Is Davenport Florida a Good Place to Live?
You may be wondering whether or not Davenport Florida is a good place to live and call home. Like many people, we too have been in your shoes and wondered which part of Florida was right for our family.
Davenport is an amazing community in Florida located 35 miles southwest of Orlando. We would consider Davenport a suburb of Orlando being that Highway 4 runs through the heart of Davenport connecting the city to Orlando.
While Davenport is known for its immaculate fun-filled communities such as Champions Gate and the amazing vacation homes, Davenport can also offer a great quality of life for people who want to live in this great Orlando suburb year round.
But is Davenport Florida right for you? Let’s dive in and explore the area.
Is Davenport Florida a good place to live? An overview of Davenport
Davenport Florida is located in Polk County, Florida which is also home to popular Florida cities such as Winter Haven and Lakeland.
Located 25 to 35 miles southwest of Orlando, Lakeland is a very convenient location for people who want to move near amazing amenities such as Disney World and Orlando International Airport without having to live in a congested metropolitan area.
The city has several major highways running through it, including Interstate 4 and US Route 27, which provides easy access to Orlando and other nearby cities.
The map below shows Davenport (orange marker) in relation to the downtown Orlando, Orlando International Airport, Clermont, and Disney World (blue markers).
Davenport is a growing city and has a population of approximately 11,000 people, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. It should be noted that Davenport is growing rapidly—adding multiple thousands of people each year.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 1,924 |
| 2003 | 2,786 |
| 2006 | 3,886 |
| 2009 | 5,173 |
| 2012 | 6,845 |
| 2015 | 8,404 |
| 2018 | 9,812 |
| 2021 | 11,054 |
Davenport is also known for its large resort-inspired communities such as Champions Gate. Champions Gate is a mega community offering a luxurious 35,000 square foot clubhouse with amenities such as a fitness center, movie theater, game room, and a resort-style pool with a lazy river and splash pad.
We can’t forget about the shopping. For those who enjoy shopping, Champions Gate offers a variety of retail options, including a grocery store, pharmacy, and several restaurants.
Champions Gate Golf Club is a very popular destination for residents and visitors and is an amazing place to get 18 holes of golf in.
This is one of the best golf clubs in western Orlando with two 18-hole golf courses, a lighted 9-hole course, and a par-3 course.
For many golf enthusiasts in west Orlando, this is the course they play the most often.
Champions Gate Golf Course Highlights:
- Two 18-hole championship golf courses designed by PGA pro Greg Norman
- Courses features links-style golf with extensive sand bunkers, natural wetlands, gorgeous vegetation, and water hazards.
- Practice facility with a driving range, putting greens, and short game area
- Professional golf instruction available from certified PGA instructors
- Pro shop for golf equipment and apparel
- David’s Club restaurant serving American cuisine.
- Cigar bar with outdoor terrace
Another great aspect of living in Davenport is the proximity to great outdoor activities. Lake Kissimmee State Park, Green Swamp Preserve, and Lake Louisa State Park are within a short drive.
Lastly, Davenport is known to be more affordable than communities on the periphery of Orlando such as Windermere, Winter Garden, and Clermont.
For example, the average home sale over the last 12 months in Windermere was $800k, $530k in Winter Garden, and $414k in Clermont— while the average home sale price in Davenport was $373k. Quite the savings!
All in all, Davenport is a great place to live because of the great location near Orlando’s best amenities, a close drive to world-class beaches, natural state parks in your backyard, amazing golf, and beautiful communities to call home.
Davenport Florida Pros
- Growing community
- Low crime
- Year-round sunshine
- Under 40 minutes to major Orlando attractions
- One of the closest Orlando suburbs to Gulf Coast beaches
- More affordable homes than surrounding community
- Quality shopping, restaurants, and healthcare amenities
- Plenty of outdoor recreational opportunities with nature preserves and state parks
- Terrific golfing including the Greg Norman designed Champions Gate Golf Course
- Easy access to highways (I4/US Route 27)
Davenport Florida Cons
- It can be hot and humid 8 months out of the year
- Heavy tourist traffic during peak season—especially on I4 and US Route 27 heading eastbound
- Limited public transportation options
- Higher percentage of renters/vacationers than neighboring Clermont FL
- Not as developed as neighboring Clermont, Kissimmee, or Winter Garden
- Higher Education institutions can be quite a commute
- Poor walkability in many neighborhoods—not many amenities by foot
- Doesn’t have a main street/downtown area
Why has Davenport Florida become so popular?
