Central Florida
Cities and Towns of Central Florida describes the municipalities and communities that make up the Central Florida region of the state of Florida. The region includes the metropolitan area surrounding Orlando, as well as inland communities, historic towns, coastal cities, agricultural areas, and growing suburban developments. Central Florida is known for its tourism industry, natural lakes, springs, wetlands, historic downtowns, residential communities, and diverse local economies.
There is no single universally accepted boundary for Central Florida. For the purposes of this article and the CentralFloridian.com community, Central Florida is defined primarily as eight counties: Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Polk, Volusia, Brevard, and Sumter. Other definitions may include neighboring counties, depending on geographic, economic, cultural, or tourism considerations.
Defining Central Florida
Central Florida occupies a substantial portion of the Florida peninsula. Its population centers range from the Orlando metropolitan area to the Atlantic coast, the inland lakes of Lake County, the agricultural communities of Polk County, and the retirement and rural communities of Sumter County.
The region does not have a single government that administers all of Central Florida. Instead, its communities are governed by municipal governments and county governments, with regional organizations coordinating certain transportation, planning, tourism, and environmental activities.
For this article, communities are organized by county. Incorporated cities and towns are distinguished from unincorporated communities, which may have recognizable names and identities but do not have their own municipal governments.
Orange County
Orange County is home to Orlando, the principal city of Central Florida and a major center for tourism, entertainment, healthcare, education, and business. The county includes established cities, historic towns, suburban communities, and some of the region's most visited attractions.
Incorporated cities and towns
- Apopka
- Bay Lake
- Belle Isle
- Eatonville
- Edgewood
- Lake Buena Vista
- Maitland
- Oakland
- Ocoee
- Orlando
- Windermere
- Winter Garden
- Winter Park
Other notable communities
Orange County also contains numerous unincorporated communities and census-designated places, including Doctor Phillips, Horizon West, Hunters Creek, Pine Hills, Union Park, and Wedgefield.
These communities vary in character, from established residential neighborhoods to rapidly growing suburban developments.
Seminole County
Seminole County lies immediately north of Orlando. It includes established suburban cities, business districts, residential neighborhoods, and communities with significant natural areas and historic connections to the region's early settlement.
Incorporated cities
Other notable communities
Other communities and localities include Geneva, Chuluota, Heathrow, Fern Park, and Black Hammock.
Sanford, the county seat, is known for its historic downtown and waterfront along Lake Monroe. Other parts of the county feature suburban business centers, residential developments, parks, and conservation lands.
Osceola County
Osceola County lies south of Orange County and includes growing residential communities, agricultural areas, wetlands, and major tourism-related developments. Its proximity to Orlando's attractions has contributed to substantial population growth and expansion.
Incorporated cities
Other notable communities
Kissimmee is the county seat and an important commercial and transportation center. St. Cloud has a distinct historic downtown and residential identity. Other communities include planned developments, established neighborhoods, and rural areas.
Some communities, including Four Corners and Poinciana, extend across county boundaries or have boundaries that differ depending on the agency or geographic definition being used.
Lake County
Lake County lies northwest of Orlando and is known for its lakes, rolling hills, historic downtowns, retirement communities, and expanding residential developments. The county combines suburban growth with agricultural land and outdoor recreation.
Incorporated cities and towns
- Clermont
- Eustis
- Fruitland Park
- Groveland
- Howey-in-the-Hills
- Lady Lake
- Leesburg
- Mascotte
- Minneola
- Montverde
- Mount Dora
- Tavares
- Umatilla
Other notable communities
Other communities include The Villages, portions of which extend into Lake County, and unincorporated localities such as Astatula and Yalaha.
Leesburg, Tavares, and Eustis form part of an established network of communities in the northern portion of the county. Clermont and Minneola have experienced substantial residential growth as the Orlando metropolitan area has expanded westward.
Polk County
Polk County lies southwest of Orlando and is one of Central Florida's largest counties by land area. It includes major cities, smaller towns, agricultural communities, lakes, and important transportation and distribution centers. Its economy includes logistics, healthcare, education, agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism.
Incorporated cities and towns
- Auburndale
- Bartow
- Davenport
- Dundee
- Eagle Lake
- Fort Meade
- Frostproof
- Haines City
- Lake Alfred
- Lake Hamilton
- Lake Wales
- Lakeland
- Mulberry
- Polk City
- Winter Haven
Other notable communities
Other communities include Babson Park, Combee Settlement, Highland City, Medulla, and Poinciana.
Lakeland and Winter Haven are major population and employment centers. Bartow serves as the county seat. The eastern portion of the county has grown significantly because of its proximity to Orlando and the Walt Disney World resort area.
