several state wildlife management areas, lakes and preserves.
The area is also the headwaters of the Lake Okeechobee-Florida
everglades ecosystem. Lake Tohopekaliga, Florida’s the
sixth largest lake at 19,000 acres, sits next to Kissimmee.
KISSIMMEE
The county seat is home to more than 72,000 residents. Its
proximity to major theme parks encouraged several smaller
attractions, such as Old Town and Fun Spot, to spring up near
U.S. Highway 192, which runs through the heart of the city.
Paying tribute to the county’s cowboy roots, Kissimmee also
hosts the annual Silver Spurs Rodeo. The city’s Waterfront Park
on Lake Tohopekaliga features walking paths, playgrounds
and a fishing pier.
ST. CLOUD
Located just a few miles east of Kissimmee and about an
hour from the beaches in Melbourne, St. Cloud was founded in
the early 1900s as a retirement community for Civil War Union
veterans who paid $50 for five-acre lots. Today more than
51,000 residents live there. The city is located on the southern
shore of East Lake Tohopekaliga, approximately 26 miles
southeast of Orlando.
50 HOMEBUYER // CENTRAL FLORIDA EDITION
Osceola County’s Silver Spurs
Rodeo, still held every year in
Kissimmee, is the throwback to
the days of the county’s stature
as a cattle-ranching mecca. There
are still plenty of cowboys in the
county, along with others who like
the area’s affordable homes and
array of recreational opportunities.
POLK COUNTY (POLK-COUNTY.NET)
Population: 686,483
Number of housing units: 295,126
Median value of owner-occupied homes: $121,100
Mean travel time to work (in minutes): 26
Median household income: $45,988
Located along Interstate 4 midway between Orlando and
Tampa, Polk County benefits from its proximity to both highgrowth
urban areas. It’s home to about 670,000 people and
lies along the so-called “I-4 Corridor,” which runs from the
state’s west coast to the east coast.
County leaders say citrus, cattle, agriculture and the phosphate
industry remain key players in the local economy. But
tourist revenue has increased in recent years, thanks in part to
attractions such as Legoland Florida and Bok Tower Gardens.
The county also was home to a couple of historic firsts: The
first Publix Supermarket was built in Winter Haven. That city also
was the location of Cypress Gardens, the first tourist attraction
in Florida (which was later bought and reopened as Legoland).
One of the fastest growing areas in Polk is around the small
city of Davenport. While the city’s population is less than 4,000,
STATISTICS: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, AS OF JULY 2017
/(POLK-COUNTY.NET