | 148.6 |
Median listed home: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Monthly payment: principal and interest with 20% down at 7.32% (Freddie Mac, week of October 22, 2026), before taxes and insurance. Rent: median gross rent for a 2-bedroom, utilities includedsource. Price level and housing index: BEA regional price parities, 2024, US = 100.
Jobs in Orlando
The Orlando metro had 1,507,700 nonfarm jobs in September 2026, up 1% from a year earlier, and an unemployment rate of 4.2% (preliminary). The largest sectors by jobs are leisure and hospitality (297,200); professional and business services (280,800); and trade, transportation, and utilities (264,800). source
A tourism economy
Leisure and hospitality is the metro's largest sector, with 297,200 jobs in September 2026, about 20% of all nonfarm jobs (BLS, preliminary). That brings steady hiring in hotels, parks and restaurants, and pay that tracks the tourism cycle. If you work remotely or in health care, the market is broad enough; if you are switching careers into finance or tech, compare Tampa and Jacksonville too.
Weather
January lows average 49.5°F and July highs 92°F, with 51.45 inches of total precipitation in a typical yearsource.
Flights and getting back to New York
MCO has nonstop flights to JFK, LGA, EWRsource.
Taxes in Florida
- Income tax: Florida does not tax wages. source
- Sales tax: 6% state rate. Counties may charge a discretionary sales surtax between 0.5% and 2.5%. Some counties levy no surtax. Source document is revised September 2022.source
- Property tax: an average effective rate of 0.76%, about $3,116 a year on a $410,000 home (our arithmetic; your county and city rates decide the real bill).source
- Social Security: not taxed by the state.
Moving to Orlando: the growth
Between July 2024 and July 2025, 1,785 more people left the Orlando metro for elsewhere in the US than moved insource.
The verdict
Yes, for families who want Florida weather and no state income tax inland, away from the coast's storm surge. It is a weaker fit if your career is outside tourism, health care or business services, or if you want a lower home price than Jacksonville or Lakeland.
Read next: moving to Florida, is Tampa a good place to live, is Jacksonville a good place to live, best places to retire in Florida, or see the monthly breakdown on our Orlando cost of living page.
Data notes: monthly payment assumes 20% down on the median listed home at the Freddie Mac 30-year average of 7.32% and excludes property tax, insurance and HOA dues.