Volusia County
Volusia County lies northeast of Orlando and stretches from inland communities to the Atlantic coast. Its communities include beach cities, historic inland towns, residential suburbs, and important tourism and transportation centers.
Incorporated cities and towns
- Daytona Beach
- Daytona Beach Shores
- DeBary
- DeLand
- Deltona
- Edgewater
- Holly Hill
- Lake Helen
- New Smyrna Beach
- Oak Hill
- Orange City
- Ormond Beach
- Port Orange
- South Daytona
- Ponce Inlet
- Pierson
Other notable communities
Other localities include De Leon Springs, Osteen, and Samsula-Spruce Creek.
Daytona Beach is widely known for its beaches and motorsports heritage. DeLand, the county seat, has a historic downtown and is home to Stetson University. New Smyrna Beach and Ormond Beach are coastal communities with distinct local identities.
Brevard County
Brevard County occupies much of Florida's Atlantic coast east of Orlando. It is commonly associated with the Space Coast because of its aerospace industry, space launch facilities, beaches, and connections to the United States space program.
Incorporated cities and towns
- Cape Canaveral
- Cocoa
- Cocoa Beach
- Indian Harbour Beach
- Indialantic
- Malabar
- Melbourne
- Melbourne Beach
- Melbourne Village
- Palm Bay
- Palm Shores
- Rockledge
- Satellite Beach
- Titusville
- West Melbourne
- Grant-Valkaria
Other notable communities
Other communities include Merritt Island, Mims, Viera, Port St. John, and Micco.
Titusville is closely associated with viewing launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Melbourne and Palm Bay are major population and employment centers in the southern portion of the county. Coastal communities support tourism, recreation, and marine-related activities.
Sumter County
Sumter County lies northwest of Orlando and includes rural communities, agricultural land, small cities, and a substantial portion of the retirement-oriented development known as The Villages.
Incorporated cities
Other notable communities
Bushnell is the county seat. Wildwood has become an important transportation and commercial center because of its location near major highways. The Villages is a large master-planned community that extends across county boundaries; its geographic and administrative boundaries do not correspond to those of a single incorporated city.
Communities Beyond the Core Region
Some definitions of Central Florida include additional counties and communities beyond the eight-county area used in this article. These broader definitions may include parts of Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, Highlands, Hardee, and Indian River.
For example, Tampa and other communities in the Tampa Bay area are sometimes included in broad regional definitions of Central Florida, although they are also commonly associated with the separate Tampa Bay region. Likewise, communities farther south along the peninsula may be included in some economic or tourism definitions but excluded from narrower geographic definitions.
Because no single boundary applies to every use of the term, articles on CentralFloridian.com should identify the county and municipality associated with each community rather than relying solely on a regional label.
Incorporated Municipalities and Unincorporated Communities
Florida communities do not all have the same legal status. An incorporated municipality has an established municipal government and may be legally designated as a city, town, or village. The particular designation does not, by itself, determine the community's population or size.
An unincorporated community is a named settlement or developed area that is governed primarily by its county rather than by a separate municipal government. Many well-known Central Florida communities, including some large suburban developments, are unincorporated.
A census-designated place (CDP) is a geographic area defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. It is not necessarily an incorporated municipality and does not automatically have its own municipal government.
These distinctions matter when creating community articles. A page about an incorporated city may discuss its municipal government, elections, public services, and city limits. A page about an unincorporated community may instead focus on its history, location, neighborhoods, services, and relationship with the county government.
Importance to the Region
Central Florida's cities and towns contribute to a diverse regional economy. Orlando and its surrounding communities form a major center for tourism, entertainment, healthcare, education, technology, and business services. Polk County has significant logistics, distribution, agricultural, and manufacturing activity. Brevard County is associated with aerospace, defense, and space exploration, while Volusia County combines coastal tourism with inland employment centers. Lake and Sumter counties contain numerous lakefront communities, retirement developments, and historic downtowns.
The communities also share regional challenges, including population growth, housing affordability, traffic congestion, water resources, environmental protection, and the preservation of historic places. Their cooperation on transportation, emergency services, conservation, and planning helps shape the future of Central Florida.
Developing Community Articles
CentralFloridian.com can use this overview as a starting point for a series of individual articles about the region's municipalities and communities. Each article should provide a concise introduction, geographic location, history, population information where available, local government or community status, notable places, transportation connections, economy, and references.
When describing a community, editors should verify its current legal status and county location. Communities that cross county lines or have boundaries defined differently by different agencies should be described accordingly.
References