Davenport has become a very popular place in Florida in recent years. We believe the growth has been a result of two primary factors: Attractions and Affordability.
Reason one: Davenport is Close to Major Attractions
Most attractions in the Orlando area can be accessed in under 50 minutes from nearly anywhere in Davenport. Take a look at the commute times from Davenport below:
- Walt Disney World Resort: 20-30 minutes drive
- Universal Orlando Resort: 35-45 minutes drive
- SeaWorld Orlando: 35-45 minutes drive
- Orlando International Airport: approximately 35-40 minutes drive
- Downtown Orlando: approximately 40-50 minutes drive
The close proximity to major attractions without much local traffic makes Davenport a desirable community.
The quality of life impact cannot be understated when choosing a community with great local amenities (e.g., groceries, restaurants, movie theatre, shopping) and without the Disney and downtown Orlando traffic.
Not to mention, we haven’t even discussed beach access. Davenport is 30 minutes closer to Gulf of Mexico beaches than living in Orlando—which happens to be Florida’s nicest beaches.
If you choose a northeast Orlando community like Winter Park, you’d be at least 45 minutes farther from Gulf Coast beaches.
Take a look at us at a beautiful beach in Clearwater—only a few short hours in the car.
Below we have compiled commute times to get a feel for your future beach commute to the top Gulf beaches in the state.
Davenport FL to Gulf Coast Beach Drive Times:
- Clearwater Beach: 1 hour 50 minute drive
- Siesta Key Beach: 2 hours 15 minute drive
- St. Pete Beach: 1 hour 50 minute drive
- Longboat Key Beach: 2 hours 19 minute drive
Not bad right? All of those beaches would be an easy morning drive.
Reason Two: Davenport has affordable housing and investment property potential
For the right buyer looking to maximize their budget near the Orlando area, Davenport would be a great fit.
Davenport isn’t next door to Orlando which offers two great advantages: 1) less traffic and 2) lower prices.
Rocket Mortgage recently updated Davenport’s average home sale and as you can see below, there are affordable homes on the market depending on what you are looking for and how big of a home you want to invest in.
Very few areas of Orlando will offer homes under $300k and Davenport is one of those cities. However, we do not believe that you are losing much when comparing Davenport’s amenities and close proximity to other cities filled with exciting things to do.
It should be noted that like most of Florida, prices have increased dramatically over the last 24 months. As you can see in the image above, prices for two bedrooms have risen incredibly fast (63%) and 5+ bedrooms (24%). This is good for investment potential and home equity.
However, if we take a look back at 2021 before the market skyrocketed, Davenport was really a bargain (as was Kissimmee).
| City | Median Home Sale Price (2021) |
|---|---|
| Clermont | $365,000 |
| Davenport | $297,000 |
| Winter Garden | $400,000 |
| Kissimmee | $260,000 |
| Windermere | $1,032,500 |
| Winter Park | $725,000 |
| Lake Nona (Orlando) | $455,000 |
If you are curious about what a home might look like in Davenport, check our recent video on KB Bellaviva below. It’s a video walkthrough.
What’s it like living in Davenport FL?
One thing we are often asked by clients is, “What is like to live in Davenport, FL?”
Well…it’s amazing. The lifestyle is very laid back and there is plenty to do.
The feedback from our clients has been terrific because the community of Davenport has a lot to offer its residents.
For example, Davenport has amazing restaurants with many 4 star options such as the Hotel Flower Corner, Sazon Del Campo, Ovation Bistro and Bar, and Honey’s Bee Bee Que.
While you can certainly leave the city and head over to Margaritaville, Disney Springs, or HWY 192 (Kissimmee) for unlimited restaurant options (all under 30 minutes), there is plenty to choose from in Davenport.
If you need to do some shopping, you’ve chosen a great community. Davenport is home to Posner Park which is home to dozens of big name brands such as Target, Ulta, Marshalls, Petsmart, Hobby Lobby, Ross, BJ’s Wholesale Club, and Best Buy.
Want to catch a movie during a lazy afternoon? Visit the Cinepolis Movie Theater IMAX in Posner Park. Heck, why not visit one of terrific restaurants in Posner Park after the movie such as Dos Pazna or Hungry Crab.
Another common activity amongst people who live in Davenport are the great day trips to Gulf Coast beaches. As we highlighted above, you can get to a world famous beach like Clearwater Beach in under 2 hours.
We have taken this short drive dozens of times to dip our feet in the ocean. I can’t tell you how wonderful it not having to board a plane to get to white-sand beaches.
Imagine leaving your house at 8 am and sitting on a postcard-worthy beach by 10 am? We do it all the time. And it never gets old. Davenport gives you that luxury.
The best part of being this close is that you don’t have to pay the high costs of living in a coastal community either, it’s only a short drive away.
What is the crime rate in Davenport FL
Davenport FL is a safe city and you should feel very comfortable visiting or living here. We have data to back up these claims.
According to NeighborhoodScout, which provides local crime data for cities across the United States, the crime rate in Davenport, FL is lower than the national average and far lower than Florida as a whole.
In fact, your chances of becoming a victim of crime living in Davenport is 1 in 2,191 while your same chances of becoming a victim of crime in Florida as a whole is 1 in 255.
Davenport is nearly 10x safer than the Florida average.
Here is a table with the total number of reported crimes in Davenport, FL every 5 years from 2000 to 2020, based on data from the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI):
| Year | Total Number of Reported Crimes | Total Population | Crimes as % of Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 90 | 1,924 | 4.68% |
| 2005 | 173 | 2,888 | 5.99% |
| 2010 | 150 | 2,888 | 5.20% |
| 2015 | 146 | 3,071 | 4.75% |
| 2020 | 255 | 5,114 | 4.99% |
By dividing the Total Number of Reported Crimes by the Total Population, we get the percentage of the population that has been affected by crime. What you’ll find in Daveport is that year over year, the crime has changed very little.
This is rare for a city that’s growing as quickly as Davenport. Despite its growth and new residents moving in each year, the average percentage of crime affecting community members is largely unchanged.
Good job Davenport law enforcement!
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s a better city: Davenport vs Kissimmee?
It depends on the buyer. We think both cities have pros and cons depending on your needs.
If you are someone whose top priority is close proximity to amenities, lower cost of living (housing), being closer to beaches, finding more rural land buying opportunities, and lesser congestion–Davenport would be a great place to live.
On the other hand, if you are looking for maximum restaurant and shopping options, being as close as possible to big amenities like Disney and Universal, don’t mind living amongst a ton of short-term renters and being farther from the beach, having access to Margaritaville in your backyard, and are fine with paying more on average for a home–Kissimmee would be a great place to live.
It should also be noted that Kissimmee is a much larger community. Kissimmee is home to over 80,000 people where as Davenport has only 11,000 residents with Kissimmee having seven times more total land.
While Kissimmee and Davenport are neighbors, they are quite different communities for different buyers.
What’s a better city: Davenport vs Clermont?
While Davenport and Clermont both share a border, the two cities have distinct personalities and differences.
Clermont is a better city for someone who wants to maximize the outdoor experience. With lush forests, 300 foot rolling hills, the pristine Lake Louisa State Park, 11 connected lakes, dozens of miles of biking and walking paths, and the popular and beautiful Waterfront Park beach area—Clermont is an outdoor paradise. The don’t call Clermont the “gem of the hills” for nothing.
The southern portion of Clermont will feel much more like Davenport with more renters and short/long-term renters while the northern portion of Clermont will feel quite different. North Clermont has many more long-term residents and homeowners who live there year-round—many with kids in schools.
Davenport on the other hand is built for someone who desires to be close to exciting amenities. Starting with its very own Champions Gate Golf Club, Davenport is located close to all the action. In under 45 minutes, you can be in Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, Orlando International Airport, Margaritaville, or LEGOLAND.
Davenport also offers less expensive homes overall—though with more renters in specific neighborhoods.
In addition, Davenport is closer to Gulf Coast beaches and all that Tampa has to offer—especially when comparing proximity to those living in north Clermont.
Does Davenport Florida have a true downtown?
No, we would not consider Davenport’s downtown area a “true” downtown—at least not when comparing it to Clermont or Winter Garden.
Davenport is still up and coming and has 30,000 fewer residents than both Clermont and Winter Garden. The majority of the amenities in Davenport are centered around Posner Park, Champions Gate, and sprinkles of shops and restaurants along HWY 17/HWY 27.
With the number of amenities within a 20 minute drive, a downtown may not be necessary for most people.